I have a small area in Southern WV that I am wanting to plant in clover. Its a micro plot but we don't have a lot of deer in the area. Would it be better to plant now or wait til fall. My plan was to wait til middle of August to plant. Mainly cause I have never planted in the spring. I know I wont get much growth with a fall planting and I would like to hunt it next year. It is tough to get to but gets plenty of sunlight. So should I plant this coming spring or just prepare the area for a fall planting? Also is there a certain clover that grows quicker? And if I wait til fall, what's the earliest I could plant it? Thanks
Clover Question...
- Thread starter jwork
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
I'm no farmer, but have learned from guys on here and have had success planting clover at my camp. Red clover is the quickest to establish ( medium red clover is cheapest ) and can be planted in the spring ( if you want to hunt over it next fall ). Many guys frost seed in March or very early April by just broadcasting the seed and letting frost-heaving get the seed into the soil. A good thing to do is mix in some oats to act as a nurse crop with the clover. Oats can then be mowed once clover gets established, or let stand to die down on their own once they head out. Oats are great deer food too !!
We plant in spring AND in the fall, depending on our goals. If you want an established clover plot to hunt in the fall, I'd plant this spring using the medium red clover and some oats. Simple easy mix.
We plant in spring AND in the fall, depending on our goals. If you want an established clover plot to hunt in the fall, I'd plant this spring using the medium red clover and some oats. Simple easy mix.
If you have bare dirt, you could frost seed around the end of february. I live in southern WV and my pH is horrible. If you don't get it right first, you shouldn't expect much from yout plot. I'd say dont rush things. Test soil, correct soil, control weeds, and then grow your foodplot. In my experience, it's best to wait until fall to avoid competing weeds and grasses.
I have planted numerous foodplots in white clover over the years and in my experience planting in late summer (Aug 15th-Sep15) is your best bet. First off it has always given me a chance to completely wipe out any weeds that will compete with the clover. Secondly by planting late in the growing season once your clover starts to grow and establish its roots it goes dormant and at that point any annual weeds that are present are killed by frost. Your clover then wakes up in the spring and goes gang busters and overtaking most new weeds that might try to pop up. As mentioned earlier not a bad idea to use a cereal grain like Rye as a nurse crop. The rye will further help suppress weed growth and in the spring you just mow the rye and the clover will explode. I have just heard of too many people trying to start a clover plot in the spring and they end up spending all summer fighting the weeds. Just my opinion but much safer to plant white clover in late summer.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
Your best bet is a fall plant with a Winter Rye (cereal grain not ryegrass) nurse crop. I like Durana in my area. Don't worry about speed. You are planting clover for the following year. The Winter Rye will be the fall attractant this fall. The clover will get a jump on weeds next spring. Each time the WR hits about a foot next spring, mow it back to 6"-8" to release the clover. By the following fall you have a great clover plot.
Spring planted clover in the mid-Atlantic and south will have a lot of summer weed competition. You will invest way more in time and herbicides trying to battle the weeds than if you plant in the fall with a Winter Rye nurse crop.
Thanks,
Jack
I did this last fall. Planted a combo of Kopu II, alice and Jumbo ladino. Planted the first week of September a week after a rain. It rained next the last week of november. All that sprouted was dead by late October. Nothing much but cool season weeds and a little of the rye still alive. Should I frost seed in spring or just do something like BW next year and try planting clover in fall once again? Thanks "D"
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
What is your location?
Tap
5 year old buck +
There you go again...asking too many questions:):)
Tap
5 year old buck +
You and me both.
Geo, on that other forum, was the master of "the short post". Is he on this forum?
SW Pa
scott44
5 year old buck +
Here in MI we put our fall plots in late August early September.
yoderjac
5 year old buck +
I'm east of you in Central VA. For clover plots, I typically wait until labor day and then start watching the weather forecast. As soon as I see rain in the forecast, I try to plant ahead of the rain event. The clover will not be an attractant in the fall, but the Winter Rye cover crop will. Deer use cereal grains the most when they are young and tender. As cereal grains age, they become less palatable. If I plant in September, my cereal grains are just getting large enough for deer to use them when our archery season rolls around in early October and stay tender through the end of our rifle season in early January.
Thanks,
Jack
