Overseeding Lucerne & Sainfoin

[Raynard]

Harvested a few tonnes of Lucerne and sainfoin last year and am keen to add it to some of our permanent pastures.

High ph & dry.

Aiming to scratch a fair tilth with harrows and blow on.

Anyone had any success with this?

Thanks,

jimi

 

[Global ovine]

I have experience with adding grass and clover to run out lucerne by using a direct drill, but not the other way around as you are considering. Here the resident Lucerne had large mature crowns.
My concern would be in the establishment phase where Lucerne (I've no experience with Sainfoin) may not cope with the competition for light if the grasses are vigorous. You will kill the young lucerne if the first couple of grazings are too hard and grazing duration too long, as sheep will preferentially graze these sweet wee guys.

If you can afford the exercise (now is not the time to throw away cash) give it a go and see what results. I wish you well. Please report your outcome in due course.

 

[yellowbelly]

Only ever drilled lucerne once. It was a long time ago and a trial that British Sugar Corp were doing.
IIRC we had to mix an innoculant (the name rhizomia radicicola ??? sticks in my mind) with the seed because the land we were drilling it on had not grown it before.
No idea if that still applies to modern varieties but it might be worth finding out before you give it a go.

 

[Global ovine]

Only ever drilled lucerne once. It was a long time ago and a trial that British Sugar Corp were doing.
IIRC we had to mix an innoculant (the name rhizomia radicicola ??? sticks in my mind) with the seed because the land we were drilling it on had not grown it before.
No idea if that still applies to modern varieties but it might be worth finding out before you give it a go.

This is correct. Lucerne has specific rhizobia, therefore use inoculated seed whatever variety is chosen. This can be purchased as coated seed or as inoculant which is mixed in before sowing.
If sowing a fertiliser with the seed, make sure it is a pH neutral fert, such as reverted super phosphate rather than super phosphate which will burn the sprouting plant.

 

[Dog Bowl]

I dont think the lucerne will establish due to the competition of other species already in the sward. Whenever i have grown it I've found it slow to get going; and that's when drilling it as a new crop.

 

[som farmer]

we have grown it straight, get everything right, it's a good crop, red clover is more tolerant. but have been seeing reports of adding Lucerne into grazing leys, as we are a dry farm, thinking about trying it, august is the time to so, I think, and you have to have the right rhizobia with it, anyone tried including it in new leys?