Seeding clover

[tncattle]

I've obtained a 27 acre piece that is all bottom land by a river. It hasn't been grazed in years and only cut for hay or bush-hogged. My friend (68 yr. old cattle farmer) says I should seed clover no later than mid Feb. He said just get the seed and spread it with the seed spreader that we use on the tractor. Is that all I need to do?

 

[cowboy43]

What type of clover will you plant and what is clover growing season in Tenn also what type of grass is growning in the field now? In Texas planting period from Sept to Feb. Best when planted in the Fall but can be planted in the winter under the right weather conditions. Germination period is 7-21 days ( optimum soil temperature for germanation is 65 to 68 degress f. ) our soil temp is now 45 degrees after all the cold weather. Blooming period from March to May, suggested planting rate is 15 lbs to acre , sowing dept 1/8 inch or drag a tooth harrow over it . If you don't disk it lightly the existing grass will need to be mowed as close to the ground as possible. Clover seed is very expensive , here you would not get your cost of seed back in that short time. it would be better to focus on a spring planting for summer grazing or haying.

 

[tncattle]

Thats just it, the pasture is in good shape with some clover already there. I'm thinking I don't need ton plant anything. It of course has fescue, some clover and Johnson grass. I'm sure there is other but I haven't walked it close enough.

 

[cowboy43]

Just wait till fall and then plant your clover, their are many varietes of clover , get with a seed man to determine which would do best in your soil type.

 

[novatech]

Thats just it, the pasture is in good shape with some clover already there. I'm thinking I don't need ton plant anything. It of course has fescue, some clover and Johnson grass. I'm sure there is other but I haven't walked it close enough.

If you already have clover then why plant. What ever clover that is already there is there because it likes the conditions. There is no doubt a tremdous amount of seed in the seed bank. Adding lime, P, and K in the recomended amounts may make all the diference in the world. If you cannot make the native clover do well then more than likely the new variety will not do any better.

 

[shaz]

I just broadcast crimson and ladino white yesterday. No-tilled it last year and it was fair. This combination has been recommended in middle Tn.
Never had great results planting clover, much less sustaining it. But I'm too stubborn to stop.

I hear everyone say "you never have to use nitrate on pastures if clover coverage is good". :???:

 

[novatech]

I hear everyone say "you never have to use nitrate on pastures if clover coverage is good". :???:

Man here who has been taking care of his clover in the pasture for over thirty years. Not once has he had to fertilize, and he has a higher stocking rate than anyone else in the area.

 

[novatech]

I just broadcast crimson and ladino white yesterday. No-tilled it last year and it was fair. This combination has been recommended in middle Tn.
Never had great results planting clover, much less sustaining it. But I'm too stubborn to stop.

:???:

You may need to check the PH on your soil. Diferent clovers require diferent PH. http://forageresearch.tamu.edu/1985/Clo ... Growth.pdf

 

[shaz]

I just broadcast crimson and ladino white yesterday. No-tilled it last year and it was fair. This combination has been recommended in middle Tn.
Never had great results planting clover, much less sustaining it. But I'm too stubborn to stop.

:???:

You may need to check the PH on your soil. Diferent clovers require diferent PH. http://forageresearch.tamu.edu/1985/Clo ... Growth.pdf

The PH is 6 or better.

Thanks, I've seen that article before. Good info.

 

[JRGidaho`]

I've obtained a 27 acre piece that is all bottom land by a river. It hasn't been grazed in years and only cut for hay or bush-hogged. My friend (68 yr. old cattle farmer) says I should seed clover no later than mid Feb. He said just get the seed and spread it with the seed spreader that we use on the tractor. Is that all I need to do?

Lots of good comments already. If there is a decent amount of clover already out there, just grazing the pasture hard in the spring to keep the fescue down and then resting it 5-6 weeks can give a really nice surge in the clover component. Unless you have at least a 3-year lease (and 5-7 would be a lot better) I wouldn't be highly motivated to put much clover seed or P into it.

The pH at 6 is fine for red clover. I've grown a lot of it on soils with pH under 5. Just takes better grazing management.

If you were going to frost seed additional red or white clover, first couple weeks of February would be the target time to do it. For crimson or arrowleaf, the fall is the better time.

 

[wtrapp]

Right now is the time to spread clover. 2lbs. per acre of white and 4lbs per acre of red. Nothing wrong with spreading fescue right now but it won't come up until spring and then you would need to keep your cattle off it until it reaches about 8" high. Much lower and it may get pulled up by the roots. If it ever dries up a little I'm going to mix up some clover and fescue and sow in the field I just moved the cattle from. What about spraying for weeds? Have you done that? If not you may not want to sow clover this year. Wait until next fall and spray, then sow clover around Feb. 15th.

 

[SRBeef]

I think the first thing to do is to take soil samples from varies areas of the field, mix them together and get a soil test done ASAP.

As mentioned above, this will give you the soil pH which is important, but also the general fertility level.

After soil testing you will know what the feild needs as far as lime and/or fertilizer.

I don't think there is anything wrong with seeding more clover into it as long as in the process you do not destroy what is growing there naturally. I like to seed clover with a no till drill with a small seed attachment. You can usually rent one. Good, persistent, innoculated (don't forget to buy innoculant for clover seed if not preinnoculated) clover seed is expensive. You might as well do it right.

Good luck. Jim