Looks great, CNC!

CNC you not going to spray it so your clover will thrive ?

Nah, I’m not looking for a clover monoculture. There’s already plenty of clover now. There’s more than they’re eating anyways because I’m seeing a lot left over. It’s mostly crimson and yuchi arrowleaf which will both run its course eventually in another couple months. The deer really hammer it the hardest during spring months anyways. I’m gonna let the rye mature and go to seed. I think it would provide some good cover fro nesting hens maybe and the deer love the seed heads once they mature. It also provides me with a lot of biomass above ground as well as below with the cereal rye root structure. Spring is when it really grows that biomass. I’ve thought about spraying but I just don’t think its really getting me anywhere and just adding an unnecessary step in my situation. I like a more holitic approach.

Last fall I planted several plots in a mix from the Aliceville COOP that had oats, wheat, rape, 2 kinds of clover and peas in it.

It did really well this winter and everything is still really green. This is the first year I tried it, in years past I have just planted a wheat and oats.

With the fields having the clover in them do I need to do anything to them, such as mow or spray them? Or do I just let them do whatever they do? I usually spray roundup, disk and plant ICP in the spring but since there is clover growing pretty well I am considering giving it a chance.

Two years ago I had crimson clover that looked great in the spring, but was brown as could be during the summer and I had no concerns about disking it up to plant soybeans. This year I have a few white clovers mixed in so I'm curious to see if they'll stick around to feed the deer through much of the summer.

Do you know what type of clover was in the COOP mix?

If I were gonna spend any time/money on anything right now it would be on a #1 Soil Test…..#2 Lime……#3 P&K…….Later in the spring/summer you could even add #4 nitrogen when things start to need it.

Crimson and ladino

Check out this Yuchi Arraleaf…………I like this clover so far. It hangs in a little longer than crimson. Crimson seems to jump out of the ground quicker though.

Mine isn't but 6" high and the rye is about 12". I don't know where the rest of my cereal grains went but it's very thin.

The size of the plot and the deer density will have an impact on the rye and clover being able to outgrow browsing pressure this time of year. Soil productivity will also play a big factor too though. This is why I repeatedly try to get folks out of the mindset of worrying about what summer mix they’re about to plant on small plots and instead focused on what can be done to improve soil conditions. Hear what I’m saying and follow my lead. Don’t worry about cowpeas this summer.....worry about lime….P,K,N……growing biomass, etc….

The soil is the source of where good plant growth begins. Even if you added lime two years ago, we still need to be looking at our Ca levels and filling up that bucket. If we build OM% then the size of our nutrient bucket will grow and that alone will call for adding more. The bigger and more balanced the nutrient bucket though…….the more ability to push plant growth. Build the soil.

CNC, I wonder if you have ever used a brix refractometer? I have a friend that is saying that the sugar content has more than just a deer's preference, but also has to do with the ability to use proteins etc. I think it would be neat to see how the sugar content is with throw and mow soil vs a field that has been on regular tillage.

I haven't. It would be interesting to see. If there was a major difference I’d have to believe it would be found in that top 8 inches or so of rich topsoil that’s been built.

Last year I mowed too late during the summer and the weeds never recovered. I didn't have much to mow down when it came time to plant so I had to try something different. We sprayed what was left and let it die for a few weeks. Then we spread the seed, fertilizer and lime on top of the thatch left over from the summer. I gently pulled the disk across it with the gangs in a non-aggressive position. I also had a drag behind my disk. I was trying get the seed through the thatch and not turn the thatch under. The disk did scratch the surface of the soil. Even though it wasn't an actual throw and mow plot, it sure looked like one and was still a big time saver.

Untitled by bambam32, on Flickr
Untitled by bambam32, on Flickr
Untitled by bambam32, on Flickr

That look nice bambam. I had to do something similar for the same reason. I just used a drag on mine to fluff up the thatch and incorporate the seed.

One week’s growth on the cereal rye…..eight days to be exact. I think it hits a certain soil temp threshold and then bolts. When it does bolt….it grows faster than the grass in your yard.

A week ago………



Today…….That’s the same 4ft basket in the foreground. You probably wouldn’t even be able to see Shelby any more if she was in the pic again. A lot of it's going to seed. I wish it was about a 20 or 40 acre field instead of just 3. It just seems like that would be ideal for the turkey hens to hide poults in.....especially when trapping out the predators around it. It'll be 5-6 ft tall by the time all is said and done.

Wow. Lots of biomass there.

Give it another week or two and it'll sho nuff be thick.

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Its amazing how one part of a field can grow the crap out of clover and the rest it struggles. Gonna pound it with more lime this summer and hopefully get it to act right this fall.

Do you notice any differences in the areas that grow clover well versus the areas that don't?? Sometimes it can be changes in soil conditions....sometimes it can be things like shade. It's good to be able recognize what is causing the difference. Some things I've found that really help clover are: increased clay content in the soil, midday shade when it really gets hot, low areas that naturally hold more moisture, adding lime to correct pH......Those first three revolve a lot around water. Clover likes some moisture.