Frost seeding annual clovers?

[DJN]

Just wrapping up my first season of food plots, and am happy so far, but trying to figure out the best route from here. Our NE Ohio (Zone 5) property is in an agricultural area (mainly corn that the farmers tend to leave up late - as in still currently standing, along with some soybeans that normally come off in Sept/Oct.) along with small woodlots. I put in two small plots on Aug 15. One plot was Winfred brassicas, kale, rape, and barkant turnips. Other plot was Winter peas, winter wheat, and diakon radishes. I added crimson clover to both plots as well. Fall drought didn’t help things, and both plots definitely suffered. In parts of both, the clover was the only thing to come in, but had 8-12” of growth in other parts. Deer are utilizing them nonetheless.
Moving forward, my plan is to frost seed one of them into a Ladino/Alice/Frosty berseem/chicory mix, but the other I’m planning to do brassicas again in Aug, so what to do until then? My thought is to frost seed a Frosty berseem/Fixation Balsana/Arrowleaf/Crimson clover mix (figuring the crimson might not do much but hopefully the others will?) and disc under to plant the brassicas. Most of the information I can find about these clovers all deal with using them in southern areas as a fall though spring crop and I’m just wondering how these may do for us up north. Or should I go a different direction all together? Any insight/direction/thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[scott44]

Just wrapping up my first season of food plots, and am happy so far, but trying to figure out the best route from here. Our NE Ohio (Zone 5) property is in an agricultural area (mainly corn that the farmers tend to leave up late - as in still currently standing, along with some soybeans that normally come off in Sept/Oct.) along with small woodlots. I put in two small plots on Aug 15. One plot was Winfred brassicas, kale, rape, and barkant turnips. Other plot was Winter peas, winter wheat, and diakon radishes. I added crimson clover to both plots as well. Fall drought didn’t help things, and both plots definitely suffered. In parts of both, the clover was the only thing to come in, but had 8-12” of growth in other parts. Deer are utilizing them nonetheless.
Moving forward, my plan is to frost seed one of them into a Ladino/Alice/Frosty berseem/chicory mix, but the other I’m planning to do brassicas again in Aug, so what to do until then? My thought is to frost seed a Frosty berseem/Fixation Balsana/Arrowleaf/Crimson clover mix (figuring the crimson might not do much but hopefully the others will?) and disc under to plant the brassicas. Most of the information I can find about these clovers all deal with using them in southern areas as a fall though spring crop and I’m just wondering how these may do for us up north. Or should I go a different direction all together? Any insight/direction/thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

I've never had good luck frost seeding a annual clover, I have had decent luck frost seeding perennial clovers. Not sure what you have for equipment but usually after brassicas my plot is pretty much dirt so I'll broadcast a red and white clover mix along with oats and then cultipack it, if you don't have a cultipacker you can just run over it with atv tires or frost seed. I've had better luck cultipacking or running over it with something over frost seeding.

 

[Bill]

I’m with Scott.

The one plot that you put winter wheat into may not need oats. I’d be willing to bet the wheat takes off in the spring.

 

[Garrett S]

I’ve frost seeded clover in the spring many times ....but wonder if there would be value spreading clover now, just prior to some snowfall in the Northeast or if the frost would kill or shatter it before green up.

Thoughts?


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[DJN]

I’ve frost seeded clover in the spring many times ....but wonder if there would be value spreading clover now, just prior to some snowfall in the Northeast or if the frost would kill or shatter it before green up.

Thoughts?


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I don’t see any reason to throw seed anytime soon around here. Be it getting buried too deep, eaten by birds/rodents, just degrading through the winter, etc etc. For now, I’ll shoot to frost seed in early March (weather dependent), and see what it does once the weather warms. If it doesn’t come to fruition, I can throw in something to get through to August and I’ll just be out a $13 bag of seed. I’ll be sure to pick up some WW and maybe some other clover as a backup. We shall see! Thank y’all for the input!

 

[H20fwler]

Agree with other posts, plant in early spring. I haven't had much luck on this side of the state with crimson at all, a ladino/Durana/chicory mix will come in thick.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I planted Crimson last year a my new house out back in some 20 year old untouched crp tbat was pretty much sod. Around May 1 i started dragging with a atv and harrow every couple of days. Let it dry and decompose and repeat. End of May i put down 5 lbs of crimson 1 lb of Ladino and about 10 lbs of leftover Winter Rye from the year before.

All I was trying to do was build soil, keep the weeds down and cover up a sloppy mess of clay. I think this picture is around the 4th of July.

The crimson was like $8 for 5 lbs. Grew fabulous.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

While I did not technically frost seed this was a pretty rough seed bed. I could not pick up a hand full of dirt and sift it through my fingers. It was thick thatch and dirt with big clumps of clay.
On a dry day I spread all seeds and drove over with the 4 wheeler a few passes. It rained that night. The plan was to get something growing, anything really. Kill it late July and plant brassicas.

The plot was too nice to kill. I mowed it before this picture with the riding mower and my dad took a small trailer home to feed his rabbits and other critters.

After another mowing i scratched one big ring around the outside just enough to make a little bare dirt and spread 2 lbs of a brassica mix over the entire plot. The brassicas grew well also. Total success for year one.

 

[DJN]

While I did not technically frost seed this was a pretty rough seed bed. I could not pick up a hand full of dirt and sift it through my fingers. It was thick thatch and dirt with big clumps of clay.
On a dry day I spread all seeds and drove over with the 4 wheeler a few passes. It rained that night. The plan was to get something growing, anything really. Kill it late July and plant brassicas.

The plot was too nice to kill. I mowed it before this picture with the riding mower and my dad took a small trailer home to feed his rabbits and other critters.

After another mowing i scratched one big ring around the outside just enough to make a little bare dirt and spread 2 lbs of a brassica mix over the entire plot. The brassicas grew well also. Total success for year one.

Looks awesome! As I said, crimson did good for me as well planted late summer. My prep was very similar. Used our old skid loader to somewhat rough up the ground best I could, and planted as it began to storm. I agree with you as far as not discing that under when it looks that good!

I just didn’t think Crimson would do much as far as being frost seeded. The other clovers in that annual mix (Frosty Berseem, Fixation Balsana, and Arrowleaf) supposedly can be frost seeded, but sounds like Crimson won’t make it in that situation. Like you, I’m just wanting to get something to grow this spring until brassicas in the fall. Thanks for the feedback!!