Jogeephus _ Clover /tiff85

[M-5]

Back in late summer early fall a Gentleman told me about a guy across the river that had put crimson in his 85 fields and was having a lot of success with it. I decided to broadcast some Dixie crimson on 2 fields as an experiment , We didn't get a rain after that for about 5 weeks. Then once it started it was only a couple tenths here and there . After a few weeks I started to see a few sprouts and it looks like I might have gotten a 50% stand on what I scattered. I put 10# to the acre so I did not really expect a bumper crop but I do not have plans to graze it and only want it to go to seed and hopefully next year have a better stand. My question is when do you add your fertilizer? I'm Think that with this week and next week supposed to be in 60's and 70's I need to get some on it pretty soon so I can capitalize on what I have at the moment .

 

[hurleyjd]

I have had tamtbo rye grass and crimson on my tiff meadow for the last five years. Both reseed very well. The residual fertilizer from the fertilized the hay meadow is all they get. The crimson and the rye has reseeded each year but the stand has gotten weak because of no reseeding as well.

 

[M-5]

I have had tamtbo rye grass and crimson on my tiff meadow for the last five years. Both reseed very well. The residual fertilizer from the fertilized the hay meadow is all they get. The crimson and the rye has reseeded each year but the stand has gotten weak because of no reseeding as well.

I will fertilize the grass once things start greening up and temps are right for 85 to start growing but the crimson should be playing out by that time. These fields were fertilized good in late summer and only went 4 weeks before the last cutting

 

[M-5]

@jogeephus

 

[Allenw]

phosphorous and potash will be your main requirements of clover, I wouldn't worry too much about it if I was regularly putting it down. Maybe add some extra when fertilizing the bermuda.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Apparently he's not speaking to you M-5.

 

[Jogeephus]

Apparently he's not speaking to you M-5.

My apologies. I somehow missed this thread. I agree with AllenW and wouldn't worry about fertilizing it unless the P and K are low. I broadcast some myself this year and had the same problem with the dry fall so I delayed planting till November I think. But you are right, those intermittent rains can mess you up if it sprouts and then goes dry beneath the sprout. If it were me, I'd sit tight and let it do what it will do and not fertilize till after you do your cleanup cutting in the spring after the flower heads have dried and the seed matures. This should spread whatever seed you have on site and you should be good next year.

One thing I may have learned is to not do a late cutting in your 85 field that has clover in it. I normally leave a 4" stubble on the field in the fall to help winterize the mother plants but this year I had a friend who was in bad shape hay wise and I allowed him do a late cutting. At the time I had a bunch of clover sprouts in the field growing in the shade of the stubble but I think the rake tore these out and my stand looks iffy. Its too early to tell for sure but I think I may have screwed up being neighborly.

 

[M-5]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I failed to mention I ran the aerator over field before I spread seed . I the last cutting was several weeks before a frost so I had plenty of stubble. I worked really hard on killing Bahia grass in it. I feel after first cutting I should be able to round up after each cutting to keep Bahia in check.

 

[jdg]

I have been told that commercial fertilizer will interfere with nitrogen fixation in legumes. I'm with Jo, if your soil test requires P or K, I would put that down. T85 eats K for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you can get chicken litter in your area, this could be a good option as it should provide roughly (not exactly) equals parts N/P/K.

I would let the clover do its thing, and consider laying down N after it has provided whatever boost it offers.