Berseem Clover?

[Tpstacy]

Is it worth adding Berseem Clover to a mix this fall in Central Kentucky?

My seed supplier thinks it will probably winter kill and I tend to agree. The mix also will contain wheat, red clover, and a small amount of radishes. I love the quick growth berseem can put on in the fall and the deer usage research is pretty impressive. With those others in the mix does it matter if it winter kills if I get great fall growth and usage? I do know about frosty berseem but that's far too expensive for me to justify.

Wondering if anyone has had success with berseem and if I should try it out or just stick with something cheap like Dixie crimson.

 

[yoderjac]

Is it worth adding Berseem Clover to a mix this fall in Central Kentucky?

My seed supplier thinks it will probably winter kill and I tend to agree. The mix also will contain wheat, red clover, and a small amount of radishes. I love the quick growth berseem can put on in the fall and the deer usage research is pretty impressive. With those others in the mix does it matter if it winter kills if I get great fall growth and usage? I do know about frosty berseem but that's far too expensive for me to justify.

Wondering if anyone has had success with berseem and if I should try it out or just stick with something cheap like Dixie crimson.

I find crimson work well for me in zone 7a. It acts as a reseeding annual here. You might want to share your usda zone to help folks provide advice on Berseem overwintering. I don't use it here.

 

[Tpstacy]

Zone 6b

 

[bigboreblr]

Ive planted it over the year in zone 5a and 3a. At the time, I would mow or weedwhack 2-4x a year during warm months. It didnt appear to make it's way back for nexy year. but, when I was making a new plot or redoing one with tillage, I would appreciate the quick growth of that clover as well as other faster than the white/pink perennial clovers like ladino and dutch white. Overall, every clover seems to be welcome by many on site. Birdsfoot trefoil is clover like, but not well liked by deer. I believe Imperial clover bags have berseem in their mixes.

I would welcome the berseem in the mix. I would add some ladino or dutch white. Medium red is a good clover, but it is not a prolific seed producer. Mow it more than once, it'll likely not be around past year 2.

Wheat should go down an inch or so, raddishes about a 1/2 inch, and clover is best left right on top, but ideally 1/8-1/4 inch deep. Spread the mix, lightly drag it in with something. Get some extra clover, spread it after mixing the seed mix, then just cultipack, lawn roller, or just tractor, truck, or ATV tire in 2wd.

Quality improved clover is worth it. Imperial white bag is expensive, mostly filled with basic clover, but they have a great improved variety in there. Peddington make durana clover, great multi year perennial. Even just some extra medium red clover ontop would be fine too. Tractor supply has DLF pasture booster 5lb red and white clover seed for $23 for 5lbs. Never used it, but tempted too. Have used plotspike clover blend for years. I like to add white clovers to the blend too.

My local AG co-op get their seed from prefered seed in NY. I usually buy 3-4lbs each of medium red, ladino, and white dutch. Then to that 10lb bag I add a 4lb bag of that plotspike. I put aside some ladino, dutch white, with a bit of medium red for frost seeding my lawn. I sprayed clethodim on my lawn to kill most of the grass, it's all weeds n clovers. I get insame amount of rabbits at my house because of it. Deer love my yard too. Rabbits are a hoot though, dont have a care in the world. Out all day, sometimes 15ft from ya.

Plotspike forage feast is a similar mix to what your buying. I really like that mix. I usually doctor up with a bit more oats and clover mostly to save on cost.

 

[Foggy47]

Been reading more and more about Frosty Berseem and Balansa clovers. May add some Frosty Berseem to my seed buy..... Here is some sales claims on these clovers.
Managing-Trophy-Bucks-8-8-17.pdf

Both of these sound pretty good.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Been reading more and more about Frosty Berseem and Balansa clovers. May add some Frosty Berseem to my seed buy..... Here is some sales claims on these clovers.
Managing-Trophy-Bucks-8-8-17.pdf

Both of these sound pretty good.

