Seed Innoculants

[Laker]

If I'm going to plant half my plot in a LC cereal grain mix, do I need to inoculate the clover and pea components?

 

[Drycreek]

You're probably gonna get advice counter to my experiences, but I've never innoculated anything. The clover I use is already innoculated because it's coated, but I've grown excellent stands of IC peas and RR beans with no innoculant whatsoever.

 

[X-farmerdan]

Probably not, but how do you know? Whats a bag of inoculant cost? I've not bought any in a long time. If it's cheap relative to the cost of you seed -- and you've never planted incoulated seed, I'd recommend it. But, if you choose not to do it and the plants don't nodulate you'll need to throw on some nitrogen.

 

[DrDirtNap]

I’ve never inoculated anything but I try to plant coated clover seed that’s already inoculated. There haven been times where I had to plant seed that was not coated and results have still been good. I’ve never seen a need to inoculate peas or soybeans in food plots. Growth has always been good for me.


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Smallplot]

If you have grown legumes in the past, or have had natural growing clovers, you likely will not need inoculate as the soil will already have the bacteria readily accessible. Where inoculates come into play most is where you are growing for max seed harvest and in my opinion not real relevant in a food plot situation. The cost is minimal but getting the seed itself inoculated usually involves mixing with small amounts of water or soda and drying the seeds back out which is time demanding.

Another problem is getting the correct inoculate for the seed you are going to plant. It is just not available in all areas unless it is special ordered or the available seed coating is through large Ag equipment where companies don’t want to make small seed runs. And as far as pre inoculated seeds, well there is a relatively short shelf life with the inoculate so depending on when the seeds were coated it may not be very effective. Lots of seed coatings on clovers are clay based, meaning they hold the most moisture which helps with germination. Some coatings are specifically for moisture retention like on the Alfalfa I usually plant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Laker]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll take it under advisement. This is new ground. I opened up the forest last Summer and planted WR only. I've never planted anything else, anywhere. I'm learning.

 

[FarmerD]

Just for reference ....... again, innoculants are cheap.

 

[Laker]

I just used the search function. There's a whole other thread on this. Sorry.

Just for reference ....... again, innoculants are cheap.

View attachment 10639

 

[DocHolladay]

The only inoculants I have used have been on the clover seeds I buy. Other than that, I just plant the seeds. I still get good nodulation, if the plants make it that far.

 

[Smallplot]

I should add the pea portion will likely not make it to maturity. They usually hammer these very early. The peas will likely never reach a stage that they will fixate their own N so no need for an inoculate here. The clover will grow even without the inoculate. I prefer a med red which is well adapted at growing in less than ideal conditions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk