Perennial plot planting timing - midsummer or wait until spring?

[Hoytvectrix]

For reasons out of my control, I won't be able to plant the main food plot on the new farm this year. The field was mostly cool-season pasture that was recently terminated, but I won't be able to plant what was intended to be a perennial plot of clover, alfalfa, and chicory until July 3rd at the earliest. This is in Northern MO, so I am assuming very poor germination unless we get a really wet and cooler summer (ha!). We will have a drill so moisture is slightly less of a concern. I am concerned about heat for the clover and alfalfa for July and August. I already have a few other plots of clover and will have a few brassica plots. The main ag fields in the area are all corn.

The question is, do I plant one of the following:
1) The intended perennial mix of clover, alfalfa, and chicory in July
2) Soybeans (possibly e-fenced) and then fill in with a fall blend of brassicas + winter rye, with planting the perennial blend next spring, or
3) Just keep the field fallow until late August when I will drill in brassicas and then overseed with winter rye.

I've never planted clover in the middle of the summer with much success, but I also wasn't drilling it. The alfalfa and chicory have always been drilled in the early fall or late spring and I have had great luck with these. This mix is something I have had terrific luck with at another farm that is in the area. I have drilled beans 4th of July weekend in the past with some success, but the pods did not amount to much.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Drill it at the same time you do your rye.


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[Hoytvectrix]

Drill it at the same time you do your rye.


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We typically do rye middle of September. I feel like that is too late for drilling brassicas. Maybe we are too late with the rye?

 

[FarmerDan]

This is one of those fun questions to ask/answer because it goes to the heart of how lucky (risk taking - risk averse) you are! Since it's your money I am playing with, if it's clover, alfalfa and chicory you want---hang on -- wait! You say you can't plant it before July 3 at the earliest. Why would you plant it any earlier? Back to your money. If you feel really luck I would plant it in July. Not ideal but you might have a chance at getting your desired result. All those seeds you want to plant take a relatively long time to germinate. If it's hot and dry they are going to lay there until they can absorb enough moisture to germinate. In July and August having just enough soil moisture to kick start germination, well, that could be a disaster if it turns hot and dry after. Is there a way to shade your planting to keep the soil cooler and moist should germination begin? It's your money.

I think the low risk option is to throw all of it - everything you want - down in early September. But, look, September can be hot and dry, too? So, by waiting how much has your risk been reduced?

 

[Hoytvectrix]

This is one of those fun questions to ask/answer because it goes to the heart of how lucky (risk taking - risk averse) you are! Since it's your money I am playing with, if it's clover, alfalfa and chicory you want---hang on -- wait! You say you can't plant it before July 3 at the earliest. Why would you plant it any earlier? Back to your money. If you feel really luck I would plant it in July. Not ideal but you might have a chance at getting your desired result. All those seeds you want to plant take a relatively long time to germinate. If it's hot and dry they are going to lay there until they can absorb enough moisture to germinate. In July and August having just enough soil moisture to kick start germination, well, that could be a disaster if it turns hot and dry after. Is there a way to shade your planting to keep the soil cooler and moist should germination begin? It's your money.

I think the low risk option is to throw all of it - everything you want - down in early September. But, look, September can be hot and dry, too? So, by waiting how much has your risk been reduced?

I have had quite a bit of luck of spring drilling clover, alfalfa, and chicory.

> So, by waiting how much has your risk been reduced?

That is kind of what I was wondering. I think the worst case scenario would be to get great germination and then the water would shut-off and it would go several weeks without any rain. I am leaning towards going this route anyways, and filling in any voids with brassicas anyways. One of the risks with this strategy is that your options for adding more alfalfa to the stand later, you will likely have very poor germination.

I was really just wondering if others had tried drilling a perennial plot in the middle of the summer. I really appreciate the thoughts though, even if it is just my money at stake lol.

 

[FarmerDan]

This might mean something or not. I think I might get an imaginary magazine or journal article out of this. Go ahead! Laugh. I am. I think data is a wonderful thing. I think most of us don't know what it means...or if we do, what conclusions we might draw from it. There's much "conventional" wisdom in our world that might become less conventional, and maybe even be disqualified as wisdom after looking at data and reassessing certain situations. I hope I didn't lose my feeble credibility with all of that.

I got curious about soil temperatures and soil moisture historically and on average in NW Missouri. I have no geographic picture of that area and I may not even be close to where we need to be, but I found what I found to be interesting to, maybe no one but me. I am not a big fan of averages, not unless I know the range of the data. Here I don't.

Marysville, MO. Am I close?

Two charts below I will leave without comment except to say I am looking at them to assess the risk of a mid summer planting like Hoytvectrix wants to do. Average soil temperature and average soil moisture percent. I am surprised.

​

 

[Tree Spud]

For reasons out of my control, I won't be able to plant the main food plot on the new farm this year. The field was mostly cool-season pasture that was recently terminated, but I won't be able to plant what was intended to be a perennial plot of clover, alfalfa, and chicory until July 3rd at the earliest. This is in Northern MO, so I am assuming very poor germination unless we get a really wet and cooler summer (ha!). We will have a drill so moisture is slightly less of a concern. I am concerned about heat for the clover and alfalfa for July and August. I already have a few other plots of clover and will have a few brassica plots. The main ag fields in the area are all corn.

The question is, do I plant one of the following:
1) The intended perennial mix of clover, alfalfa, and chicory in July
2) Soybeans (possibly e-fenced) and then fill in with a fall blend of brassicas + winter rye, with planting the perennial blend next spring, or
3) Just keep the field fallow until late August when I will drill in brassicas and then overseed with winter rye.

I've never planted clover in the middle of the summer with much success, but I also wasn't drilling it. The alfalfa and chicory have always been drilled in the early fall or late spring and I have had great luck with these. This mix is something I have had terrific luck with at another farm that is in the area. I have drilled beans 4th of July weekend in the past with some success, but the pods did not amount to much.

Let me look into my crystal ball ... damn, it's cloudy again.

Rain & moisture is the issue and one you have no control over. I would always take early planting risk over late planting as drought here can be July or August or both. If you plant late such as August, you have no fall back if rain comes up short. I would do the following ...
1. Get your clover in as soon as you can. It's cheap and it starts the nitrogen production cycle.
2. Mix some brassica with the clover as it is cheap and if you get rain, you will win against the odds.
3. I have limited experience with alfalfa but I understand it is drought tolerant.
4. We don't plant WR until 1st week of Sept hear as we want a short growing season. If WR gets too tall, it becomes stemmy and not as attractive to deer.

I look at clover as next years crop. year of planting you are getting it and roots established. I overseed medium red clover in the late summer never expecting much. Anything I get is a bonus that year.

If you have corn, why worry about beans?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I like the idea of mixing your clover/alfalfa/chicory with brassica or other fall plots and not counting on it to do much until next year. Doing it in early july and following up with frost seeding (not sure how frost seeding alfalfa works..) in the spring if you think necessary sounds like a good option too.