New Clover plot

[TripleA88]

I recently bushhogged, plowed, then planted a clover plot. This is my first plot. When it germinated we put starting fertilizer on it. Hows it look so far for you experts?

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/TripleA88/100_0891.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/TripleA88/100_0892.jpg

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h96/TripleA88/100_0894.jpg

[TripleA88]

By the way we planted it maybe a week and a half ago, and re-seeded bare spots where we missed 2 days ago.

[countyroad]

I'd like to see that in another week or two. It's supposed to be pretty dry unfortunately.

[Milo]

You really won't know how your plot will do until you see what survives from deer season. They can mow that bad boy off in just a few days allowing weeds to get in and take over. So far so good but you got a long road.

[Bawana]

What type fertilizer are you using? Clover doesn't need or like Nitrogen. Looks good so far, it's really hard to judge the first year, there are so many factors that can effect it, Weather, Deer overgrazing it and so on.

[Big H]

It has been my experience that when planting clover in the fall, you should use a cover crop, such as oats, to help prevent overgrazing. The clover plants need time to establish their root system. Whenever we plant clover in the fall, we first plant the cover crop (forage oats etc..) then cultipack, and then broacast the clover seeds, then cultipack again.

[Double drop]

"Clover doesn't need or like Nitrogen"

I would half way disagree with this statement. It doesn't need it, but it sure does like it. Go ahead and spread about 200 lbs of straight nitrogen per acre right before season and right before a rain on ANY foodplot (including clovers) and I promise you, your plot will outcompete your neighbors plots for attention all season long. We've been doing this for years and our neighbors do not have a clue why they don't see much deer activity on their food plots. Well, it's because they're all over on our place!
DD

[countyroad]

I was told by a science teacher of mine once that clover does like nitrogen. I don't remember all the details of the conversation, but he it had to do with lightning striking the ground and injecting nitrogen as well as dogs urinating on the lawn.

I'm no expert though.

[TheCream]

I agree, looks good so far. The clover plot we planted last spring was a little slow to come in, but by last fall and this spring it was really producing.

We just had a trail cam on ours for about 10-12 days and got almost 300 photos. Mostly does, fawns, and small bucks, but it is getting LOTS of use for us.

Best of luck!

[eschatts]

Legumes are a group of plants that are members of the Fabaceae
plant family. Most legumes produce an abundance of high
quality forage that is readily used by many species of wildlife.
Turkeys utilize legumes by feeding on the leaves and flower heads,
and insects and other invertebrates that live on the plants. Clovers are
the most common legumes planted for wildlife purposes.
Aunique characteristic of legumes is their ability to take nitrogen
(N) from the air and fix it
into a form that can be
used for growth by the
plant itself and other crops
planted in association with
it or after it. The nitrogen is
stored in small nodules on
the plant root. Clovers and
alfalfa, for example, can
produce from 50-200
pounds per acre per year
of nitrogen, which is
available to improve plant
growth and quality.
Legumes are able to
take nitrogen from the air
because of a Rhizobium
bacteria that is present in
their roots. The bacteria
does not harm the plant
but actually helps it by
fixing the nitrogen. This is
the reason why legume
seed should be inoculated
with Rhizobium bacteria
before planting to be sure that an adequate number of the bacteria are
present on the root of the legume.

[TripleA88]

We used pot ash and urea, it was a all purpose starting fertilizer. The seed we planted 4 days ago has already begun germinating. We also water every chance we get.

[hunTer06]

looks a hell of a lot better than the plot i planted this year :whistle: :whistle:

[oh.doe]

TripleA, how did your plot do this past fall?