Clover question

jlane35

Well-Known Member
What’s best? Is there a best or does it not matter?

Fall planting with WR?
Fall planting with oats?
Early Spring planting with oats?
 
I like to mix jumbo ladino with medium red. If I don’t plan rotating to brassicas soon, I always add chicory. If soil is particularly acidic or wet, I’ll use alyce clover.
 
We (farm renter will do actual planting) are replanting our 5 acre field this summer. I ordered 20 lbs Alice White Clover, 15 lbs Jumbo II Ladino, and 15 lbs Marathon Red. He’ll supply the winter wheat cover crop. I’ll add 25 lbs of the Big Buck Brassica mix from Welter Seed after he gets everything disced and planted. Clover is from Welter as well.

We did the same thing in 2014. Worked great. If we didn’t flood every year the entire stand would be great for several years. As it is, we get 5-6 years out of it with doing nothing to it. The farmer cuts it twice a year is all.

If you’re looking for a perennial clover plot, fall plant with a cereal grain(s). Pretty simple really. Throw in some radish or other brassica to sweeten it up for fall and add chicory if desired.
 
I bought lots of seed for this year and I may be biting off more then I can chew. But I was thinking of stealing some from other fields to get two fields way back in the woods started again. They are tiny spots, like .15 of an acre. So it wouldn’t be much seed. I just haven’t done soil samples in a long time. So I can either try and start it this fall or wait until spring or next fall. This way I can add lime and fertilizer before I waste my time.

And it seems like starting clover in the fall with a cereal grain is the method of choice.
 
Last edited:
I’ve never taken a soil sample. Mainly just plot in established fields but I have done a couple micro clover plots in the woods. Just throw a bag of pel lime at them and a bag of fertilizer. Clover is pretty fool proof.
 
What’s best? Is there a best or does it not matter?

Fall planting with WR?
Fall planting with oats?
Early Spring planting with oats?
What's your goal(s) and what are your growing challenges? Tonnage, durability, drought resistance, flood resistance, bees, browse preference, and intercropping could all yield a different answer. I switched away from ladino and over to medium whites because it grew too thick for what I was trying to do.
 
What's your goal(s) and what are your growing challenges? Tonnage, durability, drought resistance, flood resistance, bees, browse preference, and intercropping could all yield a different answer. I switched away from ladino and over to medium whites because it grew too thick for what I was trying to do.

Good questions, and now you have me thinking. Honestly, my first thought is, I’m really not sure. With these being small plots back in the woods durability would be my number one goal. Tonnage isn’t a huge concern of mine because I have plenty of browse throughout our property. There isn’t a concern of flood. Anytime I can assist other species, especially bees, that’s a plus for me. Browse preference would be up there too since there is so much browse I wouldn’t want to waste my time planting something the deer wouldn’t prefer. I don’t think I would be doing to much intercropping. Just two small clover plots that provide nutrients for deer throughout most of the year.

I would have been stealing seeds from an acre I will be planting oats, WR, WW, and a mix of clovers and chicories.

But now that I’m thinking. And the main thought is what do my answers tell you? And my next thought is shouldn’t I provide a diversity of food throughout my place. So maybe I should hold off and get a different type of clover seed to plant next year. Instead of planting the same field just in a smaller scale.
 
Good questions, and now you have me thinking. Honestly, my first thought is, I’m really not sure. With these being small plots back in the woods durability would be my number one goal. Tonnage isn’t a huge concern of mine because I have plenty of browse throughout our property. There isn’t a concern of flood. Anytime I can assist other species, especially bees, that’s a plus for me. Browse preference would be up there too since there is so much browse I wouldn’t want to waste my time planting something the deer wouldn’t prefer. I don’t think I would be doing to much intercropping. Just two small clover plots that provide nutrients for deer throughout most of the year.

I would have been stealing seeds from an acre I will be planting oats, WR, WW, and a mix of clovers and chicories.

