One of the most difficult crops to establish is Alfalfa grown for seed.  First, the seed is tiny and does not have enough energy to emerge if it is planted too deep or if the soil crusts after a rain or irrigation.  Second, alfalfa takes a long time to develop and is very attractive to every bug and bird in it’s seedling stage.  Finally, it is planted at very low populations so anything that is unable to emerge leaves a bare space in the row that can affect yield potential.  The good news is that it is a perennial crop and only needs to be established every two or three years.

This alfalfa was planted the beginning of February and has taken almost two months to get to this stage.  It is no longer at risk and over the next two months will grow at an amazing pace and should be blooming by the end of May.