Would it be a good practice to overseed your establish Clover plot with winter Rye... I read DoubleTree recommendation of allocating 1/3 for Clover, 1/3 for cereal grain( WR preferred) and 1/3 for brassicas just looking for pros and cons of sharing Clover and winter Rye thanks
Well, it is not as simple as just overseeding but, in general, yes. If you simply broadcast WR into a well established clover plot, it won't germinate unless the clover is dormant (say mid summer). The WR need seed/soil contact, moisture, and sun to grow.
In order for this to work, you need to temporarily suppress the established clover. I've done this by spraying 1 qt/ac of gly which top-kills the clover. I've also done it by bushhogging the clover flat. I have not tried simply broadcasting but others have. I've used a no-till drill and had success drilling both Winter Rye and Radish into the clover. The drilled crop germinates and starts growing and then the clover bounces back from the root system. Here is an example I've posted before:
Keep in mind there are risks. Suppressing the clover stresses it. If you have other stresses like drought or something, you can kill it. I like to do this in the fall when our weather is turning to favor clover. I general won't do it on a well producing clover plot. However as plots age, the weed content grows over time, especially grasses. This technique allows me to extend the life of the clover field for a few years. The gly kills all the grasses and many broadleaf weeds. The Radish or WR helps use up some the N that the clover banked over the years making the field a little less attractive to grasses. Also, if you have a gly resistance problem in your area, you can compound it with a light application of gly.
Don't do this on a new perennial clover field or on annual clover. It takes at least a year for clover to be well enough established to handle the stress.
Thanks,
Jack