Tug-of-War™

Get Tug-of-War™ for $3.59 per pound!

The main alfalfa that we have been selling directly to farmers for 17 years!

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of pounds sold! 

Our Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa is a fine-stem, deep tap root, multi-leaf, legume that has been designed to give you a maximum stand life of up to 10 years of production. With relative feed values as high as 220, and up to 14 tons on irrigated ground, our alfalfa is a great choice for hay and silage in livestock operations 

Best for use in northern climates or above 5,000' elevation. Most winter hardy alfalfa we offer. Use non-CTD in irrigated or higher moisture areas. 

Planting Depth: .25”-.5”

Planting Rates: 30 lbs per acre irrigated, 20 lbs per acre non-irrigated, and 20 in mixes

Planting Dates: Mar-May, Aug-Sep

*Product ships in 50 pound bag. 

**All Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa is non-gmo and comes Pre-Inoculated (PI) to aid in stimulation of N nodes. PI is OMRI approved and documentation can be requested if needed.

Establishment

Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa should be planted in a smooth, firm, weed free seedbed. Adequate moisture must be available for germination and emergence and the soil should  have good surface drainage. Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa can be planted in the spring or late summer. If spring sown, a nurse crop of grass (clover or orchardgrass) 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. 

Adaptation

Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa grows best on deep, well-drained, friable soils. Lands subject to frequent overflows or high water tables are unfavorable to alfalfa. The pH of the soil should be 6.5 or above. 

Management

Our Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa is our most winter hardy alfalfa. This alfalfa is best suited for the far Northern US, elevations above 5,000’ (CO, MT, WY, ND, SD), or areas where a growing season is on the shorter side. Due to the nature of where this line succeeds, on fertile soil and optimum conditions, one could expect to get up to 3 cutting per season before dormancy is established. Once established, a Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa stand can last for many years. Many Tug-of-War™ varieties can handle 30 day cutting schedules. One very critical aspect of alfalfa management is knowing when to take the last cutting in the fall. The last cutting of Tug-of-War™ Alfalfa should take place 3-4 weeks before the 1st average killing frost date.

Description

Medicago sativa L. alfalfa, is a long-lived perennial legume. Flowers vary in color from purple to yellow and are borne in loose clusters. Pods of alfalfa range from the sickle type to those that are twisted into spirals. Each pod contains several small kidney-shaped seeds. Alfalfa stems are erect and grow from a woody crown to about 2 to 3 feet tall. New growth occurs from buds in the crown. The plant has a tap root which may penetrate 25 feet deep into the soil. Compound leaves are alternately arranged on the stem and are normally trifoliate although there are commercial varieties that have multifoliate leaves. There are approximately 227,000 seeds/pound.