Question about my "food plot"

[buttonbuckmaster]

Last year my dad and I planted 5 acres of red clover on our ground. We had a good stand, no weeds, looked good but the deer weren't hitting it alot. We had it bush hogged and baled on fathers day this year, and now there is hog weed like 4-5 feet tall in less than 2 months time. Do i till it up and plant something else? The cloved has almost all been choked out at this point. Please help!!

[Tree climber]

sounds like the weeds have taken over.maybe you should spray and replant.without seeing it I really don't know.

[Slumpbuster]

My suggestion is to stay away from the Red CLovers. According to what I've read (not seen) they are not nearly as palatable as some of the perennial whites. I've seen on this forum where folks like the ladinos and the Imperial CLover. I've had good luch with Imperial's stuff. Mine has lasted 4 years.

As far as weeds go, the amount of competition you have will be up to you. I suggest spraying the plot with Vantage or Poast herbicide as soon as the competing grasses reach 8-10" in the spring. That will eliminate most of the grass and by keeping a eye on the plot thru the summer for late germinating grasses you can expect to get a much longer lifespan out of the field. If you have summer germination from some grass, a second application will be up to you. If they are not too competitive don't worry about them. I kill them to keep them from seeding, consistant mowing will also help with thinner stands of grass. Whatever you decide on, don't let them seed-out.

[Dan O.]

I'd try bushhogging again to see if the clover is still viable. Don't let the weeds set seed.

Dan O.

[psandhu]

do what dan o. said. but maybe try to bush hog it right before a rain and put out some P and K. do not put out any N. N will stimulate weed growth and clover can make it's own N.

i've had some halfway decent results with bush hogging clover plots that had alot of grass in it before a rain. the clover seems to recover and grow faster than the grass can.

is it getting alot of sunlight? my clovers do best when they are shaded for half the day (like in shadows of trees). the clover that's in the sun all day doesn't do as well. just my 2 cents, ymmv.

[farm hunter]

I'd agree withe mowing as well. Red clover is tough - its best in a mix (with grasses usually for hay). Red clover is usually a 2 year perenial though many farmers consider it like annual.

The best red clover plot I had was great one year and never again did near as well. The deer never ate it like the White clovers - but it did get some use. The last year of it - I mowed in August - and had the clovers pretty much alone come back - though it was much thinner than the original plot.

This is the 3rd year - and its very scarce - I tried overseeding it with Alsike clover last august - by mowing tight, lightly disking and broadcasting - but had poor results this spring/summer - mostly grasses and the ocaissonal clover plant now.

- Its a 2 acre plot - now slated for Corn next spring.