Ok...got my soil test back and I'm ready to go come February....Gonna just drag my existing plot and do the frost seed thing with my clover... Is all Clover created equal, or should I plant specific types of clover...Like a mixture of red and white etc.... Is the Chicory something the deer will eat as well, or is it even needed in clover....??? Oh, back on the Clover, I've seen all types of NAMES of clovers....Crimson, Ladino, red, white....what's the best? or is that a crazy question...Just trying to figure out which way to go.... Thanks for all suggestions and help.....Appreciated it!! Creeks
I tried a mix that had chicory in it years back, I had no idea what chicory looked like I was pissed about the dandelions.
I would check with your local feed and seed store and get their recommendation for your area. Today most seed companies know what deer in your area like and will be able to supply you with it at a much better price than the "specially formulated" deer mixes. I like to add some rye, wheat, peas or oats in my mixes to get something growing quickly. The other plants, since they grow first tend to attract the deer and give the main crop a chance to get a good start. I have used clovers as my go to planting. I haven't had much/any success with chicory.
I always considered white in general as Ladino. Ladino (white) seems to be more palatable over a longer window than the red but they seem to like the red better at certain times so I like to mix them as well. I've also had good luck mixing in alfalfa with both. I'm not too excited about chicory. Clovers, no, are not all created equal. There are annual clovers and there are perennial clovers. Balansa, Persian and Sundry are the three main annuals. Popular names like Crimson, arrowleaf and berseem all belong to the Sundry family. Then there are different strains or perennial clovers, most of which are similar enough to not make much difference but some like Durana are more durable than other white clovers and tolerate dry weather and heavy grazing better. A lot has been made of New Zealand varieties but I've never been too impressed with them above and beyond normal varieties of red and white.
Forget that then....I can't put Oats out without them darn Thunder Chickens eating it up.....But I'm going to try something a little different maybe this year...Thanks
I have all of that....Oats, Rye, Wheat, and Peas...going to try the Frost Masters Peas this year, they say there better than the Austrian Peas.....I can't put that stuff though down at the place I have the picture of...>the darn Turkeys eat them up.... What if I Plant the Clovers, and then about first of August throw in the Oats, Rye, Wheat, and Peas on top of the clovers...would that work????
Thanks Covey for all that info...really appreciate your time in doing that...Thank You...See what I applied back to elkguide and tell me if that would work....Thanks Creeks
If you get a good stand of clovers, you won't likely get much germ from anything else interseeded in it unless you chemically prune the clover and that's risky business. Seems like when I do it and don't care if I kill the clover, the clover comes back without any problem but when I do it specifically with the intent to just knock it back it kills some of it, lol. Roundup will generally stunt clover and knock it back but try it at your own risk, lol. I had one patch of white clover that I specifically tried to kill out and then no-tilled milo into it. The milo was exceptional and then the clover came back in like I'd never done anything to it. It was a cool experiment and worked perfect, the milo was probably 90 bushel per acre milo and when it was done the clover was a nice carpet and deer hammered both all winter. I'd highly recommend folks to try it but it'd probably kill the clover and someone would be pissed, lol.
Agreed Covey. I've never had any consistent success in nocking back clover. I just plant the cover crop, oats, rye, peas or wheat, with my clover/alfalfa.
The biggest success part the cover/nurse crop does around here is to give the main crop, clover/alfalfa, a little bit of cover or something for the deer and turkeys to hit while the main crop gets established.
Ok.... Fellows thanks for all the expert advice....much appreciated... I guess I'll just have to fence my Oats.. Rye... Wheat... And peas... Until it gets established well... Them take it down
If you have the time, it's a great option to keep it fenced till about a month before you want to hunt it.
I push a blend of ladino, alsike, medium red, chicory and alfalfa. Alsike tolerates lower pH's and wet areas. The ladinos will give you the higher proteins, the medium red clovers will give some diversity, the chicory the higher mineral content and "worming type properties" and gut health benefits. The alfalfa will give you 3-4 times the tonnage over all the clovers. Many companies will make claims to their crude protein levels etc etc. But for unbiased protein, energy, digestible fiber and mineral contents, if people samples every forage at day 55 after planting, they would be surprised by the results. The factors affecting mineral content, protein content, tonnage and palatability are pH, soil organic matter levels, fertilization, disease pressures and the biggest overlooked item in many areas of the US, soil sulfur levels.
I've had luck with burning the clover back with 2-4d. If done early enough it will back off to the point that you can plant another crop in it. I don't do it just for simplicity reasons anymore. When I've planted chicory I've had good luck with it. I just don't plant it anymore. I use to try to plant "everything". That is just WAY too complicated anymore. I've learned that isn't the best way to go.
