Clover

[hillrunner]

I hunt a ton of these micro clover plots. I try to put them off bedding areas in route to big destination food sources. I like that deer pass thru but dont stick around forever. Seems to work well.

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Approximately what size are your micro plots? It looks like they're holding up to pressure well.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

Approximately what size are your micro plots? It looks like they're holding up to pressure well.

Small. Those pictured are probably 15 yards x 20 yards, 5 yards x 80 yards, 20 yards x 20 yards, 50 yards x 15 yards. That's just a sample.
Here's the deal though. I have a lot of them. It spreads the deer out. During the rut it helps facilitate movement (i'll get bucks on camera checking every single one of them). I also have a ton of other food so they don't just sit there and eat it to the ground.
Personally, I have zero farms with big timber so I have adapted my hunting accordingly and this seems to work well for me most of the time.

 

[Sligh1]

Anyone use imox before? (Lots of brand names for this). I’ve always done clethodim & crop oil & just mowed broadleaves. Buddy showed up to help & had some. I swear he said his little container said “4-5 oz per acre”. Label has some crazy high rates of 64-128 oz per acre though. I have no clue if he was either: 1) way off or 2) it really is 64-128 oz per acre & this stuff is LUDICROUS EXPENSIVE?!?!?
Well- he sprayed 2 weeks ago. Bro was mowing today & it did nothing. Zero. Didn’t touch weeds one bit.
So- $300/gallon- label says 64-128 oz per acre. 4-5 oz clearly did nothing. I don’t get confused on herbicides often but this is a new one for me and a no go based on 1st experience
https://www.keystonepestsolutions.c...nd-900?zenid=f1ec7d7dcf4727604ca11b2f165b7a6f

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[Tmayer13]

Mowed for the last time today! If you look closely you can see the deer have kept the clover at Bay. Did not have very many clover heads but mowed it for broadleaf control!

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[IowaBowHunter1983]

I often get asked about foodplots in the timber. Best bet is clover IMO. Here's a plot at my house inside the timber in a little clearing I made. As you can see, it is doing well. Clover can handle shade better than pretty much anything else.

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[Bill-M]

What is the earliest you have frost seeded clover? Not planning on it till early March but these temps have me wondering.

 

[Tmayer13]

What is the earliest you have frost seeded clover? Not planning on it till early March but these temps have me wondering.

I dont actually think there is a definitive answer to this question. My only fears about this time of year would be birds, possibility of water run off(harder ground and maybe some rain??) or also the chance with a warmer winter maybe germination then a chance of the young plant dying(dont actually know if this can happen, but make sense in my brain)[/QUOTE]

 

[Sligh1]

I’d avoid doing it now. Agree on above. Even if it got in soil perfectly - would lose some seed germination. It wouldn’t be a failure & u would have some grow but I personally would Wait until february or March if possible.

 

[Daver]

What is the earliest you have frost seeded clover? Not planning on it till early March but these temps have me wondering.

Back when I didn't know any better, I put some down in late Dec/early Jan. I got some germination, but not ideal. You are better off in late Feb/early March IMO. Whenever the overnight temps are at, or below, 32 degrees and the daytime temps are in the 40's or even 50's. I also have had good success broadcasting over a thin cover of snow that then melts off the next day or so.

 

[IowaBowHunter1983]

I have much better luck conventionally planting clover in spring as opposed to frost seeding. Just seem to get better stands.

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[Bill-M]

Thank you everyone for sharing your wisdom. Will be putting down some lime and thought just crossed my mind beings temps have been mild and wondered if anyone had ever tried it before. Will do as planned though and wait till March.

IowaBowHunter the plan is to frost seed into some existing clover already established, just have a couple sparse spots. I will be establishing another small plot that I have not made my mind up about if I want to frost seed, conventional seed or try a combo. Thanks again guys, you all are a wealth of knowledge.

 

[DUG]

What is going to be everyone's go to frost seed clover mix and rates this year? Anything new on the market I should be looking at?

 

[cybball]

What is going to be everyone's go to frost seed clover mix and rates this year? Anything new on the market I should be looking at?