Been reading about them both a lot. From what I gather:
-Fall planted fixation is pretty likely to make it through winter but frosty berseem less so (talking zone 4a)
-Fixation competes a bit better with other crops in mixes
-Fixation does well in wet soils (good for me)
-Fixation is capable of fixing more nitrogen
-Frosty Berseem is more likely to succeed with frost seeding while fixation is generally advised against for frost seeding applications

My planned use is for fixation in fall plot mixes and berseem in frost seed blends to fill in or address areas that didn’t get established sufficiently in the fall.

 

[omicron1792]

Berseem has been rated the top preferred by deer on several trials. Even if it doesn’t make it through winter could be a draw for deer season. I would most plant other clovers you expect to make it

 

[Diesel5610]

I always add it in my fall clover seedings in Western NY so the deer have something to browse that fall. It pops up quickly and the deer are attracted to it. The other slower establishing clovers take over the following spring. The berseem doesn't survive the winters here.

 

[skeeterbit]

Test plot in 7a Southwest Tenn. After reading a University of Auburn study on Fixation Balsanic reseeding quality, I planted a test plot in August of 2021 of Balsanic clover with Saluda wheat as a companion . Seen some 2021 winter clover growth but not impressed. Spring of 2022 that stuff took off and grew waist high and thick with huge pink blossoms and stems almost as big as a pencil and was very much impressed. When it died back in the summer, between the wheat and clover die off, it left a ground cover so thick very few weeds were able to penetrate. Talked to the developer and cut it in August 2022. Started to see volunteer seed drop growth in Oct 2022 and slow growth until April 2023. Now it is growing again 10x faster than my Ladino and just as thick as the first plant. I am not endorsing any product but wanted to seen how the deer ate it and to take some spring stress off of a ladino plot that is next to it. So far it is about 50/50 and very happy to see a annual clover regenerate to this degree from a seed drop. Anyone else having the same results with re-seeding quality of the Balsanic clovers? thanks

 

[omicron1792]

Test plot in 7a Southwest Tenn. After reading a University of Auburn study on Fixation Balsanic reseeding quality, I planted a test plot in August of 2021 of Balsanic clover with Saluda wheat as a companion . Seen some 2021 winter clover growth but not impressed. Spring of 2022 that stuff took off and grew waist high and thick with huge pink blossoms and stems almost as big as a pencil and was very much impressed. When it died back in the summer, between the wheat and clover die off, it left a ground cover so thick very few weeds were able to penetrate. Talked to the developer and cut it in August 2022. Started to see volunteer seed drop growth in Oct 2022 and slow growth until April 2023. Now it is growing again 10x faster than my Ladino and just as thick as the first plant. I am not endorsing any product but wanted to seen how the deer ate it and to take some spring stress off of a ladino plot that is next to it. So far it is about 50/50 and very happy to see an annual clover regenerate to this degree from a seed drop. Anyone else having the same results with re-seeding quality of the Balsanic clovers? thanks

Yeah fixation balansa is the real deal. It and berseem together is a potent combo. You have to reseed the berseem yearly because it is not a good reseeder, but you can get lots of time out of balansa.

My fave is to get a good crop going, then I add a 1/2 rate the next year when I plant my grains into it. It’s a cheap way to make sure your bases are covered.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I planted a small kill plot with Imperial Whitetail Fusion late last summer. I'm pretty sure the annual component of the mix if heavy on the berseem clover. The deer absolutely hammered it. Assuming it did not come back for me in zone 4b. FWIW i will be spraying that plot a couple times this summer and plan to overseed the plot again with the same mix this fall to fill in the bare spots. ( just broadcast the seed on top of un prepared ground last year ) It is coming back ok this spring but plenty of room to overseed.

