Soil Test Before Seeding Alfalfa

Some people will soon be starting to seed alfalfa.  This No-Till Farmer Article suggests getting one sample of 7 inches in depth and one sample of 2 inches in depth to see the pH is stratified.  This might be a good idea especially in soils that have been no-tilled or vertical tilled in the past.  My goal would be to keep the pH as close to neutral as possible when growing leguminous forages.  Keep in mind also that alfalfa is a calcium feeder, so high calcium lime is good in most places unless magnesium levels are low.  Alfalfa also takes up lots of potassium.  To maximize yields, it may be necessary to use as much as 400 pounds of potassium per acre to maximize yield and keep soil tests at ideal levels.