Going with a mix of whites, which will include some Ladino. I had turnips and radishes and some clover last year but am going straight clover this year to build up nitrogen. Just got my soil test back and it went from 6 to 6.5 ph and only really needs a little K. I plan to lime while the ground is frozen, then fertilize after everything gets going as it's pretty good already.

 

[cybball]

Got my lime, fertilizer and clover spread this morning. Hit it early while the ground was still frozen. 61 degrees on the way home. Looking forward to having a solid clover plot for turkey and deer this year.


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[Daver]

Cyball, in my experience, frost seeded clover is probably not going to be real strong already for this turkey season. But by June or so, it should be pretty good. This is a good time to frost seed though. Good luck.


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[cybball]

Cyball, in my experience, frost seeded clover is probably not going to be real strong already for this turkey season. But by June or so, it should be pretty good. This is a good time to frost seed though. Good luck.


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Yeah, I figured. But, I do have some already going from last year. I threw in clover with my turnips and radishes. So I have a little head start.


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[Sligh1]

Yeah, I figured. But, I do have some already going from last year. I threw in clover with my turnips and radishes. So I have a little head start.


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you will likely have a good bit of clover there if it survived the turnip pressure, which usually some does. If a guy really wanted to have Turkey clover & wanted to get super fussy & aggressive, could add some frosty berseem. It would give about the most growth on a new seeding by turkey season as anything. You're likely fine & most folks don't need to be that fussy (especially if it's for those winged rats! ) I personally love frost seeding. I don't ever think I've seen a failure... Unless someone put on a bunch of snow & ice that washed.

Frosty Berseem, medium red, alsike, ANY WHITES: ladino, durana, Alice White (maybe my favorite), Kopu II, etc. If I'm doing standard planting later.... All of those are good & I'd add Balansa.

 

[cybball]

you will likely have a good bit of clover there if it survived the turnip pressure, which usually some does. If a guy really wanted to have Turkey clover & wanted to get super fussy & aggressive, could add some frosty berseem. It would give about the most growth on a new seeding by turkey season as anything. You're likely fine & most folks don't need to be that fussy (especially if it's for those winged rats! ) I personally love frost seeding. I don't ever think I've seen a failure... Unless someone put on a bunch of snow & ice that washed.

Frosty Berseem, medium red, alsike, ANY WHITES: ladino, durana, Alice White (maybe my favorite), Kopu II, etc. If I'm doing standard planting later.... All of those are good & I'd add Balansa.

Thanks Skip. I enjoy the winged rats. Being out yesterday gave me a great reminder of why I bought land. It re-set my brain. So relaxing.
I should have a solid stand of clover come back from last season. Turnips and Radish got eaten some, but there were still quite a few laying around. I planted dutch white and a ton of ladino. My soil PH should be about perfect now (started at 6.5 before throwing on lime, and added P&K for the clover). Love doing this stuff as much as hunting.
I also put down more clover seed around my pond that was built last summer. Grass really took hold and has a pretty good sod going now. Should help a lot with keeping the water cleaner from erosion.

 

[Daver]

Thanks Skip. I enjoy the winged rats. Being out yesterday gave me a great reminder of why I bought land. It re-set my brain. So relaxing.
I should have a solid stand of clover come back from last season. Turnips and Radish got eaten some, but there were still quite a few laying around. I planted dutch white and a ton of ladino. My soil PH should be about perfect now (started at 6.5 before throwing on lime, and added P&K for the clover). Love doing this stuff as much as hunting.
I also put down more clover seed around my pond that was built last summer. Grass really took hold and has a pretty good sod going now. Should help a lot with keeping the water cleaner from erosion.

Agree with above, especially the bolded sections. Being kind of an ADHD person myself, I can occupy my mind thinking about future habitat projects anytime I need to and that has come in very handy MANY times through the years. You have a lot to look forward to in coming years, as I love it when I see the fruit of the habitat work that I have done over time.

 

[risto2351]

What is the seeding rate everyone is using when frost seeding into turnips? I assume go half that if frost seeding into rye, oats, peas and clover from last fall? I know it might be overkill frost seeding into the rye, oats, peas and clover from last fall but I like a little insurance.