Too late too plant clover in Wisconsin?

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

So I have pretty much had it with one of my plots.
Due to the forest growing up rapidly around the plot and the lack of sunlight it gets I am suddenly considering just going to a year round clover plot, and frost seeding it with a couple pounds every spring.

I just put down winter rye, oats and a little big of wheat and peas. I am considering going back with a couple lbs of Ladino to get it started for next spring.

Do you northern boys thing I am too late to get Ladino clover established this fall for a nice field come next spring and summer? I know it wont do a thing for me this year, but I would like to kind of set it and forget it on this plot.

 

[Tree Spud]

If you would have planted it yesterday, with all the rain you are getting up north and the hot week ahead, you couldn't have asked for better conditions.

Spread it now and frost seed in the spring.

 

[wiscwhip]

Ladino is usually under $4 a lb, for $12, throw on 3 lbs and let it ride. You can come back and frost seed more in the spring. Medium red clover might be a good choice as well and you can frost seed that easily.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I like your answers. I just didnt know for sure how long it would need to establish roots to come back in spring. Considering it should for sure get wet and germinate this week I like my chances as well. We have not got any rain here yet (Green Bay). There is some in the forecaset overnight, tomorow and pretty much every other day for the next 10 days.
I have 3.5 lbs left of a 4 seed mix of Ladino, White Dutch, Alsike and one more I cant remember.

I can probably get down there at 4:30 and get it spread tongight before the rains. Maybe the bees will leave me alone today! I fired them up something fierce yesterday and I think it was just by throwing seed at there next on accident. 15 minutes in the plot and suddendly I was getting my butt kicked.

 

[wiscwhip]

Good Luck!

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

So far this season I went for broke trying something I had never done back there and put down a $50 bag of soybeans. We got a real gully washer with several inches of rain in one night and nothing germinated. Same thing happened in my other field where I had nice beans plots the last 2 years. I was shocked to come back 3 weeks later and nothing had happened.

I sucked it up as a total loss and spread about 40 lbs of grains, 2 lbs of clover and 1 lb of chicory 5 weeks ago. It sat dry for 2 full weeks maybe more. The turkeys destroyed the grain portion and I was left with thousands of little green pimples of clover and chicory that will not do a darn thing for the deer this fall.

I reluctantly gave it 1 pass with the lightest setting on my drag to loosen enough soil to drop some grains in. 75 lbs of rye, 25 lbs of a mix of rye, oats, peas, wheat and another 10 lbs of straight oats were put down. I got 60 percent done covering the seeds again with a single light pass and the bees decided I was done.

Hopefully I can get the clover down and avoid the bees this time. That plot has some back mojo this year!
Before I got ran off\stung I took a long look around and realized the woods was just maturing around the plot and sunlight was becoming and issue again.
I need to cut back around the southside or change up my planting strategy. I think less plowing and noise back there would be fine so lets give this full time clover field a shot.

 

[sagittarius]

Do you northern boys thing I am too late to get Ladino clover established this fall for a nice field come next spring and summer?

Maybe. Depends on consistent rain after planting. If it sprouts, then no rain for two weeks, the sprouts will die, which has happened to me this time of year more than once. With declining daylight and cooler temps, growth potential is decreasing anyway, but that goes for weeds and grass too. But if you broadcast a few pounds in the spring too you should be fine.

 

[strawhead]

I broadcast a bunch of seed before this last rain. WR and radishes into some beans, some more ladino and mammoth red into some throw and mow spots that were light. One thing I think about, is how will the germination be on the seed I carry over to next year. Good luck with your plots.