Apple Tree Orchard. Plant clover or grass?

[James P. Bipps]

Any recommendations on what type of clover I should plant amongst my apple trees or should I just plant grass?

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If you're gonna do any spraying for bugs on your trees, you don't want clover. Your spray will kill the bees. I have grass in our fruit tree areas. Just drive through with the riding mower. FWIW.

 

[Prof.Kent]

I planted clover in my new orchard. It was a forest before I planted the orchard. Eventually (in 3-5 years) native grasses will take over unless clover is reseeded, but until then the clover will add nitrogen to the soil. Mow the clover before the clover blossoms or after the blossoms go to seed so you don't spray the bees with insecticide.

 

[Barndog56]

I'm going with red clover and alfalfa in my orchard. The legumes will provide all the nitrogen my trees will ever need, and won't die off during a dry summer so they keep feeding the soil biology. I'm also going to be planting other beneficial plants around my trees, ones that bring up nutrients, or attract beneficial insects.

The last thing i would want is plain grass as the root mass it creates sucks up too much water. Although I will be using winter rye for nutrient cycling.

 

[H20fwler]

I have a clover mix along with chicory in mine the grass will come on it's own, second year the chicory can get pretty tall I don't mow or spray. I have added different stuff as the mood hits me like wildflower seed/Durana clover/trefoil/partridge pea and might throw a little buckwheat in next spring. My theory is why not have stuff in the orchard that is also good feed for everything and cover instead of just a manicured lawn look, mine is 99% for wildlife anyway.

 

[cavey]

Clover, it turns your orchard into another food plot... fixes nitrogen, good for the bees... I do kill the ground cover around the base of the trees out 3-4 feet to remove cover for mice... having clover around your trees just makes sense - double your drawing power.