 

[skeeterbit]

I agree. The Balsanic seems to be the deal. I will try to find the Auburn article to post as it appears that maybe there is some truth to their findings. My Ladino plot is going on 6yrs now so I have started frost seeding Dynamite Red clover into it for the past 2yrs now. We had a very, very dry summer last year and the Ladino took a major hit but the Red clover made up for the stunted ladino and never showed any drought stress at all. My plot so far has been pure clover. As the Ladino has already reached maturity it is reseeded itself and maintaining. My thought is to frost seed the bi-annual Red clover for 4yrs to get a good stand started. May bend some ears on mixing some grains into it if it doesn't work.

 

[skeeterbit]

I planted a small kill plot with Imperial Whitetail Fusion late last summer. I'm pretty sure the annual component of the mix if heavy on the berseem clover. The deer absolutely hammered it. Assuming it did not come back for me in zone 4b. FWIW i will be spraying that plot a couple times this summer and plan to overseed the plot again with the same mix this fall to fill in the bare spots. ( just broadcast the seed on top of un prepared ground last year ) It is coming back ok this spring but plenty of room to overseed.

I believe my original plant was Imperial Whitetail white ladino. That was 6yrs ago

 

[omicron1792]

I wouldn’t be afraid to throw 2-3lbs of landino a year when you throw red. Minimal cost and keeps plot fresh.

Most here plant grains into their clover every fall. The excess nitrogen has to go somewhere, either weeds or something you want. If broadcasting, use 100-150lbs/acre of your favorite grain. Will eat up excess N, and can terminate with first clover maintenance spray the next spring, or let it go to seed, self terminate, and you can mow it.

In Deep South where you and I live, landino doesn’t act quite like it does up north. Many have better luck with reseeding annuals for perennial clover plots. Blackhawk arrowleaf another good one I use, or southern belle red.

This is what it ends up looking like. There is some balansa in this mix. I always hedge my clover bets by planting 2-4 different ones, annuals and perennials.

 

[omicron1792]

Plots look great. Welcome to the board!

 

[skeeterbit]

Thanks and you are 100% correct and it just hit me. Excess ph has to go somewhere and it is going into the unshaded weeds. Will incorporate some Saluda this fall into the Ladino

 

[Westwind]

I just made the trip to Welther today. I picked up a 50# bag of Frosty.

I am planning on using it as a smother crop in my strips that will be cereal grains and brassicas later this summer. I bought a bunch of white clover too, if I am planting an area I am not sure what I will do with it I am going to add 6# of white to the Frosty. That way I can till it in or just use it as a clover patch. I know it’s more expensive but I want to get a good start on this year and have options to do my rotations.

I’m zone 5a

 

[westonwhitetail]

Well you guys have talked me into trying berseem and balansa. Gonna mix it it in with my fall seeded plots over my standing beans.

Question: some sources have balansa but not Fixation balansa and also berseem but not frosty berseem. Is there a difference or are we talking a name brand vs. non-name brand thing here?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Well you guys have talked me into trying berseem and balansa. Gonna mix it it in with my fall seeded plots over my standing beans.

Question: some sources have balansa but not Fixation balansa and also berseem but not frosty berseem. Is there a difference or are we talking a name brand vs. non-name brand thing here?

My input is based on research and not first hand experience yet.

On berseem, the frosty is more cold tolerant but my takeaways from prior research were to expect fall planted Frosty to winter kill in zone 4 anyway. Maybe it would make it further into fall before going dormant?

I believe fixation is also more cold tolerant than other balansa varieties and I do expect it to survive zone 4 winter and provide in the spring.

Based on that, frosty is getting added to spring frost seeding blends (it supposedly frost seeds well and fixation does not) and fixation is getting added to annual fall plot blends.

 

[homerj]

Based on that, frosty is getting added to spring frost seeding blends (it supposedly frost seeds well and fixation does not) and fixation is getting added to annual fall plot blends.

yep, this ^^^

Also, there's a big difference between Frosty/Fixation and other berseem/balansa