How to establish clover from scratch?

[Bill]

Thanks. Would using a bush-hog or disc mower make any difference?

I think a hay mower would leave more residue on the field. Better than nothing but if you have a brush hog it might chop it up more.

 

[bigboreblr]

Some disc mowers can be adjusted to not make a pile in the center. Not many though. IDeal mower is a flail mower. Finish mower with an open relatively unshrouded deck is very good too.

If using the brush hog, make sure the rpms are high and your mowing a bit on the slow side. Cleaning up the knives is a good idea too.

You have R4's or AG tires? Sometimes mowing high then low is bad for the plot, too much tire damage.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Ok, I need your guys advice. I drilled a new clover plot this spring in a field that was beans last year. I drilled with some black oats nurse crop. It was popping out of the ground along with a ton of volunteer soy beans from last year. I was going to spray, but several suggested to leave it as a nurse crop. We've recently got several rains, and when I checked on things yesterday, all the beans, weeds, grass and oats are tall and thick (note the side by side in the background of the pic below).

I was planning to mow (and not bale) before the fall, but I'm concerned that with how thick the non-clover species is, it would smother the clover. Right now, I'm inclined to not do anything, and let the fall frost kill everything off, and see how it looks next spring Any thoughts from you experts?


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I’d spray 2-4db and Cleth now. Let its die off some and rot so maybe you lose some biomass. And then mow in late August.
I’ve had good luck spraying clover plots with gly after they have become established. Clover can be like cockroaches and nearly impossible to kill so gly doesn’t hurt it usually. Especially if I have some rain in the forecast. I did this Tuesday on a plot.