I didn't really get to put in a food plot this year due to the drought. Was thinking about doing it differently this year. Would like to try and plant clover in the spring and see if it will holdover until the deer season. I can also do some additional planting in the fall if time and weather permit.
Any thoughts? Should I plant something with it? Do's and don'ts?
Plant a blend that will give you a longer season, a better seed back and more tolerance difficult situations.
Ladino is in all my plots, berseem is a good one, arrowleaf is more heat tolerant, crimson is a great early and cool season annual, pick 3 and plant.
I always plant clover with a cover crop, wheat is good, cereal rye is more cold tolerant for planting in winter. The rye will protect the young clover against browse pressure and early season hot days. Let the rye go to seed and mow it. The clover will love the thatch and partial shade.
Clover at a total of 5 to 8 lb per acre, rye at 100 lb per acre. Fertilize with 6/24/24 or even 6/12/12.
Every 2 or 3 years overseed in late fall with 2 to 3 lb per acre of clover and 50 lb of wheat per acre, control weeds and you will always have a good clover plot.
I grow a lot of clover and this works for me in good soil, poor soil, red clay and Chert gravel. Just don't believe anyone who tells you you can spray clover with a weak mix of roundup!!! Do not, if your soil ph is bad or the clover is under a lot of stress you will kill it all.