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Thread: Clovers in foodplots... Who uses them.

  1. #1
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    Default Clovers in foodplots... Who uses them.

    Just planted 2 of my fields, (4 acres, and 7 acres) in winter peas, cow peas, and oats. 50lbs peas, 50lbs oats/acre.
    Cow peas ain't gonna last long. Deer will wipe them out. Just hoping they'll make it thru the 1st week of October when the rut starts to kick in.
    This place has what you would call a high density deer population.
    I'm considering top sowing some clovers over what was just planted. 5-10lbs/acre. I've never messed with them before and looking for advise, opinions from anyone who has experience with using clovers in their food plots. Red, crimson, white, arrowleaf? which ones? How long does it take for them to come up?
    Are they a good draw for deer? What about these radishes I keep reading about? Worth a shit, or just a gimmick?

    Thanks in advance for any info...

  2. #2
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    We just planted crimson clover in some of our plots a few weeks ago....seem to be good for the later season


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    I have planted different things for deer over the years but my best mix and now my only mix is oats wheat crimson and durana clover. I plant 50 lbs of wheat and 50 pounds of oats with 6 pds of crimson and 4 lb of durana. White clover is a smaller seed and only takes half of what crimson takes. You can easily adjust it a pound or to if it gets you to a even bag of seed. Durana will come back year after year if taken care of but it requires time.

    As far as planting it. Plant it no more than 1/4" deep. The main thing is good seed to soil contact. It can actually be on top of the ground as long as it has good contact.

    All this being said, in my area I have not found a plant that is higher in protein, last through the summer, and is browsed heavier by deer than clover. Not to mention turkeys love it.

    I am planting a few radishes this year. Reviews have been hit or miss but here is what I do know. It takes a couple hard frost for the sugars to be released into the plant. Before that happens they are not palatable. To me that means deer won't touch them till December or January. However I have heard that's once that happens they will nail them. Just my .02 cents.
    Last edited by banded_mallard; 09-20-2017 at 05:43 AM.

  4. #4
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    I top coat all of my plots with clover.
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    Why plant crimson clover when you can plant turnips

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    You and them damn turnips. You ever seen a turk eat turnips??
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    Haha

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    I've tried run of the mill purple top turnips in the past, and have yet to see a deer eat them. Did have some damn good greens though. I READ that the radishes are sweeter than the turnips early on, and deer tend to come to them quicker, but, zero experience with them. I'll try about a 2 acre spot in the bigger field, and see if they hit them at all.

    Thanks for the info on the clovers. I'm gonna top sow them just ahead of this little bit of rain that's SUPPOSED to be here Friday.

  9. #9
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    Crimson clover grows fast and early. It will put on enough growth this fall to be browsed and will be the first clover to put on growth next spring. White clovers like Durana will be slow to establish top growth this fall as they are putting down a root structure, they will put on top growth in the spring and will be in full swing next fall with a little maintenance next summer (primarily spray the grasses). Arrowleaf is a good clover for our region, handles dry conditions well and will be about a month behind Crimson next spring - a mix of crimson and arrowleaf works well.

    Inoculate the seed if it is not coated already, that will allow it to fix its own nitrogen. Put the P&K to it and you will likely end up with a stand that reseeds each year and feeds everything you care about hunting for most of the year. Dollar for dollar it is hard to beat clover.

    On the Durana - it is good, and expensive. Last year I tried a variety of white clover called Louisiana S-1 side by side with Durana and so far the S-1 is far and away out producing the Durana.

    I like the brassicas (radish, turnip, rape) too, but I don't mix them all together. The brassicas put on a lot of top growth quickly and unless you keep the rate low, they will shade out the other crops. Plant a strip of brassicas beside a strip of clovers/cereal grains and you'll have an all season buffet.

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    You damn sure haven't... nor have you seen a turkey period over the barrel of your shotgun for a long time... ( according to you)..

    Quote Originally Posted by LabLuvR View Post
    You and them damn turnips. You ever seen a turk eat turnips??
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    Quote Originally Posted by MC View Post
    Crimson clover grows fast and early. It will put on enough growth this fall to be browsed and will be the first clover to put on growth next spring. White clovers like Durana will be slow to establish top growth this fall as they are putting down a root structure, they will put on top growth in the spring and will be in full swing next fall with a little maintenance next summer (primarily spray the grasses). Arrowleaf is a good clover for our region, handles dry conditions well and will be about a month behind Crimson next spring - a mix of crimson and arrowleaf works well.
    L
    Inoculate the seed if it is not coated already, that will allow it to fix its own nitrogen. Put the P&K to it and you will likely end up with a stand that reseeds each year and feeds everything you care about hunting for most of the year. Dollar for dollar it is hard to beat clover.

    On the Durana - it is good, and expensive. Last year I tried a variety of white clover called Louisiana S-1 side by side with Durana and so far the S-1 is far and away out producing the Durana.

    I like the brassicas (radish, turnip, rape) too, but I don't mix them all together. The brassicas put on a lot of top growth quickly and unless you keep the rate low, they will shade out the other crops. Plant a strip of brassicas beside a strip of clovers/cereal grains and you'll have an all season buffet.

    MC tell me more about the Louisiana clover. Where can I get it. Is it cheaper than durana ?

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    Over seed with cereal rye, clover and some nitrogen before a good rain.

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    good post mc

    dont over look the Mihi Persian Clover. it did well for me this past year. mixed with durana and crimson
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    I got the Louisiana S-1 from Seed Ranch down in Florida. It is raw seed so I inoculated it with Type B inoculant.

    http://www.seedranch.com/category-s/2251.htm

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    For turkeys, in addition to the direct benefit of the green plant material, clover attracts all manner of edible insects.

    On my food plots, I have pretty much gone to oats and clover. ear round food supply. On the locations that are best suited for it, all clover once it is established. An annual mowing and soil test to make sure it doesn't need lime..

    Clover produces a great amount of edible tonnage per acre.
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    Pretty much what I do. Establish a clover plot then drill grain over it in the fall. Mow it and spray arrest in the spring, then mow again in the summer before a rain. Maintenance it by the soil test. About as close to perfect as you can get.

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    We've had good luck with crimson clover and arrowleaf in Newberry county. Seems to thrive well into turkey season. By May though it's done petered out. Deer seem to really like the clovers around here.
    Last edited by tman; 09-20-2017 at 10:20 AM.
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    I use the killer clover blend from Hancock Seed.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Geetch View Post
    I use the killer clover blend from Hancock Seed.
    that's one mix that I was actually considering.

  20. #20
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    Hancock has some good mixes for sure
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