Perennial Clover - Best Management

[Jerry D]

So we have a perennial clover plot that was planted in the fall of 2015 with a cereal grain nurse crop.

How would you manage the clover to keep it going strong as long as possible for the least amount of money?

Is it best to mow and start over if it starts to thin out or annually frost seed or use herbicides and frost seed.

 

[buckmaster27012]

mowing and keeping lime/fertilizer on it are best options. i've tried to use herbicides but dont see much success and could have put that money toward something else, just trying to use it all up now. i have a few bare spots on it fall but come back strong in spring each year. had a plot going on 5 years with good success.

 

[sagittarius]

Mow a few times a year, use clethodim and 2,4-DB as needed, or rapter/clearcast $.

Managing the field the year before planting to minimize weeds/grass can be a huge plus with white clover. Then there is timing, spraying weeds and grass early while they are small, fall planting with adequate rain for tiny sprouts. Without well timed spraying and mowing, weeds and grass can get out of control in any plot.

 

[dogghr]

I used to keep immaculate plots. No longer do weeds and grasses bother me. If you look close, you can see clover actually growing taller near clumps of grasses( not talking fescue). At times I will use Cleth if grasses getting too thick but otherwise just mow few times thru year and save money and time. I do overseed WR into them in Sept and let that play out into following summer. Eats up some of the excess N and helps with weed control and feeds deer thru winter and spring with early greenup. I've started clover plots over after 6 years with a rotation then back to clover, but would never do that again.

 

[MarkDarvin]

I do overseed WR into them in Sept and let that play out into following summer. Eats up some of the excess N and helps with weed control and feeds deer thru winter and spring with early greenup.

I think this is the missing link. I couldn't agree more. I have been overseeding rye into my clover in the fall as well. The topic that's been dominating my interest most this season has been carbon to nitrogen ratios. I think I've about got it figured, and what you're saying here is the same conclusion I've come to. The way I see it, you're going to have grass. The choice is whether you pick it, or the soil bank picks it. This is why I like rye. It comes with a vengeance in the spring and sucks up any nitrogen that could feed a rogue grass, and also puts back the carbon the soil needs to keep things working properly.

Here's what mine looked like coming into memorial weekend this year. If I could get my brother to walk instead of driving on this, it'd look even better.


I ran long on barley this year, and short on rye, so I overseeded barley into it this fall. I don't know if barley will come back this spring or not, if it doesn't the next thing I'm going to try is spreading oats into it as soon as it's up enough to protect it in spring, and keep pushing the carbon build and nitrogen use the whole season. Don't get hung up on that idea yet, it's still being thought over.

 

[blumsden]

Keep the ph right and use gly at 1.25qts /acre. Only do this on mature clover the next spring after it was planted the previous fall. I've used it like this and it works well, you get a good kill on most all weeds and grasses, but it wont kill the perennial clover. At some point you will have to use 2,4,d,b for gly resistant weeds, like dog fennel. It loves clover.

 

[Jerry D]

Over seeding rye is a great idea.

I will try that this fall asap. How well does rye take just being put on top of soil. I could drag it with a harrow to get it to bounce around and settle on the ground.

What # acre would you use? 100 lbs?

 

[dogghr]

I've done wheat or rye at about 50-100/ac, usually the lower. I'm usually using whatever I have left. You can also mix in RC and oats and even alfalfa if you want to mix it up. I sometimes frost seed in March clovers into these plots if they are wearing thin. WR will grow on a brick wall. Barley could be good choice especially since you are further north. Any of this I just broadcast into the plot and let the rain do the work. Never pack or harrow personally.

 

[Crimson n' Camo]

I like the new way of thinking on clover now. I think the best way to manage clover is to get your soil nutrients right and then just broadcast a couple more lbs of seed each fall along with a cereal grain like cereal rye….then let it go until next year…….3 lbs of durana clover per acre costs about $15. If the clover doesn’t thrive then your soil likely ain’t right.

 

[MarkDarvin]

Over seeding rye is a great idea.

I will try that this fall asap. How well does rye take just being put on top of soil. I could drag it with a harrow to get it to bounce around and settle on the ground.

What # acre would you use? 100 lbs?

