Now is the Time for Clover Plot Maintenance

[MarkDarvin]

Adding other ingredients to a clover plot is a wonderful thing, that is, until weeds get going, which is inevitable. Once weeds happen the herbicide options are very limited in mixtures, if it's only clover and chicory Imazamox will work, but only cleans up well if used early in the season when weeds are small.
The best rule of thumb is, if a plot is designated to be very longterm, like four years or longer, it's best to work with only ladino clover. If a plot is planned for 2-3 years chicory and clover work well. If a plot is for one season or one year a multiple mix planting like annual clover, brassica, wheat, oats etc. works well.

I throw as much stuff as I can think of into my clover in the early spring and again around the hottest part of the summer. And I don't count any of the wildflowers as weeds, even though one or two of them are invasive. They behave for me, so I don't get too worked up about it. Sedge is about the only one that holds back my clover. The rest seem to exist with it just fine.

I work really hard to assault my clover with anything else I can get to grow in it; things I choose anyway. This year, I've already thrown in pak choi, willowherb, flax, brassicas, forage oats, spring wheat, and barley. When I come through and mow midsummer, that takes care of about everything and then I throw the cereals at it again to prep for cool season.

 

[OkieKubota]

Timely thread...even though we have had a good moisture spring and many days above 60-70 my clover looks shorter than normal and cool season grasses got a big foot hold on it so today was the day since I had a day off from dozer work. Mowed the yard and sprayed the clover plot with clethodim...what is the world coming too...lol

 

[Native Hunter]

Adding other ingredients to a clover plot is a wonderful thing, that is, until weeds get going, which is inevitable. Once weeds happen the herbicide options are very limited in mixtures, if it's only clover and chicory Imazamox will work, but only cleans up well if used early in the season when weeds are small.
The best rule of thumb is, if a plot is designated to be very longterm, like four years or longer, it's best to work with only ladino clover. If a plot is planned for 2-3 years chicory and clover work well. If a plot is for one season or one year a multiple mix planting like annual clover, brassica, wheat, oats etc. works well.

I don’t disagree with that at all. It’s just that chicory is eaten so well by my deer that I will do whatever it takes to have it at all times. You might say that I plant clover in my chicory plot instead of planting chicory in my clover plot.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I don’t disagree with that at all. It’s just that chicory is eaten so well by my deer that I will do whatever it takes to have it at all times. You might say that I plant clover in my chicory plot instead of planting chicory in my clover plot.

What baffled me, we planted nice commander chicory and our deer walked through it to eat ladino clover... So I I figured, why spend the extra money. We need to import some of your deer genetics for this and other reasons. Kentucky antlers beat PA, and im sure this is why. Our deer are too stupid to eat chicory.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I throw as much stuff as I can think of into my clover in the early spring and again around the hottest part of the summer. And I don't count any of the wildflowers as weeds, even though one or two of them are invasive. They behave for me, so I don't get too worked up about it. Sedge is about the only one that holds back my clover. The rest seem to exist with it just fine.

I work really hard to assault my clover with anything else I can get to grow in it; things I choose anyway. This year, I've already thrown in pak choi, willowherb, flax, brassicas, forage oats, spring wheat, and barley. When I come through and mow midsummer, that takes care of about everything and then I throw the cereals at it again to prep for cool season.

You have mentioned an important clover management tool; spraying herbicide works well in early spring, but in mid-summer, mowing is often the most effective for managing undesirable weeds, and is an important clover management tool. The great thing about ladino is that the thatch is very thin after mowing and doesn't suppress new growth like a thick stand of red clover might.

 

[Native Hunter]

What baffled me, we planted nice commander chicory and our deer walked through it to eat ladino clover... So I I figured, why spend the extra money. We need to import some of your deer genetics for this and other reasons. Kentucky antlers beat PA, and im sure this is why. Our deer are too stupid to eat chicory.

Commander is my favorite but now I can never find it.

 

[Elkaddict]

We got 4” of snow today and high tomorrow is 26. Lil early to be doing much more than overseeding the clover. We are probably 3-4 weeks out.... But spring is breaking: turkeys are strutting and gobbling, and the rye is starting to show a little color. I sure appreciate the tips. I will spray as soon as the weeds/grasses start to grow.

 

[onlybrowning]

Learning a lot here in this thread. I’m in zone 5 and am frost seeding whitetail institute clover into two stand of what was Fusion (chicory and clover). That was planted 2 years ago. I’ve only ever mowed it, never applied any chemicals to it. What would be the best to spray this plot with once it dries up enough in a month or so to drive a tractor on it?


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[RGrizzzz]

Learning a lot here in this thread. I’m in zone 5 and am frost seeding whitetail institute clover into two stand of what was Fusion (chicory and clover). That was planted 2 years ago. I’ve only ever mowed it, never applied any chemicals to it. What would be the best to spray this plot with once it dries up enough in a month or so to drive a tractor on it?


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Imox. (For weeds and grass)

 

[Bowhunter]

I wish I was able to get on my clover fields to spray this early but I’d make more of a mess than anything. Being that our 3 feet of snow melted last week the ground is still quite saturated and is even too muddy to walk on without sinking currently.

Hoping that this dry weather that we have forecasted for the next week will help me so I can do some spraying then possibly.

