Another Plot Question

[KSQ2]

Have a couple questions. The lower barn plot at the Massey just isn’t grabbing ahold like I’d hoped. The effects of the drought continue to linger, even though rainfall is much better now. I no-tilled oats and clover in it over a month ago and the oats are doing great, but the clover is having a hard time competing. Grass is running rampant as well. Should I let the oats mature to take advantage of the straw, or should I go ahead and terminate everything now? It will be put to cereals and clover this fall, and hopefully become a perennial plot like it was before the drought. There is the added “bonus” of some bindweed popping up around, and terminating now might help that situation some. Everything is an average of 15-18 tall. Basically a combination of grasses weeds and oats.

 

[RGrizzzz]

I vote let it grow.

 

[yoderjac]

Have a couple questions. The lower barn plot at the Massey just isn’t grabbing ahold like I’d hoped. The effects of the drought continue to linger, even though rainfall is much better now. I no-tilled oats and clover in it over a month ago and the oats are doing great, but the clover is having a hard time competing. Grass is running rampant as well. Should I let the oats mature to take advantage of the straw, or should I go ahead and terminate everything now? It will be put to cereals and clover this fall, and hopefully become a perennial plot like it was before the drought. There is the added “bonus” of some bindweed popping up around, and terminating now might help that situation some. Everything is an average of 15-18 tall. Basically a combination of grasses weeds and oats.

Can I presume this is an annual clover of some kind?

 

[KSQ2]

Can I presume this is an annual clover of some kind?

Yes, the clover mix that died last fall was mostly whites with a medium red. What I planted a month and a half ago was medium red.

 

[Native Hunter]

Let it grow for now but mow it when necessary to keep any grasses or unwanted plants from setting seed. That way you can help prevent future weeds but still have some good thatch for fall planting. Even if you had to mow it pretty low right now it would be better than exposing bare soil (from spraying) to the hot sun from now until fall when you plant again.

 

[yoderjac]

Yes, the clover mix that died last fall was mostly whites with a medium red. What I planted a month and a half ago was medium red.

Ok. Medium Red is sort of a tweener. It is considered a short lived perennial rather than an annual. Perennial clovers spend a lot of energy putting down roots when first planted. Given dry conditions after planting, you might not see much production from Medium Red until next spring...if it survives.

So, the next question is how you want to manage the plot over time. You could plant a more drought resistant clover like durana this fall with a WR nurse crop, killing everything before planting, or, you could plant it with annuals this fall.

In general, I don't like the idea of terminating a plot too long before planting it. You end up taking food off the table for the deer, and exposed soil does not retain moisture as well as covered soil.

In my area, it is way to late to be planting just about anything for summer and way to early to plant for fall. So, if it were me, I would just let it go until you are ready to plant for fall. At that point, I'd evaluate thing and see if you need to burn it down with gly before the fall plant.

Best of Luck,

Jack