Earliest you can spray Clethodim?

[Depositbow]

Hi,

New member here and a newbie question. My clover plot is established and 4-5 years old. I frost seed it every March.

When is the earliest I can spray Clethodim and it will be effective? Plot is in the souther tier of NY and the plot is starting to green up. I won’t be able to get back here until Memorial Day weekend.

 

[yoderjac]

As soon as young grasses are green and actively growing.

Having said that. Depending on what type of perennial clover it is, it may be time to rotate. I was getting 5+ years out of ladino and 10+ out of Durana before it is time to rotate into an N-seeking crops for a season.

I quit fighting weeds in clover many years ago. Fall planting with a Winter Rye nurse crop and timely mowing the first spring yields a pretty weed free plot. Of course, as the clover fixes N into the soils over time, the field becomes more attractive to weeds and specifically grasses. Many of the broadleaf weeds we get in clover are more beneficial to deer than the clover. I let summer weeds dominate my plots as long as a single weed is not dominant. A healthy mix of broadleaf weeds are great for deer. I typically only mow once per year, right before our season. It is amazing how the cool weather and fall rain favor the clover as it dominates the field again.

I've gone beyond tolerating weeds in my clover. This thread is really enlightening in the food value of weeds for deer: Weed Management Thread. The video is well worth the watch!

 

[davidhelmly]

When the grass that you are trying to kill greens up, you can spray it.

 

[catscratch]

I'll spray it whenever grass is present. Never looked at dates or anything, just figured if I noticed the grass then it was late enough to spray.