Al6—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 6,1982 LANCASTER - Alfalfa management, from seeding to harvest and even beyond, was covered at a meeting for growers hosted by the Organic Plant Food Co., Lancaster, at the Leola Family Restaurant on Thursday, Speakers included John Yocum, Penn State agronomist and manager of the Southeast Research Farm, Landisvdle, who outlined fertilization and other field management practices; and representatives of chemical companies, who explained the latest in herbicide and insecticide recommendations. “Fertility is the most important management practice to keep a long stand," Yocum said. The Penn State agronomist first recommended a soil test so that growers know where they stand. If soils are in the medium fer tility range, he recommended 700 lbs. of 0-10-30 at plowdown, a 20-60- 20 analysis at seeding and a repeat maintenance application of the plowdown formulation with borax added. Yocum recommended band seeding as the best way to establish a stand. The main tenance application can be made at any time if P and K are at the medium level, he said. Concerning varieties, Yocum recommended the use of any seed with resistance to wilt and an thracnose if a stand of more than three years is desired. Yocum said he preferred spring seeding and if using a herbicide, make certain that the soil is warm enough that it works adequately. He also stressed firm seedbed preparation and checks during planting to determine if the proper depth of a quarter inch is being achieved. Straight seeding of altalafa was recommended if protein is the chief product desired. It an in crease in overall tonnage is wanted, then a nurse crop can be utilized. Yocum cautioned that the ap plication of Furadan granules at seeding is only good for the first cutting. “You better come back with a leaf hopper spray on the second cutting if it’s needed,” he said. Yocum also outlined the latest in harvesting recommendations. For new seedmgs, cutting should take place at least at early bloom, not the bud stage. For established stands, the tirst cutting of alfalfa is now related to the last cutting. If the first cutting ITS BARGAIN DAYS AT BOYD'S SEED CENTER, INC. FEBRUARY 8 to 13, 1982 % 30% « Bolts • Nails • Tools ★ GARDEN SEEDS - Bulk or Packet now in stock ★ FREE SEED CATALOG AVAILABLE - Call or write WHOLESALE & RETAIL BOYD’S SEED CENTER, INC. 306 lona Rd. t lebanon. Pa. 17042 Phone: 717-272-8943 Organic Plant Food Co. holds alfalfa talks is done at lull bud or early bloom, then four weeks are needed trom the last cutting to the first frost. Each succeeding cutting should be done at 35 to 40-day intervals. it the first cutting is done at full bloom, then the last cutting can be made up to Oct. 15 but not later. Touching on clover, Yocum stressed the importance of not letting the plants go to lull bloom in the first year. They should be clipped or cut at quarter to halt bloom. "It allowed to go to lull bloom, the plant's life cycle is finished," he explained. The use ot Furadan was outlined by Steve Fisher, ot FMC, who tirsl showed a film that has to be one ot the tew truly entertaining product U. of Md. * * * tx ' f' University of Maryland agronomists and an agribusiness representative check condition of tall fescue-red clover winter pasture in year-around grazing experiment being to 50% • Housewares • Anything From * Garden Scotch Tape Supplies To Ground - Shovels! C ' 4 , i if vb* '/a <* ■'’* OFF Hours: Monday Thru Saturday 8 A.M. to 5 P.M tilms ever produced by an agricultural company. He explained that the use ot Furadan 10 granules in the seedmg acts as a foliar systemic and soil contact to combat the potato leat hopper in the first cutting. This practice was originated in Penn sylvania field tests. Schuylkill winter vegetable meeting Feb. 15 SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - The Schuylkill County Winter Vegetable meeting will be held on Monday, Feb. 15, 1982 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rmgtown Banquet Hall, Hingtown. Speakers for the meeting will be Pete Ferretb, Extension vegetable specialist; Larry Yager, Ex studies year-around grazing **&• * *>»*-'“ - '' f-hir' y,« t ; t » “ ' V t 4$ A SUPPLEMENTAL SOURCE OF DIETARY CALCIUM 38% Cafe”" Less Than 1% Magnesium WBM./ THE LOW COST ASSURANCE FOR FEWER CRAX '****' CestJjess Then 2 Gin Marketable %r Per 1000 Skis Per Ay/ Available in Balk or Bags contact YOUR Y ORK STONE & SUPPLY CO. Dealer I W ) Roosevelt Ave. Ext, York, PA 17405 Today 717-843-0981 He also showed examples ot no till alfalfa practices and the use ot Furadan. Wayne Marz, ot Staulter, outlined the use ot Eptam against grasses, annual broadleaves and nutsedge, along with the in secticides Imidan and Tritluon. The new tormulation ot Prmcep tension marketing specialist and Alan Mac Nab, Extension plant pathologist The topics to be discussed will include: new varieties available for 1982 plantings and variety com parisons, plant diseases and disease control, plus pricing of vegetables on the retail and , syv sponsored by the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Holstein steers nearby are thriving on the pasture without any supplemental feeding. Pasture-checkers are; left to right, A. Morris Decker, who is conducting the research; Richard S. Witmer of Middletown, Md., regional sales representative for the Chevron Chemical Co., and Lester R. Vough. Extension forage crops specialist at the University of Maryland. * < ySt£~ ' ,*-T t mULCNMWS • Mixes uniformly with your teed • Uniformly consumed by the birds • Soft gray chips - look for them in your feed Caliber 90 ot CIBA-Geigy was also explained as a control ot tali and winter annuals. The use ot Paraquat in no-tili altalta and the new registration tor its use for weed control between cuttings was explained by Dave Cote, ot Chevron.—DA wholesale markets. All vegetable growers are in vited to attend this meeting sponsored by the Schuylkill County Cooperative £xtensipn Service. For additional information contact George P. Perry, Jr., County Agent - Horticulture, P.O. Box 250, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972, S.. V /, *■ .* * ; %•} r ' ’ V > V -sL^v ' 3. : ;<