Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Clover over Rye?

L

loneranger

Well-Known Member
I have read on here that following clover after rye is a good regiment. I have a couple spots that had rye in them last fall. Should I frost seed clover into the rye,,or wait for the rye to start growing this spring,,then tear it up,then plant clover. Also think I read red clover was good clover to follow rye. As stated in previous post,,I also have an aging clover mix spot. Would frost seeding more clover into it,,really help,,or should I round up in summer and start over, with something else?thank you to all you experienced food plot farmers!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: loneranger</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have read on here that following clover after rye is a good regiment. I have a couple spots that had rye in them last fall. Should I frost seed clover into the rye,,or wait for the rye to start growing this spring,,then tear it up,then plant clover. Also think I read red clover was good clover to follow rye. As stated in previous post,,I also have an aging clover mix spot. Would frost seeding more clover into it,,really help,,or should I round up in summer and start over, with something else?thank you to all you experienced food plot farmers! </div></div>

I would frost seed red clover into the rye in late Febuary/early March at 10-12#'s per acre or white clover at 6-8#'s per acre (depends if you are making this a permanant clover plot or plan to till it under this fall??)

You can frost seed clover into the old clover plots and then kill the grass this spring with Select herbicide however...I prefer to till those old plots under and plant rye or brassicas (what ever works well for you) and then frost seed a new seeding back into the rye.

Gives the soil a break and breaks the pest and disease cycle that way and is a fairly inexpesnsive crop rotation.

Having some clover plots and rye plots insures year around food sources for sure!

See the clover thread for more info on using Select and frost seeding clover. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Dbl.,

If I frost seed into my clover, rye plot I did last fall.

Won't the rye be to thick for the clover to get good soil
to seed contact??
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: risto</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Dbl.,

If I frost seed into my clover, rye plot I did last fall.

Won't the rye be to thick for the clover to get good soil
to seed contact??

</div></div>

Nope...it will be perfect...trust me... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Check out the clover thread for pics of clover seeded with rye and also frost seeded into rye. More pics in the cereal grain thread (find these thru the "food plot links" thread in Whitetail Managment)

Remember clover is commonly frost seeded into old tough fescue pastures and it works very well! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
Thanks Dbl.

Your word is good to me.

Will do it as soon as the 4 foot drifts melt. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Limb Chicken</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sissy! Get out there an shovel. </div></div>

Bored there again Limb. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Come on up and help buddy I will if you help. I have a window looking over the plot so you can sit inside and watch. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
I frost seeded some ladino clover into rye last winter and it worked out well. The next summer when the rye headed out and dried out, I mowed it high waited a couple weeks, mowed it a little shorter and the clover looked great. Kept the weeds down till the clover took off.
 
well now thanks dbl and the others for your imput. I thot you could frost seed into rye,,but now,,which is best,,,Red or white clover? I have never planted rye in the spring,,as stated for an aging clover patch. since it is grass,,expect you would have to mow it alot to keep it from heading out, during the summer.?I only have small plots,,had toal of maybe one acre. Thought when I put them in deer would be able to keep them munched down,,but the rye,Clover,,always gets ahead of them,,way ahead! Wonder if anyone has enough deer to keep the crop down,,without frequent mowing? With all there is for deer to choose from in summer,,probably not.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: loneranger</div><div class="ubbcode-body">well now thanks dbl and the others for your imput. I thot you could frost seed into rye,,but now,,which is best,,,Red or white clover? I have never planted rye in the spring,,as stated for an aging clover patch. since it is grass,,expect you would have to mow it alot to keep it from heading out, during the summer.?I only have small plots,,had toal of maybe one acre. Thought when I put them in deer would be able to keep them munched down,,but the rye,Clover,,always gets ahead of them,,way ahead! Wonder if anyone has enough deer to keep the crop down,,without frequent mowing? With all there is for deer to choose from in summer,,probably not. </div></div>

Ok...I see I'm confusing you a little...

Plant field rye in the fall, then frost seed into the fall planted rye in late winter.

When spring comes the rye will take off and grow like crazy while the clover is just getting started. As AJ mentioned, just clip the rye later on and you'll end up with a great clover patch.

Another option is to plant clover with the rye in the fall...I am assuming you have rye you planted last fall that you want to frost seed clover into??

I prefer white clover over red for a grazing plot simply for the reasons you mention. Deer will never be able to graze a good clover plot down which means you need to clip it frequently.

Red clover gets taller and heavier and requires clipping more often then white clovers which are naturally shorter and easier to maintain.

I frost seed red clover usually for a green manure plowdown (soil builder, nitrogen fixation) ahead of brassicas.

I'm a firm believer in plot rotations, rotating from clover to brassicas to rye and back to clover over a period of years.

I always frost seed red clover into dead brassicas and add red clover to my fall rye plantings...never leave the soil bare and barren...make it work for you!

Hope I explained all that a little better... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Ok ,,I think I get ya now. I do have a couple of spots in rye last fall. Will frost seed to some clover this March. I assume red is best to build up soil,,white need less cutting. So maybe combine some of both.As far as my old clover patch,,I should let it go until fall ,then till up and plant brassica, and rye, or brass, and soemthing else in fall/late summer. How many yrs you let that go,,,or the following spring plant to clover again? Hope I am not confusing.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: loneranger</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ok ,,I think I get ya now. I do have a couple of spots in rye last fall. Will frost seed to some clover this March. I assume red is best to build up soil,,white need less cutting. So maybe combine some of both.

As far as my old clover patch,,I should let it go until fall ,then till up and plant brassica, and rye, or brass, and soemthing else in fall/late summer. How many yrs you let that go,,,or the following spring plant to clover again? Hope I am not confusing. </div></div>

Yep...we're on the same page now! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

I plan on white clover for 3-5 year plots and red clover for one season plowdowns.

So a clover plot that you till under this summer to plant brassicas I would then, frost seed red clover into next winter, then till that under in late summer to plant rye and then add white clover to have a three year clover plot.

Nothing that has to be cut in stone but just away of always having smething growing, but not ALWAYS in the same type of crop.

I like to use Alta-Swede Mammoth Red Clover from Welters for 2 bucks a pound for a plowdown red clover to frost seed or to add to a rye planting.

I use Alice White Clover for a longer lasting "grazing" plot that will last 3-5 years.

Red clover sow at 8-12#'s per acre, white clover at 3-6#'s per acre. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom