Sounds like its too shady.

Ferns usually like shade. 1000-1200 square feet is about 1/40th of an acre. Even on a 1/2 of full acre clearing in the woods, clover has trouble competing either all the shade.

You need to expand the plot if your set on clover.

If you just want a green "patch" - maybe rake in some Annual Rye or Winter Wheat in the next couple weeks. Just don't expect the deer to parade to it, maybe just condsider it a "treat" for the deer.