Food Plots First clover plot

[DntBrnDPig]

I planted my first clover plot last fall. It really didn't take off until this Spring. I used the Plotspike Clover mix from TSC. Is there anything I should be doing to this to make it any better?

After a couple weeks I went back over it with one pass of another Plotspike mix - which has given me the other plants in here.

 

[tn droptine]

If you want to kill off any grasses, you can spray the plot with clethodim - I've heard of some using low concentration gly and it doesn't kill the clover, but I'm too cautious to try that myself.

If you fertilize it, then use a fert with the first number (N) as 0, since clover is a nitrogen fixer

 

[primos32]

Looks good! Lots of seed heads in there to help that plot down the road.

 

[Hunter 257W]

If you want to kill off any grasses, you can spray the plot with clethodim - I've heard of some using low concentration gly and it doesn't kill the clover, but I'm too cautious to try that myself.

If you fertilize it, then use a fert with the first number (N) as 0, since clover is a nitrogen fixer

A low concentration of 2-4D might be OK (for weeds - not grass)with a clover mix but I've never heard of GLY at any concentration level for anything you want to keep. But like you, I'm even too nervous to use the low level 2-4D mix in a field that I've worked hard to establish clover in.

As a reference point for what you can get away with however, I do use a fairly strong mix of about 1 quart 24D per acre on my yard and it just makes the clover sick for a few days then it comes back.

 

[tellico4x4]

2-4-DB will kill the broadleaf, but not the clover. Make sure that you get the "B" version though.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

I think I am not going to spray it. When should I mow it?

 

[PickettSFHunter]

1 qt of gly per acre in early Spring is a method a lot of folks are using in clover fields. Im nervous about it as well.

 

[tellico4x4]

Last year, we had an old clover plot (2 acres)that I was fighting a losing battle with the weeds. This plot had been in clover for about 10 years, and at one time was the best clover we had.

When it came time for planting prep, I decided to nuke it with Gly and start all over. I hit it twice in Aug with strong mixture of Gly, and planted wheat/oats/brassica. By first of October, clover was re-appearing under the other stuff. Plot is solid clover again right now...Rather be lucky than good!

 

[RedDawg]

Last year, we had an old clover plot (2 acres)that I was fighting a losing battle with the weeds. This plot had been in clover for about 10 years, and at one time was the best clover we had.

When it came time for planting prep, I decided to nuke it with Gly and start all over. I hit it twice in Aug with strong mixture of Gly, and planted wheat/oats/brassica. By first of October, clover was re-appearing under the other stuff. Plot is solid clover again right now...Rather be lucky than good!

That's a good approach. And it's exactly what I did with an old clover field that was being over run with grasses. Plowed it under, waited, sprayed, waited, sprayed, disced, planted clover and wheat in the fall, cultipacked and now have a very vibrant clover field. Will be top cutting it this weekend to try to take care of any current grasses before they go to seed. My biggest weed is actually wild garlic but it is getting crowded out now.

 

[tellico4x4]

Plowed it under, waited, sprayed, waited, sprayed, disced, planted clover and wheat in the fall, cultipacked and now have a very vibrant clover field.

I did not replant the clover after hitting it twice with Gly last fall. It came back on it's on!

 

[DntBrnDPig]

Hey guys my clover is seeded... Should I mow it in the heat of the summer? Its in its first year. Or should I hold off till later to mow it?

 

[diamond hunter]

No expert here but Im fairly sure you can cut clover high anytime and it just gets better.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Should I mow it in the heat of the summer?

Clipping it high just knocking the blooms off can be helpful in several ways: reseeding, stimulating new growth, and managing competition from weeds/grass. I'd be very careful about timing when we get to the hottest, driest months though. If we continue to get timely rains drought-tolerant clovers can grow all summer and never really go dormant. Cut it too low or bad timing and you get hit with a dry spell and it'll burn up.

Another consideration with summer mowing is fawns and little turkeys. In my area there's a narrow window of time when it's a little less risky to mow...when fawns haven't dropped yet and turkeys are done nesting/poults can fly.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

Ok, I didnt know about cutting it right now. Although with all the rain we are getting this week it probably wouldn't be bad. I can walk this field to ensure there are no fawns or nests before I mow.

The clover is loaded with seed right now and it looks like I have very little blooms anymore. It just looks dried out really.

 

[tellico4x4]

We mowed about 20 of our clover plots last week & sprayed Clethodim for grass. Will spray 24DB for broadleaf this week or next.

The clover is loaded with seed right now and it looks like I have very little blooms anymore. It just looks dried out really.

What type of clover do you have? Our Crimson & Red have ended their cycle and "dried out" as well. The Yucci Arrowleaf will remain green and grow to about waist high until July heat causes it to go dormant. Landino will continue to grow if rains continue.

If yours is brown & dry, you're not going to accomplish much by mowing...

 

[DntBrnDPig]

Yeah its red clover.

 

[CAW]

I have never planted red clover, all my experience is with durana white clover. I never cut my clover until the plot is over a year old. Spray once or twice with cleth to get rid of the grasses. The clover may look bad right now, but some rain in late summer, early fall will usually make it pop. Good luck with it!

 

[turf08]

if you are still having problems with the garlic and onions you can spray it with harmony and it will kill it out. You will need to add a surfactant with it to make it work though. on my food plots I actually use about 5oz of dawn liquid soap per 25 gallons of mix instead of the surfactant just to save money.