Many year ago I was told that clover is perhaps the most important food plot candidate in the Land Management game. Today I still firmly believe and stand behind that statement. If I could only choose one thing to plant, clover would be that choice. Probably the most important attribute clover brings to the equation is its ability to produce high protein forage just prior to spring green up. While everything else is still dormant, a few 55+ degree days in March can turn a winter burnt clover field into a lush, rich green patch of high protein forage. This is a critical component for both does and bucks, especially after a harsh and difficult winter. Deer have just undergone a very stressful 6 month period and clover can certainly be their best friend at this time. So essentially, a serious Land Manager could and should build their entire nutritional program around clover. Clover is relatively easy to establish but like any other type of planting, there are many factors to consider. Soil fertility, ph, fertilizer and of course, moisture all create a well defined boundary. One simply cannot be effective without the others. Spring can be a good time to plant clover provided your plot receives adequate moisture. Spring is generally a time of plentiful rains. The key is to have good fertile soil in which the roots can establish and begin their journey deep into the soil. The depth in which their roots reach before excessive summer heat arrives is pretty much going to dictate how healthy your clover stand is going to get. Meaning, if your root system only reaches 1-2inches by July, your plot could be in jeopardy if excessive dry period hits your area in mid summer. Fall, however, is the ideal time to establish your clover plot. When planting in the fall, your clover roots will have established themselves going into winter and have a considerable jump-start as spring rolls around. This will allow the root system to penetrate even deeper and strengthen quite well. Once summer heat and dry periods hit, the clover roots will be considerably deeper and within a cooler, moist atmosphere. I am a huge fan of the 3 point rototiller or The Plotmaster when working seed beds, particularly clover beds. I save a good bit of time and fuel by spreading lime and fertilizer(according to soil sample) prior to engaging the ground. Both implements will create a very, very smooth seed bed. With The Plotmaster, I have the drag and cultipacker engaged which really does a fine job at leveling the soil. Likewise with my 3 point rototiller. I have rigged a 2 inch ball on the back of my rototiller and I attach my heavy duty cultipacker behind it(as you can see in the photo just above and to the left. This allows me to accomplish 2 things at one, just like The Plotmaster. Once the lime and fertilizer is worked into the ground and the ground has been cultipacked, the clover seed can be broadcast. The new Plotmaster Brush Auger System is a very good choice for seeding the plot. Or, you can broadcast with and ATV spreader, 3 point spreader or my personal choice for clover---a good quality hand spreader. I am partial to the 20lb capacity Solo hand crank spreader. It is very accurate and most importantly, I can see the clover seed coming out and monitor its spread pattern. If your clover seed is coated, then I would recommend using 8-10 lbs per acre. The coated seed is much larger than the actual size of clover seed. With uncoated seed, 6 lbs per acre is sufficient. A little goes a long way, so don't con yourself into thinking you are not spreading enough! Too much clover seed can cause competition for nutrients in the soil and can actually stunt the growth of the plot. After the seed has been broadcast, re cultipack the plot. In short order, the clover will thicken and fill in any spots void of greenery. It is always a good idea to install an exclusion cage in your plot. An exclusion cage will give you an accurate measurement of how active the plot is with respect to deer grazing. Just to the left you can see the advantage of having an exclusion cage. Granted, the photo is not pure clover, but you get the idea of what its intent is. It is a good idea to consider spraying your clover once it is established. There are a host of herbicides available that will help clean out unwanted grasses and broadleaf weeds. I am partial to PoastPlus and Butyrac 200. Both of these products do a wonderful job at cleaning up clover plots. You can find more information on these herbicides on my "Clover Herbicide" section. Mowing clover is not only healthy for the plot, it promotes growth and allows new, tender shoots of clover to pop. Pay close attention to ground moisture prior to mowing. You don't want to mow during very dry, drought-like conditions. It is best to have good soil moisture with a good chance of rain approaching. Or, just after a good, soaking rain. When mowing, be sure your blades are nice and sharp!! This will cleanly cut the clover and allows your mower to work more efficiently. I often get asked "how low do I cut my clover?" The answer is simple: cut it 50% of its height. Meaning, if your clover is 10 inches tall, then cut it down to 5 inches, and so forth. When using a bush hog type 3 point mower, you can expect to get some clipping buildup behind your tires. This is not a really big deal. Just let the clippings dry off and new shoots of clover will eventually make their way through the trash. Some people prefer to mow just half the plot then wait a couple weeks and mow the other half. Me personally, I mow it all. Getting the proper conditions to mow it in the first place can be hard to come by and I have never seen a decrease in plot use after a cutting. Your clover will continue to establish and thicken year after year. However, you may want to frost seed your clover plot once every other year(late winter). February is a great month here in the north to frost seed. As winter gives way to spring, the ground will thaw and freeze on a daily basis. This will expand and contract the soil and allow the seed to work its way down and into the ground. Definitely a great technique for maintaining a good, quality clover plot Re fertilizing your clover plot is very, very important. Clover is a legume and does not require, nor need added nitrogen. It has the ability to fix its own nitrogen from the air so when selecting a fertilizer, 0-20-20 is a great choice. Potash and Phosphorus are the key fertilizer ingredients. You can sometimes find this pre mixed in bag form at your local ag supplier. If not, a local fertilizer elevator will custom mix several bags for you. I recommend 200lbs per acre. Remember, clover is and should be the most important food plot in your nutritional program. It is very easy to plant and is more readily available to deer throughout a 12 month period than anything else you can plant |
