Spring Clover???????
 

I live in Southern Indiana, when would you plant it? I'm planting a 1 acre clover plot in a bean field from last year, there are young weeds coming up in the field now, if I round-up the weeds, come back a week later and disc the field and then spread a good layer of clover seed, do you think it will work? Thanks for any advice.

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

should work, use some triple 13 or something for fertilizer. I've been told the best time for spreading clover seed is right befor the snow melts. But what you plan still should be fine.

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

There is a few ways to prep the soil. One way is how you are thinking about doing it. I would modify it a bit. Round up works best on actively growing plants. Wait until the weeds are growing and then hit it with Roundup. Wait at least 2 weeks before planting so that the chemical is out of the soil.

Another way it to disc the area a few times. Disc the field and wait 1 - 2 weeks then hit it again. Come back in a week or so and disc and plant. This turns over the weeds and kills them from exposure.

Before you fertilize I would get a soil test done. This will tell you how much lime and fertilizer the soil needs.Take the test results to the farm store and they will blend your fertilizer, and make sure you tell them you are planting clover.If you fertilize when you plant use a low nitrogen fertilizer. The clover will fix its own nitrogen as did the beans. By adding more than needed to the soil at planting, the weeds will take off and out compete your clover.

You can plant clover veryearly in the spring. However, it will not sprout until the soil warms up.Frost seeding is usually done on exsisting plotsor pasture field to help improve the the area with the addition of clover. For proper plot establishment, I would work the soil as soon as it can be done in the spring. Again check with the local farm store or your state's department of agriculture for info. Clover needs a firm seed bed and about 1/4 inch of soil contact, so do not bury it too deep.

I prefer the White clovers for a food plot. They are not "cattle" cloversand are more digestible for deer. I use 2 - 3 varieties in a mix. I also like to add either chicory or Birdsfoot trefoil to the mix along with a small amount of a forage rape. As for the rape I choose, it isbased on the maturity date and when I plan on using the plot.

Make sure that the innoculant on the seed is fresh otherwise innoculate the seed yourself.

Good Luck

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

Thanks alot for the advice, I'll post pictures later this summer of how it works out.

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

I was told Round Up is safe to plant in 24 hours. Checking their webpage, it states to wait 36 hours for Alfalfa, 3 days for other game plot seeds. Check www.roundup.com or even better www.monsanto.com

You may be right, I am only repeating what I read there. Does make me wonder about waiting a bit longer though...

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

A little momey and time saver...

The discing will do the same as the chemical application. Yes, Roundup will translocate into the root rizomes better...but for the time and money, the discing will do a good job of knocking back the weeds as well. Plus you need to do that step for site prep anyway.

If you really want to set your weeds back, wait another 4 to 6 weeks for another "green up" and then disc again to knock those weeds back and plan immediately after. This is a technique used by farmers prior to chemicals as well as organic farmers today.

Save your chemical application if you want to spray some volunteer grasses later like foxtail, quack grass, etc. Clipping is also an easy option for this task as you might need to clip your clovers back at that time anyway.

This recommendation is based on the fact that you have a nice clean soybean field already. I would provide the same recommendation if it were any other crop field. If it were old CRP, meadow or cleared woods, then I would recommend a year or two of Roundup Ready Corn or Soybeans to get your plot under control first.

Save your money...get good results...and have fun!

Land DR
www.HabitatNOW.com

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

Land Dr........I did a lot of homework on this, you are on the money. I heard the same that allowing time for roundup to set is smart and it pays. I also heard this about spring clover....

If you seed clover in the last snow, well prior to spring, it will last for if it is plantied in the spring it will not last the heat.

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

My take on this is that if you spray the weeds - and plenty of dirt is exposed -DO NOT disk it again before you plant - just overseed the clover and roll it in.

Were the beans RR Ready type last year? If so - grasses are probably few in the field now and lots of dirt is exposed - if so - clover out competes most annual weeds. - you may not need to spray at all - just seed it and roll it in.

If I'm not sure - I disk it real good - roll it - seed it - then roll it again. You cannot plant clover too early - in fact the earlier the better - even if some frosts may come along.

A firm seed bed is essential for clover - as well as the seeds being "pressed in" - not disked in.

FH

RE: Spring Clover???????
 

Portable Laddler,

I am from S. Indiana too. I just had my clover re-seeded last spring with a silt seeder. I seeded my orginal plot by hand. I just put fert. on I used 6-24-24. YOu want the first number which is Nit. to be as low as possible. That was the lowest I could find without having them mix it up special. If you have weeds in your clover you can put Poast sometimes called grass getter on it to kill the grasses it is $20 for 8 oz and for weeds use 2,4d,b. it has to have the b on the end or it will kill the clover. They also have out RR alfalfa.