Planting question

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I want to plant durana clover in my food plots. Our farm is in central S.C. This year I was planning on having all deer season prep work completed during the first week of September so things would quiet down for the deer. Our season starts October 11th. Right now there is no significant rain in the forecast until September 11th. Would you wait until the 9th or 10th to plant or go ahead and plant this week?

 

[BenAllgood]

I've waited until the first week or two in October in Louisiana to plant Durana. It's slow to get established but takes a good jump the following spring. I'd definitely plant something with it like wheat or oats. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd wait until rain because those forecasts sometimes don't work out. And, I wouldn't count on the durana doing much for awhile, so a fast growing cereal like wheat or oats will give you something to hunt over in a week or two with rain.

 

[KSQ2]

I've waited until the first week or two in October in Louisiana to plant Durana. It's slow to get established but takes a good jump the following spring. I'd definitely plant something with it like wheat or oats. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd wait until rain because those forecasts sometimes don't work out. And, I wouldn't count on the durana doing much for awhile, so a fast growing cereal like wheat or oats will give you something to hunt over in a week or two with rain.

I agree. I will say this, during our last big drought, I planted winter rye, oats, and clover. They sat on the ground for over a month and did nothing. We got rain the end of October and by the second weekend of November, deer were all over the plot. We didn't have turkeys on that farm, so I wasn't worried about the seed sitting on the ground for a while.

 

[Drycreek]

I agree. I will say this, during our last big drought, I planted winter rye, oats, and clover. They sat on the ground for over a month and did nothing. We got rain the end of October and by the second weekend of November, deer were all over the plot. We didn't have turkeys on that farm, so I wasn't worried about the seed sitting on the ground for a while.

I agree with this, I’ve planted in dust several times. Because of having to plant three different properties I can’t always time everything like I’d like to. You have to be careful though, (or lucky), because if you do plant dry, you always run the risk of getting a shower that will make it germinate then no more rain and you’re dead in the water. Been there too !

That’s why they call it plotting..........nature is always plotting against you !

 

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Thanks for this advice. How much wheat should I put down with the Durana?

 

[FarmerD]

40 - 50 pounds per acre for wheat. You don't want too much plant competition for the Durana

The ideal soil temperature, to get maximum germination will be between 50 and 60 degree's F. My Georgia soil temperatures are probably high 80's right now. A high soil temperature "may" kill the inoculant that the Durana is coated with. A low soil ph "may" kill the inoculant as well. If you have planted a white clover in that plot before, there may be active inoculant (bacteria) in the soil and you might be ok.

Like Drycreek says the worst that can happen is you get early moisture and then no follow up rain. Since you could have this Durana clover there for many, many years, give it, it's best chance of establishing. I have Durana in it's 13th year now.

Dixie, Robin and Sunrise are crimson Clovers. Fixation is a white annual. Barduro is a medium red biennial and Neches is similar to Durana.

 

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Thank you very much for this VERY useful information. This is going to help me a lot.