Clover under corn?

[loshonhora]

The farmer that leases our fields plants corn for silage. He typically chops it in mid to late September right before bow season starts in Ohio. I was thinking about broadcasting some variety of clover onto strategic spots just after he plants the corn hoping for the clover to establish and grow under the corn through the summer and get released when it is taken off. Am I wasting my time and seed, or can this work? Any recommendations on clover varieties? Thanks.

 

[Rit]

Inter-seeding cover crops into standing corn is nothing new. Studies have actually shown that it can increase yield. I don’t have all the specifics but if you search for inter-seeding cover crops into standing corn you will find what you are looking for. I know timing is one of the keys but I don’t know what stage of corn you need to seed it.

 

[loshonhora]

I'm wondering if I can get the clover established as the corn comes up, before it shades it out, then have the clover "hang out" until the corn comes off and let's the sun back in. If there's no way this can work, plan b is to just broadcast cereal grains and soon as the corn is chopped for some greenery.

 

[MRBB]

if the farmer comes back and sprays the corn to keep out things, your seeding will be wasted, unless you time this also till after he does so!
I also don;t know how well clover will do due to shading
not saying it cannot be done, just saying clover isn;t a great crop for shade IMO


I have done many planting of using corn and soybeans at same time but discing both seeds in and they both always did very well, but I was coming back to cut things for silage!

 

[Bill]

I would think rye just before harvest would be a better bet.

@SD51555 makes a cool adapter that goes on a leaf blower to spread seed. Might be the trick in corn. I don’t know what he calls them though.

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/extreme-blower-seeder.9743/

 

[Bill]

Duuh. The name is the title of the thread.

 

[BobinCt]

If your main objective is to feed deer into the Winter months , I would think Cereal Rye would be best . I’d plant it just as he cuts for Silage. I can’t see much growth on the clover and if it does get little while the Silage is growing, it’s a very short window from when he cuts Silage to your first frost to put on real good growth. Or do the clover , but do the Cereal Rye too. Your also taking a chance like MRB said . He could come back and spray .

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

subterranean clover

 

[35-acre]

I bet things might work better if you got your seed (thinking rye or winter wheat) into the corn shortly before he comes to cut it. His tractor will help ensure seed to soil contact, any debris will help cover the seed a little for germination/protection and so on. I'm assuming you have contact with him because he leases your land. Have him give you a heads up prior to his work. Assuming that he gives you a week or two as a heads up, drop everything and go spread seed nice and heavy. I would imagine that you will get something growing once the corn is cut.

 

[SD51555]

If you wanted to try clover under corn, I’d want the clover going the fall before. Then the focus would be on getting your corn thru the clover, and not the other way around.

A good stand of clover starts with good seed, good timing, good moisture, and good coverage. Throw them $5 Scott’s coffee cup seeders in the bin. A year is a long time to wait to get to try again if you get it wrong.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[loshonhora]

Thanks for all the replies. Im going to just go with cereal grains after it is chopped. The fields were just limed and chiseled, so the farmer is going to follow up with a disc before planting, so I was daydreaming from my turkey blind about a nice clean seedbed and whether or not an annual clover would have enough time to establish and hang on when the corn grows up over it.

 

[r49740]

I did that last year with some corn I put in. Deer loved the it. The corn yield wasn't good as it got in late based on all the rain we had last year. Will do the same this year with plantings.

 

[jsasker007]

I would go with plan "B" and then do oats and winter rye.

 

[Northbound]

I'd be approaching the farmer to work out a deal on leaving some of that corn in strategic places standing. The farmer I lease to is happy to leave some corners of field standing in exchange for me spending a few hours picking stones between crops

 

[Bearhtr67]

I'd be approaching the farmer to work out a deal on leaving some of that corn in strategic places standing. The farmer I lease to is happy to leave some corners of field standing in exchange for me spending a few hours picking stones between crops

I would second this idea

 

[Tree Spud]

WR is alleopathic and will suppress grasses which corn is a part of that class. I would definitely talk with the farmer before doing anything. These farmers are notorious for being thin margined and looking for a reason not to pay.

I can't imagine a better late Oct, Nov, & Dec attractant than harvested corn field? Why not restrict him to chopping until December?

 

[Telemark]

I got an email from Green Cover Seeds that you might find useful:

http://interseedingcovers.com