Do you prefer to plant clover in the spring or the fall? I have a small plot that I would like to plant clover in but I have heard some people say clover doesn't do well in the spring and summer and it takes a while to get it going with the heat. Would I be better off just waiting for the fall or plant in the spring?
Clover Spring vs Fall?
- Thread starter Perry
- Start date
North Carolina
Then I would definitely wait to plant clover in the fall. You will be fighting weeds all summer if you plant clover in the spring, and it will most likely be a losing battle. Get a soil test now, amend the soil as recommended for clover, plant buckwheat this spring, then transition to clover in the fall.
What cutman has said is what I would do...Unless, it is a brand new plot dozed out of the forest like mine always are and then I would get clover seed on it ASAP. I have done these types of plots 3 of the last 4 years and they turn out amazing if we get enough rain...
Charlieyca
Active Member
I am in SE NC and have done both, literally next to each other. Fall of 2015 I planted an area with ladino and nurse crop of oats. Come spring it looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine (its only 1/5 acre). I worked during the winter to widen the plot and in spring I planted same seed right next area planted in the fall. Fall planted did have less weeds that first summer, but currently they look about the same after a couple mowings. The spring seeded just took an extra mowing in summer and had a few more bare patches. I would do spring again, but it is a little slower to "catch up" to fall planted clovers.
Charlieyca
Active Member
top right green is fall planted, lighter green is spring planted. This was in april.
This is may looking opposite direction from the first picture. Fall platned in the foreground, spring planted in the back. Notice more weeds in the back. Picture taken Late may right before first mowing.
This is the same plot and you can no longer tell where one starts and the other ends. So one year later they are essentially the same, minus the extra mowing of weeds early fall.
Charlieyca
Active Member
Without looking back in my notes, I want to say I planted my spring clover 2nd week of march right before a rain.
X-farmerdan
Well-Known Member
Is planting clover in the spring for you? With a few exceptions, geographically, I say it is entirely doable, but at a whole other level of management than fall planted. The easy button is available late summer.
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dogdoc
Well-Known Member
Weeds can be a problem but they can also be controlled with timely mowing and specific herbicides if needed. I have planted clover with a spring planting and yes weeds were a problem after discing in warm weather but what lead to more problems was the dry oklahoma heat that hits around the end of june. The young spring planted clover just did not have a deep enough root system to handle the oklahoma summer. It died and I had to start over in the fall. For the last 15 years or so all my clover is now either planted in the fall or frost seeded late winter. Buckwheat is a great choice as it will build your soil and also a good smother crops for weed control.
todd
todd
MarkDarvin
Well-Known Member
I get heat up where I'm at that'll knock back even fall seeded clover the following summer. I've done both as well, and fall performed immensely better come spring. I couldn't find a weed in my last fall clover seeding come May 1st. It was so tall and thick that there was no room for weeds.
I've got more to do this year, but I'm waiting until fall to plant it. It just works too well to do otherwise.
I've got more to do this year, but I'm waiting until fall to plant it. It just works too well to do otherwise.
Smallplot
Active Member
Let look at the difference from the plants perspective then decide for yourself. Considering this is not going to be an annual clover we are looking at one of the white varieties, so forward we go.
White clovers are slow getting started, first and likely the biggest point to be made. Weed suppression is best performed in crop when we have a full canopy.
Cliff notes: fall planting allows the root system to be established in the fall when weed competition is limited due to temps and length of growing season. In the spring, the fall planted is able to move nutrients and growth into the visible portions of the plant sooner which in turn leads to a quicker canopy. Add in a cover crop of Winter Rye (this is the go to cover crop for clover establishment due to less issues in over population, WR has a natural weed suppression the other cereal grains just don't have while planted at the same rates, and the rye can either be terminated or left alone)
Let's look at spring planted now. The plant first has to establish a root system before working on the viable plant. So establishment is delayed allowing weeds to get more sun to warm the soil creating optimal conditions for weed germination and an early foothold. Running into summer many varieties of white clover can go summer dormant allowing even more of a foothold for weeds.
Yes we can control many broadleaf weeds with mowing and grasses with herbicide, but some just don't have the ability to be present to keep watch and do the work when needed.
Both planting methods will eventually catch up so is one method better than the other? If looking at the end result, no. If looking at other aspects, most certainly! Make your decisions and act accordingly. You can be certain of a couple things: (1) you will have to use weed control with either option but one method allows easier weed control. (2) either way you will end up with a clover crop just one method takes longer to establish a mature crop.
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White clovers are slow getting started, first and likely the biggest point to be made. Weed suppression is best performed in crop when we have a full canopy.
Cliff notes: fall planting allows the root system to be established in the fall when weed competition is limited due to temps and length of growing season. In the spring, the fall planted is able to move nutrients and growth into the visible portions of the plant sooner which in turn leads to a quicker canopy. Add in a cover crop of Winter Rye (this is the go to cover crop for clover establishment due to less issues in over population, WR has a natural weed suppression the other cereal grains just don't have while planted at the same rates, and the rye can either be terminated or left alone)
Let's look at spring planted now. The plant first has to establish a root system before working on the viable plant. So establishment is delayed allowing weeds to get more sun to warm the soil creating optimal conditions for weed germination and an early foothold. Running into summer many varieties of white clover can go summer dormant allowing even more of a foothold for weeds.
Yes we can control many broadleaf weeds with mowing and grasses with herbicide, but some just don't have the ability to be present to keep watch and do the work when needed.
Both planting methods will eventually catch up so is one method better than the other? If looking at the end result, no. If looking at other aspects, most certainly! Make your decisions and act accordingly. You can be certain of a couple things: (1) you will have to use weed control with either option but one method allows easier weed control. (2) either way you will end up with a clover crop just one method takes longer to establish a mature crop.
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Charlieyca
Active Member
I would agree that fall planted is easier to establish and maintain, but in certain situations when a spring planting is needed it can work. For example I am an orchard of fruit and berry trees and wanted to plant into clover/chicory. To limit spraying discing and dragging around newly planted tree roots, I wanted to get the clover and chicory started before planting trees. Yes it was more work, but it moved up the time from of getting my trees in the ground 6-8 months.
The thing is you can also spring plant WR...I have done this the past couple years with great success and it gets just as tall as fall planted and has the same allopathic qualities...
Charlieyca
Active Member
I did a mix of oats and wheat that was leftover from LC's cereal mix in the fall. Only a few made seed, but it looked like they helped limit weeds a little and gave another food source to limit browse on early tender growth of clover. (lots of rabbits surround this plot)
Doe Shooter
Active Member
You could go with a crimson clover (annual clover) now to get something up quick and it's pretty cheap. After it fades go with whatever suits you. Crimson is not real picky about PH. Same with cowpeas. This will give you time for any soil amendments to take full effect and have great weed suppression.
Charlieyca
Active Member
Perry, do you have any other clover on the property? what is your objective for this plot?
Smallplot
Active Member
You are correct you can but from my experience the rye reaches maturity and dies out while the clover is still splitting nutrients between root building and above ground plant growth. If everything works in your favor and you are able to keep adequate moisture results are good but you will still notice the clover coming in better the 2nd year.
Some try to compensate for this by bumping up seeding rates for a fuller canopy but in the end the clover plants then fight for the nutrients between plants themselves causing less than ideal plant growth.
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