Grasses must either not be an issue or you don't mind them?
Cutting clover?
- Thread starter ravot22
- Start date
jsasker007
5 year old buck +
I just put up with the grasses. Probably about 30% grass/weeds in my plots right now. Pretty soon I'll be broadcasting rye and wheat which should help combat the undesirables some what.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
I mow all mow clover plots in August after I spray. It just cleans them up and helps them not to get too choked out. I don’t see a downside
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
Harper agrees with this. Says to mow them once a year in about August.
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
How you doing @Howboutthemdawgs? Getting your newer place like you want it?
bwoods11
5 year old buck +
If the clover & chicory is lush from rain, a small percentage of grasses will not hurt the attractiveness in my opinion!
Deer will feed on all of it.
We mowed a CRP field late, there was a lot of rain shortly after. There were 20-25 deer eating each night in that lush grass .
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Good man thanks…you?
I didn’t have much for plans as far as the habitat side just yet but got some big boxes for me checked on it. Had a fence and gates installed so it’s no longer accessible from the road and I had a dozer cut some roads to connect the whole farm. So I consider those wins for the first summer!
Even got a set hung last weekend on that part of the farm
S.T.Fanatic
5 year old buck +
Not sure If i'm the only one but grasses are NEVER a problem for me in any of my plots.
Double Creek
5 year old buck +
Omicron beat me to it. Craig Harper has already proven that mowing legumes and forbs provides no benefit other than aesthetics.
The only recommendation is to mow them once they mature to promote reseeding.
That being said, it's your farm and you should do whatever makes you happy, which is what its ultimately all about. I definitely don't always do everything the experts suggest.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
He did say mow them in august which is what I do. But I think we need to parse out the nuance of the study. He was talking about palatability/attraction. Many of us are talking about sustainability. If the clover is getting eaten up by weeds I think a spray and mow and regime is necessary to allow the clover to “breathe”.
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
He talks mainly about weeds. Mowing makes weeds worse, especially grasses. Think mowing your lawn.
He advocate for herbicides for weed control
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
Reaching Clover’s Golden Years: Lengthening the Life of Clover Food Plots
Stop by Mossy Oak for some in-depth insight on how to manage your clover plots year-round, with info and advice on the best weed control products and strategies for clover.
www.mossyoak.com
Buckly
5 year old buck +
I’ve wrote about clover many times. I can keep a clover plot going indefinitely I believe by mowing. Many times I’ve been asked about how many times I mow clover. Answer, when it needs it. I might mow ladino 4-5 times a year. Always in a cool season. Never when stressed. Just take the top off and make it even. I think it invigorates it and helps choke out the grass. I get great buck pictures in my clover after mowing. It seems to bring them in like a magnet.
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
What I cut is filling back in nicely (and quickly). Can't say that I'm seeing any more deer in it than what I didn't mow.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
I would say its all relevant to browse pressure as well. If the deer are hitting the plot regularly, they are "mowing" it for you. I have an exclusion cage in my only pure clover plot. The clover inside the cage is usually 8" taller than in the plot.
Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
Key Takeaways from Dr. Harper:
- Minimal mowing is best
He strongly cautions against frequent mowing, saying it often does more harm than good in managing perennial food plots—you’ll save more time and get better results by using herbicides properly instead. - One once‑a‑year mowing—late summer—is his approach
Mowing just once a year, typically in August, is sufficient. By then, clover and chicory have flowered and produced seed, and the plot may look ragged—but that’s ideal timing to prepare for fall regrowth. - Don’t mow during peak growing season
Especially during May and June, when clover is lush and nutritious and deer are actively feeding, mowing is unnecessary and counterproductive. The nutritional value difference between 4-week-old and 8-week-old clover leaves is negligible, and mowing then removes valuable forage. - Herbicide (spray) trumps mowing for weed control
Using the right herbicides at the right time—typically spraying twice annually—can control weeds more efficiently than mowing. Mowing should be reserved for weeds too mature for herbicide and ideally done just once per growing cycle. - Mowing can reduce forage and deer use
A study cited by Harper found mowing white or red clover and alfalfa plots decreased forage production by about 25%, and deer consumed significantly less in mowed plots—sometimes 608 lbs/acre more forage was consumed in unmowed plots.
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
I have the belief that mowing a pasture reduces clover prevelance, grazing increases clover prevalence
Mowing pastures also seem to increase amount of visible alfalfa where as grazing decreases it.
Mowing pastures also seem to increase amount of visible alfalfa where as grazing decreases it.
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Buckly
5 year old buck +
This may be a case where it is completely dependent on what part of the Country you’re in. In my case I’m in the North East.
With that disclaimer being said, I would consider every bullet point in that to be complete hogwash.
In my experience mowing instead of herbicides produces better clover stands.
In my experience mowing during peak growing season is the best as it invigorates the clover even more.
In my experience mowing increases deer use not reduces it.
1 acre of white clover can feed a very large amount of deer. I wouldn’t worry about forage decrease by taking the top off now and then.
As always, individual results may vary and again it might be region specific but, mowing is the way to go for me.
Brian662
5 year old buck +
I have seen many of the same things that you have in the upper Midwest. I do still use chemical, especially on the grasses.
I have nothing but respect for Dr Harper and his knowledge, but much of it just doesn't translate to my region. I wish there was a more region specific deer academic like him for this area.
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