But now that I’m thinking. And the main thought is what do my answers tell you? And my next thought is shouldn’t I provide a diversity of food throughout my place. So maybe I should hold off and get a different type of clover seed to plant next year. Instead of planting the same field just in a smaller scale.
I hear smaller plots and in the woods. That points me at shade tolerance and tonnage for a choice. I've had great results with ladino in the shade for output. As far as grain to put with it, I'd go with rye. You'll get the most biomass the quickest before the trees start closing up the canopy in spring. Throw a little gypsum on it once a year as well.

This stuff grew in closed canopy all season.
1.JPG

2.JPG

This is a good example of the canopy still letting light in before everything leafs out.
shade.JPG
 
Since 1986 I have planted every variety and combination you can find. If you want a long-lasting plot deer will hammer, use Durana clover and winter wheat planted in the fall. Throwing a little ladino in won’t hurt, but not needed.
 
Since 1986 I have planted every variety and combination you can find. If you want a long-lasting plot deer will hammer, use Durana clover and winter wheat planted in the fall. Throwing a little ladino in won’t hurt, but not needed.

How cold hardy is Durana?
 
As much as any I’ve used. We’ve grown it in northwest Nebraska. Planting several acres in north central Kansas this year.
 
Those aren’t exactly in the same zone as us in the frozen tundra. I see it was developed in Georgia. Not sure if it would survive as well up here. I’ve never seen it in stores/coop’s up here. Tried some googling but failed to find any mentions of cold tolerance.
 
No one has spoke about planting timing. On plots I'm wanting results for next year, I work the ground a couple passes 2 weeks apart now to knock back competition. You don't always need to spray gly. I plant medium red ,crimson ,balansa, and vernal alfalfa by 8-15. You won't see much this fall. The deer will nibble on it, but there is not much there. This will jump out of the ground in spring. Most of the clovers will fade in the summer heat and then the alfalfa kicks in. I plan to encourage the alfalfa for a few years.
If you scratch the ground in January/February and plant your clovers then, you won't see much happen until mid June but it will be slower to bolt in the heat. I've got a patch of crimson that is still productive and feeding deer.
 
How cold hardy is Durana?
I'm limited in my plots to the VA zone 6b & 7a areas but I like Durana a lot. Not sure how it would do in the far north but even in the mountains here, it's one of the best that I've planted & my soils are horrible. The last few years I've been experimenting in my plots, I've broken them down into 4-6 strips & planted different types of clover, WW, WR, WO, & barley. Made notes on what did well, what didn't, & also what the deer like the best. Still experimenting but Durana is one of my top performers...
 
No one has spoke about planting timing. On plots I'm wanting results for next year, I work the ground a couple passes 2 weeks apart now to knock back competition. You don't always need to spray gly. I plant medium red ,crimson ,balansa, and vernal alfalfa by 8-15. You won't see much this fall. The deer will nibble on it, but there is not much there. This will jump out of the ground in spring. Most of the clovers will fade in the summer heat and then the alfalfa kicks in. I plan to encourage the alfalfa for a few years.
If you scratch the ground in January/February and plant your clovers then, you won't see much happen until mid June but it will be slower to bolt in the heat. I've got a patch of crimson that is still productive and feeding deer.

Thank you. I Spring planted clover, 6/10th of an acre, and I thought I did something wrong. Nothing was coming up but weeds. I checked it out today and it’s lots of clover, with some weeds. I knew it was a slow starter when Spring planted but I was surprised with how slow.
 
I'm limited in my plots to the VA zone 6b & 7a areas but I like Durana a lot. Not sure how it would do in the far north but even in the mountains here, it's one of the best that I've planted & my soils are horrible. The last few years I've been experimenting in my plots, I've broken them down into 4-6 strips & planted different types of clover, WW, WR, WO, & barley. Made notes on what did well, what didn't, & also what the deer like the best. Still experimenting but Durana is one of my top performers...

Zone 6 and 7 must be a tropical paradise. ;)
 
Thank you. I Spring planted clover, 6/10th of an acre, and I thought I did something wrong. Nothing was coming up but weeds. I checked it out today and it’s lots of clover, with some weeds. I knew it was a slow starter when Spring planted but I was surprised with how slow.
Fall and Spring plantings present unique outcomes. I like to plant January/February. You will see emergence in 30-40 days like frost seeding effect. Your stand will be less affected by weeds.
 
Back
Top