Who mows clover, how did it respond for you?

[mikmaze]

I have two Clover plots that are doing very well on my place. However there are items creeping in and taking over a bit and in an attempt to knock them back while preserving the Clover I decided to mow one of my plots yesterday. Took me about an hour and a half, but I mowed it to about 5 inches high taking out all the weed structure giving everything a fresh early start. I did not want to spray as even though Clover is resistant to gly the gly can have an adverse effect in areas where spray is little heavier than others. When I was finished it looked like a lawn and I can't wait to see how it bounces back after the forecasted rains come and get it going again. The Clover that I'm owed variety is unknown, as I ordered medium red last year, and everything that flowered has white flowers. It is definitely a perennial clover and was up to 14 in high. I took an after shot, I should have taken a before and during picture but it was just too hot and I didn't feel like it.

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[Mike]

White clover varieties respond very well to mowing. It seems like it really stimulates it to put out stolens and spread and grow in thicker. That looks good, the only thing I would suggest is that you try to cut the clover within a few days of a coming rain event. Mowing really helps to cut down on the broadleaf weeds. The weeds are trying to set seed and if you keep cutting them before they can mature they are never able to reseed themselves. The clover on the other hand being a perennial can spread through stolen growth so it can spread and thrive while the annual weeds cannot. Finally mowing seems to keep the clover in a younger stage of growth that is more soft and palatable to the deer.

 

[Tap]

I have to Clover plots that are doing very well on my place. However there are items creeping in and taking over a bit and in an attempt to knock them back while preserving the Clover I decided to mow one of my plots yesterday. Took me about an hour and a half but I'm owed it to about 5 inches high taking out all the weed structure giving everything a fresh early start. I did not want to spray as even though Clover is resistant to gly the Glide can have an adverse effect in areas where spray is little heavier than others. When I was finished it look like a lawn and I can't wait to see how it bounces back after the forecasted rains come and get it going again. The Clover that I'm owed variety is unknown, as I ordered medium read last year planted, and everything that flowered has white flowers. It is definitely a perennial clover and was up to 14 in high. I took an after shot, I should have taken a before and during picture but it was just too hot and I didn't feel like it.

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I resist mowing the actual cover itself because my deer keep it pretty well mowed. I will mow the weeds that tend to take off because the weeds have less competition from the clover due to heavy browsing.
I like my clover to produce as much seed as possible so I really try to not mow the flowers.
And don't mow during hot weather or drought, and dont mow shorter than the 5" or so.

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[mikmaze]

I mowed to about 5", highest setting I can get the deck up to, after that I would have to put on taller tires, 2 inch diameter taller would give me another inch. The tires that are on it now are good as far as tread, but dry rot tells me they may need replacing in the not too distant future. Good little lawn tractor, snapper LT200 50. 22 HP V twin iron bore brigs, 50 inch triple blade cut, hydro drive. Got it for 300 in " non running condition" a week ago. Electrical gremlins, oil leak, yesterday was it's trial run. I may install a digital volt meter to watch what seems to be a bad contact problem on the charging side. As for the rain, it looks like it just missed the property by 10 miles or less, o well.

 

[yoderjac]

I typically mow in the fall right before the season begins. However, I've been dealing with marstail lately. So, I'm mowing slightly earlier. If you mow marestail too soon, it simply regrows shorter and goes to seed. If you wait too long and it goes to seed, you compound the problem. I just finished mowing. A little of the marestail had gone to seed but not much. It was pretty good timing for most of my clover fields.

Right now, my clover fields are Durana. It is a low growing drought resistant clover and I have not issue mowing back to 6". Five inches would not scare me with rain in the forecast. Timing worked out well for me this year as we are having afternoon thunderstorms a day or two a week lately. My Durana responds very well to fall mowing. When the fall rains come and cool nights begin to favor it, I often end up with pretty lush clover fields that you would need to look hard to find clover amongst the weeds during the summer.

My Durana fields typically take about 2 weeks to overtake after fall mowing. It may be slightly longer this year since I'm mowing a bit earlier.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Suburbhunter]

I had mine mowed earlier in May but it had already gotten away from me a little with grasses/weeds. Mowed again a month ago then sprayed a day later. Ladino, alsike, Alice, imperial and red clover. Still some undesirables in there, but looking much better and growing just fine.

