Lets talk clover

[huntall]

What's your favorite clover to plant? I am new to clover and looking for your thoughts on clover plots and upkeep.

How many years can you get out of a clover plot?

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I would say Ladino. Never had a bad stand and does a good job of competing with weeds.

 

[Deer Kar]

I have had good luck over the years with a Ladino, Durana white cover, and chicory mix that I plant beginning of Aug. I had my first plot for 4 years and plan on tilling under one this spring that is 5 years. Never sprayed them only fertilized them 1 time that I can remember. I did mow them 3 times a summer. I plan on rotating a 3/4 acre brassica plot into that very mix this year and corn I to the one I'm tilling up. I also plant strips of red on areas that I drive on. It seem to bounce back up faster after you drive on it a bunch and it easy to grow.

 

[dipper]

Red clover planted at 2 pounds an acre after 4 years never cutting it. I'll never grow a monoculture of clover again. Mine grows with rye oats beans peas sunflowers and this year I'm gonna try no tilling some sweet corn.

 

[foggy]

I've got an extensive trail system on my property. I've planted mostly Alice White Clover and have been happy with it. We have lots of grouse and birds as well as deer that use the clover. It seems to hold up against our limited traffic on the trails. I mov mine about twice each year. It sure grows better with a good PH.

 

[sandbur]

foggy's clover sure does look nice.

The answer depends on your USDA zone, your soil, and the a mount of work you want to put into it.

My very best clover was Imperial Whitetail when I spent lots of dollars, time, fertilizer, and mowing. I put it on my best soils.

I just do not want to spend that much time and money any more.

Durana and Patriot freeze out for me. Red clover and alsike can work on lower pH soils. I like the clover blends for now in most cases.

 

[foggy]

foggy's clover sure does look nice.

The answer depends on your USDA zone, your soil, and the a mount of work you want to put into it.

My very best clover was Imperial Whitetail when I spent lots of dollars, time, fertilizer, and mowing. I put it on my best soils.

I just do not want to spend that much time and money any more.

Durana and Patriot freeze out for me. Red clover and alsike can work on lower pH soils. I like the clover blends for now in most cases.

I've never spent a nickel on fertilizer for clover......but I have spread enough ag lime to get the PH up to 7 on my pine land. The Alice white seems very winter hardy in northern MN. I doubt the deer care which variety of white clover you provide.....so I'd rather plant for durability and longevity.

 

[chummer]

I planted WI clover two years ago and Alice clover last year. Still waiting to see how the Alice comes back this year but it will be hard to beat the WI clover. The WI plot makes you want to lay down and take a nap in it. I know it is BOB and I paid way too much but for 1/4 acre it is darn pretty.

 

[huntall]

Last fall was my first time planting any clover. I planted cremson clover and it looks good! Best i can tell that this far south in zone 8 crimson is perennial. I'm think Im going to try some kind of white clover this fall.

 

[wildfire]

I planted durana, red and patriot clover on my trails in 2009. they have exceeded what thought possible. Soil samples taken, ph 6.5, need to put phosphorus 50# and potash 100# each year. Have only been able to mow twice the last two years. .7" each months in July, August, and September

 

[sandbur]

I planted durana, red and patriot clover on my trails in 2009. they have exceeded what thought possible. Soil samples taken, ph 6.5, need to put phosphorus 50# and potash 100# each year. Have only been able to mow twice the last two years. .7" each months in July, August, and September

Which red did you use, Jerry and how did it persist?

 

[scott44]

I planted a mix of Durana, KopuII and Ladino last spring, we'll see how it does this year but it looks good so far.

 

[huntall]

When planting white clover do yall think its best to mix a couple types of white clover or stick with mainly one kind of clover?

 

[wildfire]

Whenever planting, make it important that you mix different seeds, to insure that something will work. I think that both durana and patriot were breed in the south.

 

[PRK]

I have about 3 miles of trails prepped to be planted in clover this month. Putting in a combo of White Dutch, Aliske, and Ladino.

 

[wiscwhip]

The dutch white clover I helped plant on a buddies place last weekend is up and looking good. I will post a photo later if I remember to get it off the camera.

 

[dipper]

Love Ladino, but Med Red Clover is the best all around clover on the market today! It will grow anywhere, in any soil, inter-seeded or by itself. and at Less than $2 a lb, how can you go wrong?

You can't go wrong. This stuff is amazing. I planted medium red along with rye in the summer of 2012 as a cover crop at 2 pounds/acre. Never did a thing to it besides no till nwsg in late spring 2013. I have an almost solid green patch of clover as we speak. It seeded itself, and it got thick. Since I let it go the deer grazed broadleaves like ragweed all winter long. I just hope the nwsg takes it's place.
Red clover is really a weed, if we are labeling things. But damn the deer love it 8 plus months of the year. It grows in gravel too, can't be beat!

 

[wiscwhip]

We have it all over the roadsides anywhere in farm country over here in western WI. My wife and I stop and pick the flowers all the time for our house bunny, she loves them. The clover has been really slow to start this year though, even the clover in the lawns. Haven't found anything remotely close to blooming yet and in past years we have had blossoms for weeks already, both red and white.

 

[wildfire]

Planted 4 kinds of white clover plus rye last August 14. We did not get enough rain until October for the clover to germinate. This spring it is spotty at best. Can I overseed clover this spring, if it gets dry enough?

 

[bueller]

Another rave review for good ole medium red clover. I had planned on tilling it in this year to plant more brassicas but I don't know if I can get myself to destroy such a good looking lush field in hopes that the brassicas take, highly dependant on rainfall here in the Central Sands. The clover was planted late summer 2012. How many years can I get out of it? I've never had to mow it, the deer take care of that. It did flower and I assume it dropped seed last year.