Re: Clover - frost seeding time
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: huntdoc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I frost seeded yesterday in a couple wooded plots and wondered how much impact the leaf litter will have. Is it going to reduve seed germination a lot? Sure was nice to get out even if none of it grows! </div></div>
The seed does need to make soil contact but rains should "wash" the seed onto the soil, it just may be a little uneven perhaps.
I have the same problem with some of mine planted next to the timber.
I frost seeded Mammoth red clover (for green manure only...red clover IMO is not that great for deer feed...get's too rank and difficult to maintain compared to white clovers)into strips that I had rye and oats in them last fall.
The deer have literally eaten the rye to the soil leaving it perfect for frost seeding!
The shallow tilled strips in one of my tree plantings give me a little more "space" for food plots. I will till the red clover under in late summer and replant rye n oats.
I went back over some of the clover plots I seeded last summer and frost seeded some seed I had left over back into them.
I posted earlier the various seed mixes, the Biologic and Imperial mixes failed completely. They were right next to the Welter, Durana and Tecomate mixes so I'm not sure what happened? At any rate I re-seeded those areas so we'll see if they take this time.
The Welter Mix contained Alice, Kopu 2, Jumbo Ladino and a grazing type alfaafa and seem to be doing well...but notice the leaf cover... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
Note: you cannot frost seed alfalfa...
This is Durana tying to peek thru and it seemed to do as well as the Welter mix, so I seeded it where the Imperial didn't take.
I like this seed because you get just what you pay for...pure Durana white clover seed...nothing less...nothing more.
The Tecomate mix seemed to do well so I seeded it where the Biologic mix didn't take. It was left over so no biggie but be aware that this mix (like Imperial) contains Berseem clover which
cannot be frost seeded. 10% of the mix is wasted if you frost seed. It also contains Mammoth red clover which I have already mentioned. Back page to see all the different mixes and what they actually contain so you know what your paying for.
There are many options for seeding clover,
Frost seeding in March
Spring seeding in April or early May
Summer seeding in July thru August
We have discussed these options and the pros and cons of each, all can work if done properly and we get good moisture when the seedlings need it most.
Summer seedings are my favorite because you won't have to fight spring rains and mud nor will you have to fight weeds that come up in spring seedings.
Summer seeded clover (or alfalfa)can be clear seeded (clover alone), or with a nurse crop. A nurse crop is more important in spring seedings to help smother weeds, but a summer seeding the "nurse crop" is more to provide a fall food plot while your clover is still young and too small to provide a fall food source.
Timing can vary for a summer plot, a late July seeding might be clear seeded. A mid August seeding could use oats while a late August seeding could use rye.
Late August
may not be enough time for clover seedlings to become established before fall freezes. Growing time varies widely just in our state of Iowa let alone across the midwest but I have seeded all the way to Sept 6th with good success.
This example was posted earlier in this thread and was planted around Labor Day but in SE Kansas (if I'm not mistaken)
You can see that it worked perfectly!
Posted by Strmchzr:
"i've had better success planting clover in the fall compared to spring plantings in s.e. kansas. my spring clover plantings usually fall victim to grass competition early ~ i don't use herbicide which might really make a difference helping the clover get established.
imo, the best tip for planting clover is to plant winter rye as a nurse crop. winter rye (not rye grass) has alleopathic effects when planted w/ clover. basically, this means the rye provides natural "weed control" while the clover has a chance to establish. i let the rye grow thru the spring (turkeys love it) instead of mowing. by mid july, the rye is dead and there's a very clean stand of clover.
early april winter rye/ladino clover plot
june winter rye/ladino clover plot
july plot
"
This is a clover seedling I planted in late August with oats.
The clover/oats combo worked well to establish a seeding and have a little fall forage as well. The deer literally ate the oats to the ground before it even had a chance to freeze!
I clear seeded this clover on Sept 6th 2006:
It looked like this in early Dec. and took off great this past year. That timing would have been perfect to have added rye but the seeding could also have failed if colder then normal temps had set in early.
All of these planting dates worked well and looked like this a year later:
Here in SE Iowa average frost dates are mid October and some years even later so one could use oats knowing they will freeze off or rye that will provide winter long feed. Planting the last week of August could work for any combo of clover, oats and/or rye in southern Iowa at least.
Late summer seedings mean you won't have this problem for sure... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