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[mikmaze]

Got down to the property today and force myself to take a before and after picture of one of the other plots. Not sure the Clover is going to recover as it should have been mowed a month ago. As insurance I spread a light seed mix with about 3 lbs per acre of my new go-to Clover, Bearcat red from seedway

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[willy]

I'm impressed with what that mower was able to knock down.

 

[mikmaze]

me too, surprised actually, was a mix of foxtail grass, wormwood, mile a minute, and just flat nasty.

 

[Bill]

We’ve got cooler weather in the forecast. If we get some moisture that clover will pop.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I mow clover whenever broadleaf nasties get outta hand. That might be several times a summer as here up north the worry for too hot and dry and clover not being able to bounce back is not much of a concern. A pic from a few years ago right after mowing in early summer and a pic of same area a year later. Clover is still doing ok. Eventually the grasses will start to win out and mowing does not help. I go heavy on the white dutch and ladino when planting.

Edit: This plot is going on about 5 years. Started out with clovers and winter wheat

 

[mikmaze]

That mowed clover looks great, bet it gets lots of browsing. HT was super slow this am, tried to log in but the wheel just kept a spinning.

 

[Bill]

That mowed clover looks great, bet it gets lots of browsing. HT was super slow this am, tried to log in but the wheel just kept a spinning.

I noticed that last night. Seems better now. I figured the host must have been having some server issues.

 

[mikmaze]

Well, I think my Clover is responding extremely well. Not sure if I would call it amazing. But I was extremely surprised in a good way when I saw the property yesterday. The first plot that had the truck in it look like a carpet of Green from one end to the other with only two or three small patches they had some really high Weeds on top of the Clover smothering it out. The other spot with the tractor in the picture with the really high weeds is responding a pitch slower, that Clover was really shaded out at ground level.

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[Bill]

I think I’d go with amazing based on what it looked like before you beat the snot out of that poor mower.

 

[Mike]

I had a clover plot behind the house a few years ago and it seemed like the more I mowed it the better it got. Just seemed like mowing made the clover send out new stolens and get thicker and more lush. Also kept it weed free. I want to say I mowed it four times that year.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I'd say that one pic looks mikmazing and plenty of clover.

Mowed a couple plots yesterday as thistle was flowering but not yet to seed. As much as I hate thistle, the monarchs were all over that stuff. Well they have plenty in other areas I can't mow. The bees were really working over the nearby goldenrod as well.

Did note the the strip along the edge where the main trail is has the thickest clover. It gets mowed more and driven on all the time. Kinda like Mike mentions above. Not heavy vehicles but utv and golf carts and such. This area gets full sun. Trails thru woods get more of the classic two track look with almost bare dirt.

 

[Belchertown Bowman]

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[mikmaze]

thanks for the video, I see what he is saying, but are chemicals the real answer? 2 gallons of gas are cheaper and leave no residue on the field, or long term effects in the soil. He talked only of white clover, and small plots, Yes I mowed my white clover, but I also mowed my medium red, both large plots of an acre each. The time I mowed I had cooler nights and ample rain in the forecast. I have PLENTY of cover surrounding the plots, if anything, I improved the deers visibility of any coyotes trying to sneak in on them. seeing my 10 day results tell me I did the right thing growth wise, weed control wise is yet to be determined.

 

[rocksnstumps]

Video above just goes to show that everything is situational and no one answer is correct for your neighborhood. I picked up on the reference to quail and having hot summers being bad for clover and assume the videographer has experiences they are relating from a southern region.

That advice to me is total crap based on my experiences from up north. FYI, I also try to spray as little as possible.

Exhibit A: Late summer planting of some rye, clover, and light brassica gone ugly with pigweed infestation. Got after it with the mower before pignasty went to seed and sure enough scalped all the brassica to 1/2 height but no mercy.....



Exhibit B: No spraying done but here is what field looks like today. Coincidently, exactly one year later on the pics. Sure not perfect clover but decent and thick enough to surpress the pigweed just waiting for some bare dirt which spraying would have likely started.