Clover seed spreader

[hurleyjd]

Look at the photo on this site looks like there are some light weight ropes to open and close the seed flow. That is also the way I control the seed flow on the front mounted seeder.

Herd Seeders GT77 With 2" Receiver Kit | S&H Farm Supply

Visit Missouri's home for farm and agriculture equipment sales, service, and more, S&H Farm Supply!

www.shfarmsupply.com

 

[shaz]

I've got the Herd seeder.

Honestly, the latest recommendations from University of Tn say to over seed long strips densely and not worry about 2lbs per acre so much. This way the cows can control how much clover they eat.

 

[cfpinz]

Look at the photo on this site looks like there are some light weight ropes to open and close the seed flow. That is also the way I control the seed flow on the front mounted seeder.

Herd Seeders GT77 With 2" Receiver Kit | S&H Farm Supply

Visit Missouri's home for farm and agriculture equipment sales, service, and more, S&H Farm Supply!

www.shfarmsupply.com

That'll work!

I was thinking some type of electronic actuator, just to overly complicate things.

 

[1982vett]

I've got the Herd seeder.

Honestly, the latest recommendations from University of Tn say to over seed long strips densely and not worry about 2lbs per acre so much. This way the cows can control how much clover they eat.

I'll agree with that. Unless you MUST have a "perfect" stand immediately....just a handfull of seed here and their will have the place covered in a year or two as long as the place is environmentally friendly to begin with. If not, doesn't really matter how much $$ and seed you throw at it.

 

[shaz]

Put the clover seed in the feed and let the cows do the work!

I've had zero success with that and it wasn't for lack of trying

 

[kentuckyguy]

I was planning on sowing 4lbs of ladino 2lbs of crimson and 2lbs of annual lespedeza an acre.

Plan to use clover and rotational grazing build the soil. I can't justify $1,000/ton fertilizer

 

[wbvs58]

I was planning on sowing 4lbs of ladino 2lbs of crimson and 2lbs of annual lespedeza an acre.

Plan to use clover and rotational grazing build the soil. I can't justify $1,000/ton fertilizer

Do you have to inoculate the seed or is it precoated for you.

Ken

 

[Ebenezer]

I was planning on sowing 4lbs of ladino 2lbs of crimson and 2lbs of annual lespedeza an acre.

Plan to use clover and rotational grazing build the soil. I can't justify $1,000/ton fertilizer

Not enough crimson to help. Too much white clover seeds unless you are using an unimproved variety. My experiences with clovers (not crimson as it is tolerant) is that the pH adjustment will cause better legumes than pounds of seeds. The university recommendations for pH is/was something like 5.8 or 5.9. When I got there, the clovers would grow in about 25% of the pastures. Only after I got the pH up to 6.2 did I see 100% clover in all parts of the pastures. I saw incremental expansion with each lime application between 5.9 and 6.2.

You would have to ask the local extension if it will grow there but I would add 1 pound of ball clover per acre.

 

[BC]

Listen to Ebenezer. He is dead on target with his pH comment. Clovers are really site specific and do not tolerate low pH. He was also right on not enough crimson clover in your mix. You should put a minimum of 10 lbs/acre in your mix. The recommended rate is 16 to 20 lbs/acre for crimson and 3 to 4 for white clover. His suggestion of reducing the white and adding some ball clover was good and will give you great diversity/

 

[hurleyjd]

Listen to Ebenezer. He is dead on target with his pH comment. Clovers are really site specific and do not tolerate low pH. He was also right on not enough crimson clover in your mix. You should put a minimum of 10 lbs/acre in your mix. The recommended rate is 16 to 20 lbs/acre for crimson and 3 to 4 for white clover. His suggestion of reducing the white and adding some ball clover was good and will give you great diversity/

Adjusting PH with lime is pretty expensive in our area last price I had was $70 and that was before the increase in the price of fuel.

 

[Lucky_P]

I'd want at least 10 lb/acre annual lespedeza in that mix. 2 lb is far too little... and if your pH is not right, you'll need the lespedeza to take up the slack for poor clover performance.

 

[kentuckyguy]

I appreciate all the info. I was mainly going by the clover seeding recommendations from UK.

I have been adding lime and plan to get another load this fall.

 

[kentuckyguy]

Do you have to inoculate the seed or is it precoated for you.

Ken

I plan to purchase inoculated seed.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Adjusting PH with lime is pretty expensive in our area last price I had was $70 and that was before the increase in the price of fuel.

Ya, but fertilizer is also high.
Liming will increase the availability of N and P, and last longer than chemical fertilizer.

 

[Ebenezer]

If the pH is low, spend money on crimson clover seeds, lespedeza seeds and lime. White clover will be a waste of money and effort. Been there: done that.

 

[kentuckyguy]

If the pH is low, spend money on crimson clover seeds, lespedeza seeds and lime. White clover will be a waste of money and effort. Been there: done that.

To be honest I thought of white clover only because there's a lot of it naturally growing there already.

 

[Ebenezer]

To be honest I thought of white clover only because there's a lot of it naturally growing there already.

Maybe the pH is OK?

 

[kentuckyguy]

Honestly not sure. I put 26 ton on 18 acres 2 years ago. Haven't resampled.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

We have re-seeded clover by having the fertilizer plant mix it in with our load of fertilizer. We have also mixed it into our mineral and had the cows spread it. But, clover grows wild here. I don't know if it's because it has been grown in NY for so many years, the seed is just sitting dormant waiting to grow, but you can take a field of weeds, keep mowing the weeds and you will get clover and grass without planting.

 

[BC]

Adjusting PH with lime is pretty expensive in our area last price I had was $70 and that was before the increase in the price of fuel.

Hurleyjd, I don't live that far from you and understand what the lime costs are in our area. The first thing to make clover productive is to get the pH right. This also holds true for grass production. If your pH is too low, nutrients are tied up and unavailable by the plant.