The Throw n’ Mow Method

[SD51555]

A close second for me would be a disc mower. I think that’s what they call them, on a three point. It’d be really nice for not vaporizing clover residue.


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[SD51555]

Like this. If you skip half way into the video he gets to running it. It might get a little tricky in tight spots if it wasn't a 3pt though.

 

[Catscratch]

I think the disk and sickle bar mowers would be great for TnM. But, I am under the impression that a flail mower would ALSO be great for habitat work in tackling jobs that involve woody plants. Wish I had one of each so could report to ya guys the pros and cons.

 

[Foggy47]

To me a disk mower accomplishes much the same task as a sickle bar mower......in that they do not mulch or cut up much of the hay.....instead leaving long stemmy crops (like alfalfa and grass hay) that are good for baling. All will mow....but not all make good mulch...or good hay. I'd hate to operate a baler behind a flail mower......too much duff and it would be hard to collect the material......IMO.

 

[bigboreblr]

Flail are the best. But, I believe a finish mower is better than a brush hog. Sickle bars are tough to find in good shape, but would prefer that over a brush hog. Brush hog leave big clumps behind. You need to mow slower and at higher rpm to get a good cut with a brush hog.

A finish mower without th blades being shrouded, or shrouded much. MY tow behind mower is completely open underneath with (2) 22" blades. I would rather take the time than use a larger tractor with a brush hog. If brush hog is the only option, cut high then cut low, if you have the time. Take a file or grinder and clean up the blade edges too. Many look horrible from bashing rocks n stumps.

 

[Foggy47]

To me a disk mower accomplishes much the same task as a sickle bar mower......in that they do not mulch or cut up much of the hay.....instead leaving long stemmy crops (like alfalfa and grass hay) that are good for baling. All will mow....but not all make good mulch...or good hay. I'd hate to operate a baler behind a flail mower......too much duff and it would be hard to collect the material......IMO.

Just thought about this a bit more. When I use my roller/crimper it is largely doing the same thing as the sickle bar and disk mowers........in that it lays the long stems neatly in a mulch mat where it does it's job to fill spaces where weeds would grow. Can see that working better now.........

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

My homemade crimper isn't perfect but I would pick it 10 out of 10 times over any type of mowing equipment. No engines, no belts, no blades, just a heavy cylinder with "blades", I didn't even use bearings. Even if it wouldn't terminate the crop perfectly i'd still choose it. Roll and spray, simple.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

My homemade crimper isn't perfect but I would pick it 10 out of 10 times over any type of mowing equipment. No engines, no belts, no blades, just a heavy cylinder with "blades", I didn't even use bearings. Even if it wouldn't terminate the crop perfectly i'd still choose it. Roll and spray, simple.

That's a good point. If a guy is going to spray stuff anyway crimping to lay down the tall stemmy stuff sounds ideal. I'd just always lumped crimping in with the minimal-spraying regenerative evangelists.

 

[TreeDaddy]

That's a good point. If a guy is going to spray stuff anyway crimping to lay down the tall stemmy stuff sounds ideal. I'd just always lumped crimping in with the minimal-spraying regenerative evangelists.

Also demonstrates that there are multiple ways to "git er done"

There are no absolutes in habitat work

bill

 

[Mountain Man]

I not saying what you "should" do. I don't know all the details of your situation. I'm saying that in general, if you are having a hard time establishing something, consider crops that have less attraction and more browse tolerance. In a big woods situation, a perennial clover plot has plenty of attraction and more browse tolerance than brassica.

For example, when we first bought our property, it was a food desert for deer. The locals shot anything with antlers, so the average buck age was very low. There were lots of does as the general regulations in the area had a limited number of antlerless days. The pine farm we bought had some older pines that had nothing growing in the understory and some young pines that were just beginning to canopy. So, half the property has near zero food and the other half was transitioning from the abundance of a clear-cut to the slim pickings of a canopying pine thicket.

Deer would wipe out any summer foods we planted. I got clover established on a pipeline that bisected the farm. The terrain was rolling so planted the flatter tops. I had fields of about an acre each that were 60 to 80 yards wide. Deer numbers were so high that when I would mow the clover, deer would be feeding in one end of the field when I was mowing the other and they would temporarily move into the pines as I would loop around and get closer. By the time I was back to the other end, they were feeding again.

We got into a program that allowed for heavy doe harvest and we eventually got things balanced. Now, it doesn't sound like you are trying to manage on the same scale we are, but I use this as an example. I've found nothing that will pull deer off acorns. When acorns are not abundant, anything I planted when we started was plenty attractive. The key was finding things that could handle the browse pressure and continue to grow.

It might be worth considering a tow behind mower like a Swisher. I think I saw someone on the forum selling one today. He might be able to advise you on how they work and if you can set them to 6" to 8" high. They have their own engine. You just use your lawn tractor or ATV to tow them. You might be able to pick up something like that used for mowing. Just a thought. If I had good perennial clover in the field I would certainly keep it. It is harder to kill any plant by browsing, especially perennial clover, once it is well established.

The reason I mow clover in the fall just before the season is to give it a little boost as nature is favoring cool season over warm season plants. I'm just mowing weeds to get some more sun into the clover. The cool evenings and rain do the most. I don't mow for deer. They use my plots that are weedy even more than mowed plots. They like the vertical cover of weeds.

