Bield:Farm
Crop directory

Alfalfa across all 50 states.

Medicago sativaForageFrost Hardy60–90 days to maturitySoil-temp ≥ 45°F

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a forage crop with a frost hardy frost profile. Across all 50 states, 38 have alfalfa as a primary crop, 8 as secondary, 4 as limited, and 0 as trial-only.

Agronomy reference

Soil-temp minimum
45°F
Soil-temp optimum
50–75°F
Days to maturity
60–90
Water (in/wk)
0.7–1"
Soil pH
6.5–7.5
Nitrogen demand
low

Source: www.nrcs.usda.gov

Primary in 38 states

Commercially significant or common.

  • Alaska
    Zone 4a
    Spring · May 18–June 15
    Fall · July 7–July 22
  • Arkansas
    Zone 7b
    Spring · March 29–April 26
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • Colorado
    Zone 5b
    Spring · May 3–May 31
    Fall · August 6–August 21
  • Connecticut
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • Delaware
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 8–May 6
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • Idaho
    Zone 5b
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · July 27–August 11
  • Illinois
    Zone 6a
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • Indiana
    Zone 6a
    Spring · April 24–May 22
    Fall · August 11–August 26
  • Iowa
    Zone 5a
    Spring · April 28–May 26
    Fall · August 6–August 21
  • Kansas
    Zone 6a
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • Kentucky
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 13–May 11
    Fall · August 21–September 5
  • Maine
    Zone 5a
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · July 27–August 11
  • Maryland
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 8–May 6
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • Massachusetts
    Zone 6a
    Spring · April 24–May 22
    Fall · August 11–August 26
  • Michigan
    Zone 5b
    Spring · May 3–May 31
    Fall · August 6–August 21
  • Minnesota
    Zone 4a
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · July 27–August 11
  • Missouri
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 13–May 11
    Fall · August 21–September 5
  • Montana
    Zone 4b
    Spring · May 13–June 10
    Fall · July 22–August 6
  • Nebraska
    Zone 5a
    Spring · April 28–May 26
    Fall · August 6–August 21
  • Nevada
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • New Hampshire
    Zone 5b
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · August 2–August 17
  • New Jersey
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 13–May 11
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • New Mexico
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • New York
    Zone 5b
    Spring · May 3–May 31
    Fall · August 11–August 26
  • North Carolina
    Zone 7b
    Spring · March 29–April 26
    Fall · August 31–September 15
  • North Dakota
    Zone 4a
    Spring · May 13–June 10
    Fall · July 22–August 6
  • Ohio
    Zone 6a
    Spring · April 24–May 22
    Fall · August 11–August 26
  • Oklahoma
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 3–May 1
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • Pennsylvania
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • Rhode Island
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 13–May 11
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • South Dakota
    Zone 4b
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · July 27–August 11
  • Tennessee
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 3–May 1
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • Utah
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 24–May 22
    Fall · August 11–August 26
  • Vermont
    Zone 5a
    Spring · May 8–June 5
    Fall · July 27–August 11
  • Virginia
    Zone 7a
    Spring · April 8–May 6
    Fall · August 26–September 10
  • West Virginia
    Zone 6b
    Spring · April 18–May 16
    Fall · August 16–August 31
  • Wisconsin
    Zone 5a
    Spring · May 3–May 31
    Fall · August 6–August 21
  • Wyoming
    Zone 4b
    Spring · May 18–June 15
    Fall · July 17–August 1

Secondary in 8 states

Grown but not at scale; often gardens / food plots / cover.

  • Alabama
    Zone 8a
    Spring · March 18–April 15
    Fall · September 6–September 21
  • Arizona
    Zone 8b
    Spring · March 8–April 5
    Fall · September 11–September 26
  • Georgia
    Zone 8a
    Spring · March 18–April 15
    Fall · September 6–September 21
  • Mississippi
    Zone 8a
    Spring · March 18–April 15
    Fall · September 6–September 21
  • Oregon
    Zone 8a
    Spring · April 13–May 11
    Fall · August 21–September 5
  • South Carolina
    Zone 8a
    Spring · March 23–April 20
    Fall · September 6–September 21
  • Texas
    Zone 8b
    Spring · March 8–April 5
    Fall · September 16–October 1
  • Washington
    Zone 8a
    Spring · April 8–May 6
    Fall · August 26–September 10

Limited in 4 states

Marginal — only the warmest counties or season-extended setups.

  • California
    Zone 9a
    Spring · February 23–March 22
    Fall · October 1–October 16
  • Florida
    Zone 9b
    Spring · February 8–March 7
    Fall · October 16–October 31
  • Hawaii
    Zone 11a
    Spring · December 25–January 22
    Fall · November 1–November 16
  • Louisiana
    Zone 9a
    Spring · February 27–March 26
    Fall · September 16–October 1

Beyond the harvest

Hunting use · food plot

Alfalfa as a hunting food plot.

Alfalfa is the highest-protein forage available to whitetail deer. Early-season alfalfa fields produce concentrated bow-season hunting opportunities, especially in western states with limited natural browse.

Attractswhitetail deer
See Bield: Hunt for food-plot timing →

Alfalfa planting in your county.

Bield: Farm ties weather and soil-temperature stations in your county to alfalfa planting thresholds — get notified when conditions clear your target.

Download Bield: Farm
← All crops