Crimson Clover?

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cmf1

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So about three four weeks ago I got some time on my hands and look over and see a 1/2 bag of crimson clover seed, I had given to me, sittin next to the hand seeder. What the heck? Probably not gonna grow anyway, but I hate to waste, and who knows?
End up over spreading it in two 1 1/2 acre paddocks, knowing I've never had any luck with clover before.
Didn't waste it and the walk did me good.

Today I go to move my heavy bred mommas into one of those paddocks and whoa?
It's either the crimson or I've got a bunch of round leaf weed coming up. About an inch tall, but it's something.
Moved them into a different pasture.
If it is the crimson clover, how long does it take to get to grazing height?
Is crimson as bloaty as white?
Any precautions if it ends coming in good?
I don't know if I'm happy or not about it.
I've never had to manage them on any clover because the white I've tried before never did much.
This stuff is plentiful as of now.
 
Crimson clover is excellent feed. it will really start doing is thing in the next couple of weeks when the weather starts warming up.( IF THE WEATHER EVER STARTS WARMING UP!!) sorry about the rant i am just ready for the days to get hot. :cry2:
 
Thanks Nova,
Says it's less bloaty than the white and that's a comfort as all I know about clovers are stories. Never had enough to study on the place.
Probably still won't have enough to worry about so I'm probably over thinking it anyway.

Mattyboy, where are you located and have you used crimson much? tell me all you know. It's a new deal for me.
Thanks
 
Cmf, sorry about the location, I just upgraded my profile.

I live in the Fl panhandle and plant alot of clover. In my opinion our clover in the south is like alfalfa in the midwest. I plant crimson in the fall (first of october) mixed with red clover,oats and ryegrass. Crimson will last until march/april and reseeds very well. If you like crimson you will love red clover. under the right conditions red clover will grow until mid July. I have some plant sample reports somewhere around here I will dig up and post monday. I've attached some pics of an experiment we did. The field in the picture was oats,ryegrass,crimson and red clover planted on Oct. In April of the following year the oats, ryegrass and crimson died out but the red was going strong. We no-tilled peas and millet, the pics were taken around the first of June (I think).

peas-milletinredclvoer.jpg


peas-millettinredclover1.jpg


peas-millettinredclover2.jpg
 
That there is a gorgeous pasture matty.
Can't imagine cows not gettin' fat off that.
What kind of cattle do you raise? (other than fat ones)
 
The crimson clover doesn't get smothered out as easy as the white does so you may have better luck keeping a decent stand of it
 
I have crimson and have never had a problem with bloat. It will start growing good once the days get in the sixties. Mine has been slow to grow this year but I have been grazing it steady for the last two months and what few calves I have on it have gotten fat and lazy. If you manage your grazing properly and not overgraze it when it begins to flower you should never have to plant it again. What I try to do is let the seeds get hard then turn the cows back on it again and let them spread it to other parts of the place. Maybe one day it will be covered in it.
 
cmf1":26e9xhsb said:
That there is a gorgeous pasture matty.
Can't imagine cows not gettin' fat off that.
What kind of cattle do you raise? (other than fat ones)


Sorry about the late response, angus cross and a few charolais (spelling?) cross.
 
Those pics gave me a major case of pasture envy - glad my cows can't see it!
Great looking pasture!
 
Dixie clover is a prolific reseeder if you graze it properly. Unlike many of the white clovers dixie sets its flowers on a terminal stem whereas some of the whites like durano set flowers from the base to terminal. If you do not remove the cattle from the dixie at flower formation then the seed will not mature. What I do is remove them, let the seed set then turn them back on to it - when and if possible. When you move them back on the field they will scatter the seed for you. Hope this makes sense.
 
Jogeephus":1hky2h6g said:
Dixie clover is a prolific reseeder if you graze it properly. Unlike many of the white clovers dixie sets its flowers on a terminal stem whereas some of the whites like durano set flowers from the base to terminal. If you do not remove the cattle from the dixie at flower formation then the seed will not mature. What I do is remove them, let the seed set then turn them back on to it - when and if possible. When you move them back on the field they will scatter the seed for you. Hope this makes sense.

Thats what I do
 
So what you are saying is that when I see leafless flower stems growing in the crimson take the cows off of it?

How long does it take for the flowers to bloom and then set seeds normally?

Do you wait till the blooms are shriveled?
 
When you start to see the red flowers, take the cows off for a couple weeks (depending on the weather). Then pick a flower or two and if the seed is hard let the cows back on.
 
mattyboy":2jf2hzgt said:
When you start to see the red flowers, take the cows off for a couple weeks (depending on the weather). Then pick a flower or two and if the seed is hard let the cows back on.

Good answer. Another option is to drop the stocking rate back hard. I often remove the cows from the field and leave replacement heifers in the field. Maybe 1 to 4 acres. At this stage of growth they can't catch it and its a win win deal for you. Once a good portion of the flowers are dead and the seed is hard turn the rest of them on it to clean it up. If possible, move them off the field every other day or so and they will deposit seed in the other fields via their manure.

This field was overseeded in clover about 4 years ago. Unfortunately I'm fixing to have to wipe the clover out with herbicide to eradicate a weed. But such is life.

IMG_2228.jpg
 
Jogeephus said:
This field was overseeded in clover about 4 years ago. Unfortunately I'm fixing to have to wipe the clover out with herbicide to eradicate weed. But such is life.

Don't do it yet Jogeephus. There is talk about making it legal. More money in weed than clover anyway. :lol2:
 
novatech":1xr9a00a said:
Jogeephus":1xr9a00a said:
This field was overseeded in clover about 4 years ago. Unfortunately I'm fixing to have to wipe the clover out with herbicide to eradicate weed. But such is life.

Don't do it yet Jogeephus. There is talk about making it legal. More money in weed than clover anyway. :lol2:

My buddy Wasbasbutten questions your logic. He wants to know where the profit will be if its legal and where will the fun be. But then again, he's from Tennessee - I think.

pot.jpg


PS, don't misjudge Wasbasbutten by his long hair. Actually a pretty smart fella as he writes the tax code for the IRS.
 

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