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Trefoil

Fishbonker

Fishbonker

Life Member
Should I be concerned that my clover plot has a lot of birds foot trefoil in it? I did some looking on the net and it sounds like it should be OK as a forage for deer (on one site it referred to it as “deer vetch”). Another site said it is very invasive. Will it choke out my clover? It is much taller and I’m afraid it will shade the clover too much. It just looks “weedy” in my plot. I’m going to mow the plot today so I thought I could spray it in a couple of days to try and kill the trefoil, but I’m thinking anything that will kill the trefoil will kill the clover too.

Any thoughts? Which would you rather have, white clover or birds foot trefoil?

The ‘Bonker
 
Bonks...I wouldn't spray it. I actually mixed some into my clover plot a couple of years ago. Deer are suppose to really like it so I would just manage your clover with mowing.

You sound as if it is really thick and taking over?
 
I'll take a few picks and post so I can get opinions. Maybe I'm just too fussy.

The 'Bonker

Hey Ghost, can ya dump the duplicate post for me? Its a nice post, but it isn't a twice post.
 
Geez Bonker.......is it really necessary for you to post twice???? Seems a little selfish to me.
 
Bonks, I've tried getting rid of the other post but it just keeps popping back up...kind of like a post on viagra! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
Well, if anyone's post could possibly be on Viagra, it would be Bonkers. He's gettin' up there ya know.
 
Well, what I thought was birds foot trefoil wasn’t. There were a few of the tree foils around, but mostly this:

treefoil_004.jpg


treefoil_005.jpg


treefoil_006.jpg


I don’t know what this is, but I’m sure it is a useless weed.

Here is a blury photo of birds foot trefoil:

treefoil_008.jpg


Another view with my mowing rig in the back ground:

treefoil_010.jpg


Lets hope the weeds I mowed today don’t have Viagara like staying power.

The 'Bonker
 
I'd agree with dbletree, I don't think it's trefoil. trefoil usually doesn't get that high. My initial guess would be a version of sweet clover. Mow it down and you should be fine. If it ends up being trefoil, that's really not a bad thing. Trefoil is a solid food source for deer and attracts a variety of insects for Turkey.
 
I'm a little leery of getting involved in a post that includes the words "Bonker" and "Viagra" but.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif

Here's a pic of my Birdsfoot Trefoil:

Birdsfoottrefoil6-1.jpg


Based on your pic Bonks I think you have something else going on there but then again my eyes are getting bad/old/tired... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

I've grown Birdsfoot Trefoil for years for cattle grazing but IMO deer will choose clover or alfalfa over trefoil and it is very low growing, doesn't compete real well with grasses and has never been invasive for me.

We used to feed the seed to the cattle by mixing it with their mineral and let them "spread" it for us. Cattle loved it and we also used to bale it.

Here's a link showing the "seed pods" of BT also:

Birdsfoot Trefoil As a Grazing or Hay Crop

Couple more pics....pretty low growing

Birdsfoottrefoil.jpg


BirdsfootTrefoil2.jpg


Nice tractor Bonks! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: midwestfoodplots</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't think it's trefoil. trefoil usually doesn't get that high. My initial guess would be a version of sweet clover. Mow it down and you should be fine. </div></div>

I have that same stuff growing in patches in my CRP. The small birds love it for nesting and it makes great cover for other wildlife. An old timer told me it was "sweet clover". I did find it can get pretty thick and tough to mow by the end of nesting season. I always have to shift the old AC down to first gear when I come to a patch of it.
 
I'll have to look at the sack of stuff I planted last year to see if there was any sweet clover in it.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skully</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I always have to shift the old AC down to first gear when I come to a patch of it. </div></div>

Uhhhh, you mean that Allis has enough oomph to mow in second gear? Actually I mow if first to give the mower plenty of time to cut it up. I find if I go too fast (2nd or 3rd) that it just bends the stuff over. I almonst, ALMOST wish I had an old JD A with the "corn picker" low. Talk about a creeper.

The 'Bonker
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fishbonker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll have to look at the sack of stuff I planted last year to see if there was any sweet clover in it.


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skully</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I always have to shift the old AC down to first gear when I come to a patch of it. </div></div>

Uhhhh, you mean that Allis has enough oomph to mow in second gear?</div></div>

Fifty-four snarling horse power in the old girl. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif I try to keep my blades really sharp too /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skully</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Fifty-four snarling horse power in the old girl. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif I try to keep my blades really sharp too /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif </div></div>

Sharp blades? Now there is a novel idea. I did have them sharpened about ten years ago. Does that count? /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

The 'Bonker
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fishbonker</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skully</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Fifty-four snarling horse power in the old girl. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif I try to keep my blades really sharp too /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif </div></div>

Sharp blades? Now there is a novel idea. I did have them sharpened about ten years ago. Does that count? /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazy.gif

The 'Bonker </div></div>

Ha,ha! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif The bolts on my old John Deere Gyra-mower blades are pretty stuck so I find myself under the mower with an angle-head grinder and not a lot of places for the sparks to go except all over me! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Skully</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I find myself under the mower with an angle-head grinder and not a lot of places for the sparks to go except all over me! /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/eek.gif </div></div>

Its not any fun unless your jumping around swatting yourself like an idiot.

Dean
 
Yeah that looks like sweet clover, and yes BF trefoil is invasive I've been fighting it in my CRP for the last 5 years. Ive seen BF in some plot mixes but haven't really seen the deer on my place keying in on it.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Field Service</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bonk, If you wanting to get rid of the stuff and its taller than the clover you could rig up a RU weed wiper... </div></div>

I've thought about that and it has gotten some talk on here. Got any plans? With my luck I'd get it full of RU then it would bust and the RU would run through my field killing everything in it's path.

The 'Bonker
 
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