Anyone else get native clover after spraying roundup?

[Bill]

This is kinda freaky. A few years ago in late summer I sprayed a trail through an old hay field. My son has a walking disability and high grass trips him up. It was our path to a box blind.

The next summer it filled in pretty good with clover from the seed bank and I didn't think much about it. I figured over the years previous farmers had over seeded the cow pastures.

Fall 2012 I sprayed off about 35 acres to put in warm season grasses. In the spring of 2013 after frost seeding it was sprayed again with gly and Pursuit. I have some areas where the native grasses did ok and others with no signs of it.

Check this out, spring 2014. I've never put a clover seed here. It looks like this on at least 20 acres.

So much for wanting more cover I got more food.

 

[West Branch]

When we keep logging trails mowed the clover comes in very good in areas that it has never been planted intentionally.

 

[dipper]

Clover is a weed, I've sprayed a grass select many times and get thick stands of clover. Don't mow it if you want to do this, you want the seed.

 

[Native Hunter]

That is great. It happened at my place when I put in NWSGs but no spots as big as yours. The NWSGs eventually took over.

I have some small areas near plots right now that are still in the old fescue and they have wild clover in them. I've often wondered what would happen if I sprayed Cleth in those areas.

 

[OkieKubota]

It has done the same thing here. I have some old muscle car body's I spray around to keep from having to weedeat and now I have clover around them. Also around my storage buildings and shop.

 

[kabic]

I planted a clover mix that had crimson clover in it last year. First time it has been planted. Last weekend I'm pretty sure I saw crimson clover on the other side of the farm. Not sure how it would have got there besides maybe animals somehow spreading the seed.

 

[bryant]

So roundup can be used to convert bad weeds into real pretty deer clover. If Monsanto finds out expect a camo jug with a label that says Big Buck Roundup...turning ordinary weeds into monster buck food.

 

[wildfire]

My clover is now knee high, would love to mow, but getting stuck with tractor is not worth it.

 

[dipper]

So roundup can be used to convert bad weeds into real pretty deer clover. If Monsanto finds out expect a camo jug with a label that says Big Buck Roundup...turning ordinary weeds into monster buck food.

I would suggest a grass select herbicide. You would be amazed what kind of food mother nature will give you by eliminating the nasty cool season grass.
This wasn't necessarily all Mother Nature, I seeded this red clover at 2 pounds/ acre in the summer of 2012. Didn't even need to spray since I didn't have a grass issue. I just left this, no soil amendment on sandy nutrient deficient soil.

 

[Bill]

Thanks for all the responses. I guess it's not as odd as I thought.

Dipper good idea on using a grass selective herbicide when you want this outcome.

 

[dipper]

This is the year of the Red Clover in Missouri. It is growing everywhere, even in the middle of the dirt roads and the ditches. If possible I would plant something else for a food plot. The deer have plenty of clover from what I am seeing.

It's a weed mo, I had 7 in mine last night, 3 were bucks. One buck was out to his ears already. Haven't mowed it in a year and a half since planting. I'll take those results, and it cost me less than $2/ acre. Zero soil amendments on sandy rocky soil. Can't beat it

 

[sandbur]

It's a weed mo, I had 7 in mine last night, 3 were bucks. One buck was out to his ears already. Haven't mowed it in a year and a half since planting. I'll take those results, and it cost me less than $2/ acre. Zero soil amendments on sandy rocky soil. Can't beat it

Some recommend sulfur for lighter soil with red clover in my area.

 

[sandbur]

I seeded some birdsfoot trefoil about 25 years ago. It faded away and got ignored.

Last summer I repeatedly applied roundup to an area prior to seeding NWSG, some of the birdsfoot appeared again. Same thing happened about 10 years ago in a couple of locations.

 

[mdweber2]

Clover seeds stay viable in the soil for a really long time (decades)... so essentially if you have the right soil coinditions and you weaken the grasses (spray or mow) you'll get clover.

Seeing how well alsike and red clover can take over diverse prairie restorations has given me a whole new perspective on clover management for food plots. White clover isn't as aggressive, but it's pretty persistent and fills in the gaps between the prairie plants. Gives me an idea for a low maintenance food plot...

 

[Doug Galloway]

We keep changing our grazing routine and now get all kinds of broadleaf plants which I've never seen before. No pasture spraying this year!