I wouldn't go that hot. I'd do one bushel or about 50-60 lbs. There's gotta be room for the clover too. And rye will grow anywhere. Just throw it out there and walk away.

 

[Brian]

I like the new way of thinking on clover now. I think the best way to manage clover is to get your soil nutrients right and then just broadcast a couple more lbs of seed each fall along with a cereal grain like cereal rye….then let it go until next year…….3 lbs of durana clover per acre costs about $15. If the clover doesn’t thrive then your soil likely ain’t right.

Maybe we're lazy, or maybe because the only clover I ever see in this area is reseeding annual clover rather than perennials... but over here thats the ONLY way people deal with their clover plots! SOP is to ignore it for the summer then mow 4 or 6 weeks before planting followed by a burn-down 2 weeks later.

 

[blumsden]

If you decide to spray it, do it early during the spring while weeds and grasses are young and before they seed out. I never cut clover or spray it when it's stressed from heat or lack of moisture.

 

[MK111]

Over seeding with a cereal grain won't work here with the number of turkeys we have. Last year I planted 90 lbs of oats and didn't drag down because of heavy rain that night. Well we didn't get a drop of rain and the turkeys ate every oat seed and never got one plant. Had to reseed in turnip-radish mix.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Maybe we're lazy, or maybe because the only clover I ever see in this area is reseeding annual clover rather than perennials... but over here thats the ONLY way people deal with their clover plots! SOP is to ignore it for the summer then mow 4 or 6 weeks before planting followed by a burn-down 2 weeks later.

All clover in my region are reseeding annuals because they all get smoked by Texas heat during summer

bill

 

[Drycreek]

All clover in my region are reseeding annuals because they all get smoked by Texas heat during summer

bill

I agree somewhat. My clover plots are perennial, they do get smoked in the summer, but they do well enough in the spring to cast plenty of seed to come back early spring. A little cleth, and some mowing, and they're lush until the over 90 temps.

 

[Drycreek]

Over seeding with a cereal grain won't work here with the number of turkeys we have. Last year I planted 90 lbs of oats and didn't drag down because of heavy rain that night. Well we didn't get a drop of rain and the turkeys ate every oat seed and never got one plant. Had to reseed in turnip-radish mix.

Same here, except a different varmint. Hogs would eat that rye seed overnight !

 

[Mennoniteman]

Keep the ph right and use gly at 1.25qts /acre. Only do this on mature clover the next spring after it was planted the previous fall. I've used it like this and it works well, you get a good kill on most all weeds and grasses, but it wont kill the perennial clover. At some point you will have to use 2,4,d,b for gly resistant weeds, like dog fennel. It loves clover.

X2 on the roundup

 

[TreeDaddy]

Drycreek,

You are more"easter" texas than me by a few counties

What clover works well for you in terms of drought tolerance?

thanks,

bill

 

[FarmerD]

I don't mow, unless I have a bad infestation of broad leaf weeds. To me, mowing cuts off the most nutritious part of the plant and reduces the "tonnage per acre" of what I am trying to grow. The top of the plant is the most tasty and tender. Mowing will give you more tender and tasty tidbits, but at a later date. I'm not saying mowing is bad, but with my time constraints, I pursue other options.

I do battle grass, in particular since I have clover plots going in to their 10th year, but I use a weed wiper (on my 4 wheeler) and a 50/50 solution of glyphosate. Kills the grass wonderfully, kills any tall broadleaf weeds and doesn't do much damage to the clover. The key to using a weed wiper, is not going too fast (5 mph) to make sure you get an adequate amount of glyphosate on your target plant. The beauty of it, is I don't have to or have anyone else haul water for my conventional 4 wheeler sprayer. About 2 gallons of this mix, will do about 6 acres.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wee...iLbWAhVETCYKHXslBG0Q_AUICygC&biw=1600&bih=780

 

[j-bird]

I tend to mow to control broadleaf weeds and to keep weeds from going to seed and apply cleth once the grass gets to be too much (don't forget something for the sedge as well). I have applied gly in the past as well to fight more aggressive broadleaf weeds (I have one plot that the smartweed just gets stupid) with success as well. If I am going to "start over" I try to use a RR planting for a year or two in an effort to deplete the seed bank and use up any N credits in the ground before I go back to planting clover again.