Frost seeding clover

[docgraybull]

With our very wet and muddy conditions, and with more precipitation and freezing conditions :frowns: on the way here in NE Oklahoma, I was wondering if it would be a reasonable time to frost seed clover? The existing dormant grass is extremely short or nonexistent, having been tromped into the mud. If the conditions are reasonable - what variety or mixture of varieties would be recommended. It would be added to fields of bermuda and fescue.

 

[Lucky_P]

I'd do it any time now; usually try to shoot for sometime around Valentine's day.
White/Ladino clover, at 2-2.5#/acre - Kopu II, Alice, and Will varieties are good.
Red clover, at 5#/acre.
I like annual lespedeza, too, on my more droughty upland sites; Marion performed well here, but I'm not absolutely certain that it was better than the old standard Kobe - but I wasn't doing yield comparison trials, just grazing cows on it.

 

[dun]

Now would work as long as you can get in the fields without tearing them up and if you'll have a dozen or so freeze thaws. My preference is red clover because it's worked better for us then anything else. You might want to check with your extension agent to see what they recommend.

 

[docgraybull]

If there aren't a dozen or so more freeze/thaw cycles would it still work? Is the necessity of the freeze/thaw cycles to get seed contact with the soil? If so, would the wet sogginess of the ground make up for that? Thanks for the info., I appreciate it.

 

[dun]

If there aren't a dozen or so more freeze/thaw cycles would it still work? Is the necessity of the freeze/thaw cycles to get seed contact with the soil? If so, would the wet sogginess of the ground make up for that? Thanks for the info., I appreciate it.

The freeze that get's the seed into the round which is better for germination then just laying on the ground.
The years when we didn;t have the freeze thaw cycles we had poor stands, it's all anecdotal but it's what has worked for us. Too early and I think the seed get's too deep so that by the time it get's going it's already over shadowed by grasses and doesn;t do very well.

 

[kenny thomas]

In our area the oldtimers always said to sew during the dark moon of Feburary. This will be next weekend.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Hubam clover has worked better for me than anything else. It has grown to 8 feet tall on the Brazos flood plain. Put the cows on it and got a lot of miles out of it.

I am a believer in the almanac for planting time.

 

[JRGidaho`]

For your location, I would sure be doing it ASAP. We use Herd seeder on ATV and it doesn't seem to matter what the ground conditions are like. In the old days I used a similar seeder on 40hp tractor and it still seemed I could only run in the AM when it was frozen. Later in the day it made a mess.

You might also look at Durana or Patriot white clovers. They do quite a bit better on warmer drier sites. I've seen some very good red clover in NE OK also. 2 lb white + 4 lb red is common mix for us.