 

[willy]

Got my spraying done this morning, perfect conditions. Looking forward to the results. Thanks for sharing your procedure for clover maintenance Mennonitman.

 

[shawn cox]

The Polaris shouldn't have killed the annual clover, since it is also a legume. My question is, is it possible that you made a mistake on the application rate? According to my tests, at double the maximum rate imazethapyr will also kill perennial clover, and with annual clover not being quite as hardy as perennial clover it stands to reason that the rate was about 1.5 to 1.75 the maximum recommended rate.
The directions for Thunder and Pursuit that call for a 4 oz per application rate are for 22.87% active ingredient, so right there could be some of the discrepancy, Polaris having 27.7%.

yes i made the mistake. i know it was 100% me.

 

[shawn cox]

The Polaris shouldn't have killed the annual clover, since it is also a legume. My question is, is it possible that you made a mistake on the application rate? According to my tests, at double the maximum rate imazethapyr will also kill perennial clover, and with annual clover not being quite as hardy as perennial clover it stands to reason that the rate was about 1.5 to 1.75 the maximum recommended rate.
The directions for Thunder and Pursuit that call for a 4 oz per application rate are for 22.87% active ingredient, so right there could be some of the discrepancy, Polaris having 27.7%.

yes i went a little over i think and it is a little stronger. lesson learned the hard way.

 

[Cedar Ridge]

I don’t disagree with that at all. It’s just that chicory is eaten so well by my deer that I will do whatever it takes to have it at all times. You might say that I plant clover in my chicory plot instead of planting chicory in my clover plot.

Same here Native. I’ve tried to follow your lead on the chicory and the deer absolutely hammered my couple of fields last Spring and Summer that I’d planted back in Fall 2019. Last Fall, each of my 7 fields got a healthy dose of chicory to go along with my clover, AWP, wheat, etc. It’s jumping out of the ground now and the deer are happily right back on it. Can’t imagine any scenario where I won’t have white clover and chicory in most of my fields going forward.

 

[jlane35]

I got my clover fields sprayed and lime spread over the last two days. I’m just waiting on my fertilizer to come in.

I threw forage collards into my clover fields a month ago, unfortunately I don’t see any coming in. Now I may be jumping the gun, expecting to see growth before it has even had the chance to sprout, or maybe I didn’t broadcast it at the correct time.

This fall I’ll be adding PTT or something similar and rye to start sucking up the nitrogen like others have suggested. Maybe I missed it but are others broadcasting more clover every year too to keep it going strong?

 

[dogghr]

Hey MM, I’m n RK having farm sex getting some AMS and seen jug of Humectant/Surfactant. What is this? I use crop oil and at times a surfactant but not seen this word. What say ye?


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[bearcat]

Same here Native. I’ve tried to follow your lead on the chicory and the deer absolutely hammered my couple of fields last Spring and Summer that I’d planted back in Fall 2019. Last Fall, each of my 7 fields got a healthy dose of chicory to go along with my clover, AWP, wheat, etc. It’s jumping out of the ground now and the deer are happily right back on it. Can’t imagine any scenario where I won’t have white clover and chicory in most of my fields going forward.

How much chicory did you add in?


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[Petreaux1]

Original post: "Clethodim, Butyrac 200, and several other herbicides are great for clover, but my weapon of choice right now is Imazethapyr 2sl, I was using an ATV with a 25 gallon sprayer on my smaller 1 acre plots, 48 oz of AMS, 16 oz of crop oil, and 4-6 oz of Imazethapyr 2sl per acre was the mix, if I'd have had some tough grasses to deal with I'd have added 10-16 oz. of roundup to the tank". Question on original post: Does 48 oz AMS mean a liquid such as this ($44 for 2.5 gallons)

Or something else? Thanks in advance

 

[dogghr]

Original post: "Clethodim, Butyrac 200, and several other herbicides are great for clover, but my weapon of choice right now is Imazethapyr 2sl, I was using an ATV with a 25 gallon sprayer on my smaller 1 acre plots, 48 oz of AMS, 16 oz of crop oil, and 4-6 oz of Imazethapyr 2sl per acre was the mix, if I'd have had some tough grasses to deal with I'd have added 10-16 oz. of roundup to the tank". Question on original post: Does 48 oz AMS mean a liquid such as this ($44 for 2.5 gallons) View attachment 21601

Or something else? Thanks in advance

That is what I use. Not sure I use 48 oz I’ll have to ck. Their is a water grade powder form available also that is cheaper in the long run but I’ve never used it.
I didn’t use AMS for years and saw no diff in spray results. But since controls prevent Sulphur from acid raiin which use to provide that element to crops , it is a good way to add sulphur to your plantings. Good luck


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[RGrizzzz]

That is what I use. Not sure I use 48 oz I’ll have to ck. Their is a water grade powder form available also that is cheaper in the long run but I’ve never used it.
I didn’t use AMS for years and saw no diff in spray results. But since controls prevent Sulphur from acid raiin which use to provide that element to crops , it is a good way to add sulphur to your plantings. Good luck
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Check the pH of the water you're using to spray with. If it's close to 7, you can skip the AMS. The well water at our camp is in the 5s, so if you don't use AMS, glyphosate hardly works. I sprayed two summers ago at 2q/acre, and hardly anything died. I forgot the AMS. And the AMS has to go into the water BEFORE the glyphosate.