If your only option is the riding mower, here is a thought to consider. Wait until conditions are very favorable to clover and then mow. Make sure you have a good rain on the horizon. Make sure there are no other stressors on the clover. The reason we typically mow clover high is that is stresses the clover less. It is typically when the clover gets multiple stressors that it gets hurt. Lets say someone sprays his clover field with Cleth and uses Crop Oil. The crop oil will put a little stress on the clover. Then say they mow it low. This puts another stress on the clover. Then they get 3 weeks with no rain. Put those all together and the clover will struggle. Clover handles a single stressor pretty well.

One technique I've tried was to mow a clover field flat with a bushhog. The bushhog was almost scalping the ground. I then drilled radish into the field with a no-till drill. I did this at the right time with rain in the forecast. I just posted a picture on anther thread today asking about clover. Half of that field was suppressed by spraying with 1 qt/acre gly and the other was suppressed by mowing flat. You can't tell any difference in the pic between the sides. The side mowed got more weeds the next summer than the side I sprayed, but both methods worked. I only say this to give you confidence in mowing low if that is all you have to work with. Just be sure you have rain coming soon and plentiful.

Thanks,

Jack

I am new to this, I have a 1 acre plot which I was going to plant in Durana clover and was thinking of mixing in some forage radish with it, do you think the radish will shade out the clover as it is trying to grow, I am going to spray wait 2 weeks seed and cultipack, Thinking of planting around Aug.1st or so. The area is now old grass and weeds, I will also spread 300# 5-23-32 fertilizer. I am in zone 4 season.
I am located in eastern Ont. Canada. Any advise would be great.
Thanks.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I am new to this, I have a 1 acre plot which I was going to plant in Durana clover and was thinking of mixing in some forage radish with it, do you think the radish will shade out the clover as it is trying to grow, I am going to spray wait 2 weeks seed and cultipack, Thinking of planting around Aug.1st or so. The area is now old grass and weeds, I will also spread 300# 5-23-32 fertilizer. I am in zone 4 season.
I am located in eastern Ont. Canada. Any advise would be great.
Thanks.

Make sure your acre estimation is accurate and do not plant more than 1.5#/acre of radish and you will be fine.

 

[Catscratch]

I am new to this, I have a 1 acre plot which I was going to plant in Durana clover and was thinking of mixing in some forage radish with it, do you think the radish will shade out the clover as it is trying to grow, I am going to spray wait 2 weeks seed and cultipack, Thinking of planting around Aug.1st or so. The area is now old grass and weeds, I will also spread 300# 5-23-32 fertilizer. I am in zone 4 season.
I am located in eastern Ont. Canada. Any advise would be great.
Thanks.

The guy you quoted isn't on this forum anymore but I'm sure there are plenty here that can likely advise you. Where I'm at a fall planting of clover isn't really going to show up until spring, so your radish won't hurt them. When I plant radishes it's for the greens as my deer don't eat radishes. So this combo works well for me (if I get rain).

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

The guy you quoted isn't on this forum anymore but I'm sure there are plenty here that can likely advise you. Where I'm at a fall planting of clover isn't really going to show up until spring, so your radish won't hurt them. When I plant radishes it's for the greens as my deer don't eat radishes. So this combo works well for me (if I get rain).

I overlooked the durana aspect and like you said not showing up til spring. I would also encourage an annual like berseem to be added to the mix.

 

[omicron1792]

I also might pick a different clover based on your location.

 

[Mountain Man]

I also might pick a different clover based on your location.

What is the reason? I had a hard time getting Durana seed here in Canada. I have had very good luck with Ladino and White Dutch, I don't know anyone in this area growing Durana. The photo was planted Aug. 4 2023. he deer here se4em to love clover.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Alice is the variety you want if you are a Northern land owner.

 

[omicron1792]

What is the reason? I had a hard time getting Durana seed here in Canada. I have had very good luck with Ladino and White Dutch, I don't know anyone in this area growing Durana. The photo was planted Aug. 4 2023. he deer here se4em to love clover.

Durana was designed in Georgia the southern USA. It might do fine there, but there are better options for the cold climate. Even patriot, another Pennington line, has a better cold weather profile. Talk to @Foggy47 or another one of the northern boys for specifics.

Landino is great. Just other cultivars. And look at some other types too. Balansa and frosty berseem have done well up there according to some folks here.

Just my thoughts on it.

 

[omicron1792]

Alice is the variety you want if you are a Northern land owner.

Check out this one @Mountain Man

 

[Mountain Man]

I have a 1 acre plot I am planting in Durana clover and winter wheat, how many lbs wheat would you recommend, it is currently mostly weeds, it will be sprayed then planted, fertilzed and cultipacked around Aug.1st.

 

[Catscratch]

I have a 1 acre plot I am planting in Durana clover and winter wheat, how many lbs wheat would you recommend, it is currently mostly weeds, it will be sprayed then planted, fertilzed and cultipacked around Aug.1st.

I TnM a mix of 50lbs WW and 50lbs WR. So if straight WW I'd go 100lbs.