Crimson Clover

Baker

Well-Known Member
You gotta love a field of crimson clover in all its glory. This a 13 acre field I'll plant in sunflowers for doves shortly.The field was originally planted at least 5 or 6 yrs ago..maybe longer, and I've done nothing to it except let it go to seed. No fertilizer or amendments of any kind for many many years. The clover feeds the sunflowers and all is well.

Interestingly, the flood waters around our property have just receded . This entire field looked like someone had run a weed eater thru it. When crimson is growing I have found it to be a preferred cultivar and having this field certainly helped with many deer pushed on reduced acreage. Crimson is a great short duration winter early spring cultivar and makes a great companion plant with small grains etc. as well.



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That's a great looking field. After you let it go to seed how did you incorporate the seed back in the ground to get it to germinate. Did you just mow it or did you do any tillage. That is my goal is for a lot of my plots to be reseeding or perennial plots to save money on seed to create more plots.
 
That's a great looking field. After you let it go to seed how did you incorporate the seed back in the ground to get it to germinate. Did you just mow it or did you do any tillage. That is my goal is for a lot of my plots to be reseeding or perennial plots to save money on seed to create more plots.
I do no tillage. I only mow it tight then drill the sunflowers into it. Come late summer I start mowing the sunflowers and thats it for this field. Occasionally if grasses get out of hand I will spray either before sunflowers or after I have mowed the sunflowers.
 
I do no tillage. I only mow it tight then drill the sunflowers into it. Come late summer I start mowing the sunflowers and thats it for this field. Occasionally if grasses get out of hand I will spray either before sunflowers or after I have mowed the sunflowers.

When do you mow the CC?
 
Baker, do you dove hunt over your sunflowers?

The way they love clean ground does not dovetail into your/my goal of keeping the ground covered.
 
Baker, do you dove hunt over your sunflowers?

The way they love clean ground does not dovetail into your/my goal of keeping the ground covered.
Absolutely dove hunt over the sunflowers. I’ll start mowing them down mid August and spray if I have to. Usually though just mowing as low as possible puts seed on the ground and works for doves. By time season is over new growth is in full swing and crimson starts back in winter. I have planted wheat in this field before for winter but now just letting it be in crimson
 
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