Organic Alfalfa
Alfalfa is the forage base for many farms today. It is a legume that can fix most of its own nitrogen. We carry two alfalfa varieties, a tap root or deep rooted plant that has good drought tolerance and it grows pretty well during the hotter part of the summer. The second variety is a branchroot alfalfa for wetter and heavier clay soils. Due to the pressures of the rotation schedule on many farms, alfalfa stands are only in production for three or four years before decreases in productivity are noticed. It is important to get all the yield possible in this short time and these high performing varieties are what we focus on.
Establishment
Alfalfa can be planted in the spring or late summer, but we recommend late summer whenever possible. Planting depth should be 0.25 to 0.50 inches with good soil contact. If spring sown, a nurse crop of grass or small grain is recommended to maximize the tonnage in the seeding year. We usually recommend seeding grass with alfalfa to give a higher tonnage and better quality feed for the life of the stand. Alfalfa exhibits autotoxicity, which means established plants (older than 6 months) give off compounds that prevent new alfalfa seedlings from establishing.
Management
Once established, alfalfa stand can last for many years. Many modern varieties can handle 28 day cutting schedules and in fact, some elite varieties need that type of management to perform their best. One very critical aspect of alfalfa management is knowing when to take the last cutting in the fall. By using Growing Degree Days (GDD) you can determine the best time to take the last fall cutting. An early fall cut can be taken as long as the plants can accumulate more than 500 GDD to replenish root reserves. A late fall cutting can be taken as long as no more than 200 GDD will accumulate before killing frost (25°F).
Certified Organic
Organic seeds are grown by certified organic growers that adhere to the strict organic practices required by the Organic Food Production Act of 1990. No chemical fertilizer, pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, or herbicides are allowed in the production of this seed. Genetic purity is maintained throughout the production, processing, and packaging of this seed. Organic certificate available upon request.
Showing all 10 results
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Byron’s 44 Mag Organic
$6.85 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $342.50Tall robust alfalfa with a dense leafy canopy. Easy to manage and performs well.
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KingFisher 101 Organic
$5.80 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $290.00KingFisher OR101 is our BEST priced organic alfalfa. A blended organic alfalfa, KF OR101 is good for both short and long rotations. Find more here!
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KingFisher KF Enhancer Organic
$5.75 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $287.50Certified Organic KingFisher KF Enhancer Organic Alfalfa Seed is a taprooted alfalfa with max drydown. Alfalfa seed in stock. Discounts available!
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KingFisher OR23 Organic
$5.67 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $283.50Welcome to Byron Seeds only Point of Sale Site. We carry Byron Seeds best products – including KingFisher OR23 Organic Seed.
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KingFisher OR24 Organic
$5.67 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $283.50Welcome to Byron Seeds only Point of Sale Site. We carry Byron Seeds best products – including KingFisher OR24 Organic Seed.
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KingFisher OR25 Organic
$6.45 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $322.50Certified Organic KingFisher OR25 Organic alfalfa seed is finned stemmed with fast recovery.
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KingFisher OR26 Organic
$5.60 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $280.00Certified Organic KingFisher OR26 Organic alfalfa seed is the best choice for wet soils. Buy yours here!
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KingFisher OR27 Organic
$5.60 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $280.00Certified Organic KingFisher OR27 Organic alfalfa seed yields highly and tolerates heavy traffic. Buy yours here!
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KingFisher OR28 Organic
$5.91 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $295.50Certified Organic KingFisher OR28 alfalfa Seed from Byron Seeds is a winter hardy tap root variety for drained soils. Alfalfa Seed in stock. Discounts available!
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KingFisher OR401B Organic
$5.75 per lb
Total (50 lbs): $287.50KingFisher OR401B is an excellent organic branchroot alfalfa designed for wet areas and can extend to Tennessee and beyond. Get yours here!
Showing all 10 results