Clover’s ability to fix nitrogen?

[alabama]

Clover’s ability to fix nitrogen?

Is my clover fixing nitrogen in my pasture?
Well here is the story. Two years back I cut and rolled a bunch of white clover that had just seeded out. I fed it that winter in several parts of my pastures. Last spring I noticed some clover starting to grow in the pastures and this spring my pastures are covered with white clove. Feeding the clover seed worked much better than I expected in seeding my pastures. It may have been due to the drought and the grass getting thin.
Well here is the question. Do I need to add some inoculants to my soil in order for the clover to put nitrogen in my soils? If I had planted the seed with inoculants in the seed, I would be okay but I wonder if seeding by feeding clover hay would work as well. Can I do a simple test on the clover to see if it is working?

 

[bigbull338]

no not as far as i know.because your clover came up an is growing.thus fixxing nitrogen an storing it in your soil.your getting 2 benifitts from it.your getting good grazing an nitogen added to your soil.

 

[Farmgirl]

Bama,

I went to an extension service session not long ago. The speaker said something about how you could tell if clover was fixing nitrogen. I think he said the nodules underground on the clover plant would be a certain color. Pink, I want to say. I will have to check my notes for the details.

Farmgirl

 

[MikeC]

The bacteria (inoculant) are already present in the soil, evidently.

I don't add inoculants to my clover seed if that particular type was grown in that same pasture the year or two, before.

 

[novatech]

Bama,

I went to an extension service session not long ago. The speaker said something about how you could tell if clover was fixing nitrogen. I think he said the nodules underground on the clover plant would be a certain color. Pink, I want to say. I will have to check my notes for the details.

Farmgirl

-
Correct. pink http://www.legumetechnology.co.uk/BackgroundInfo.htm

A common assumption is that the nodule puts N in the ground. It does but very little. Most of the N come from the vegatation.
Also clover requires a good amount of P.

 

[novatech]

The bacteria (inoculant) are already present in the soil, evidently.

I don't add inoculants to my clover seed if that particular type was grown in that same pasture the year or two, before.

You are correct on this but just would like to point out that in drought a lot of the bacteria would be killed off, so re inoculation wouldn't be a bad idea for some.
Here is a good article.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag152

 

[Jogeephus]

If the clover has good color before you applied any fertilizer you are OK. If it is not fixing N then the plant will be a weak green and in extreme cases yellowish. Most soils have plenty of bacteria but the cost of inoculant is so cheap so what the heck.