Grass and weeds in my clover
I have enjoyed reading posts on this forum for the last couple of months. I started about a year ago helping a fellow member of a private hunt club in managing approx. 35 acres of food plots on our property. Our property is in SW Arkansas. Soil tests and proper liming have been done for approx. 6 years. Our plots have been and currently consist of clovers and a fall planting of oats and austrian winter peas(AWP) drilled into the existing clover(if there is any left due to drought conditions). Year before last we disced plots and drilled oats and AWP and as is our practice broadcast fertilizer with the clover ( ladino and other various white clovers, crimson red)mixed with the fertilizer by spreader truck. Last year we drilled oats and AWP and overseeded (no discing) with clover (Whitetail, crimsom red) mixed with fertilizer. We generally fight summer drought problems(same problem this year) and are dealing with primarily bottomland heavy clay soils. We are having grass and weed problems and are working on solving this with timely bushhogging prior to seeding. We did our first POAST applications this past early summer. We probably did everything wrong with the herbacide application that is possible. To late, too little herbicide and too little water per acre (live and learn I guess.) We did control some of the grass but not enough and also having seasonal weed problems and our clover stand was probably the best ever until no rain. I hope that we have learned enough to be wiser next year in timing of mowing and herbicide application.
Now for my question. Does the clover fix enough nitrogen to supply nitrogen needed by the oats and AWP. Our soil tests recommended nitrogen (I don' t have the info at this time to know exactly what the soil test recommended) and we have been fertilizing with a low number of nitrogen fertilizer. I discussed with my partner that my understanding was that nitrogen use on clover enhanced weed and grass growth and his thought is that we need the nitrogen in the fertilizer for the oats and peas. Again does the clover fix enough nitrogen to suffice the needs of the oats and peas and is it probably causing grass and weed growth. Sorry for the length of the post and would appreciate your input.