Durana Clover Question/Maintenance

[Timberman22]

I'm starting to slowly convert some of my annual winter plots to Durana Clover to minimize soil disturbance. I went up yesterday and mowed down the winter wheat standing over the top and slightly trimming the tops of the Durana and the flowers. I think I have a really good stand.

Do I need to spray with Clethadim and Butyrac 200 in the coming weeks? Thoughts from the food plot pro guru's!

[Calibogue]

Depends, do you currently have a weed problem?
Id' probably go with something with pre-emerg effects like PURSUIT but it is a contact as well.
And yes, that's a good looking stand of Durana.

[Timberman22]

Scott - I don't think I have a weed problem. There was some rye grass I saw but not sure on anything else.

[UPSTATEWATERFOWLER]

Lots pretty clean. Maybe spray in the fall for fall weeds and if you get any grass come in. Are you no-tilling wheat in the fall? Looks good.

[Timberman22]

Lots pretty clean. Maybe spray in the fall for fall weeds and if you get any grass come in. Are you no-tilling wheat in the fall? Looks good.

Did not no-till. I just disked and planted my wheat last September and covered like I always do. I then just top sowed the Durana since I had rain in the forecast. Wheat was just something as a nurse crop as I heard it takes a good year to get Durana established.

[ShortMagFan]

Stand looks great. Don’t overcomplicate it. If you feel the need to spray for grass and weed competition, spray imox or equivalent in early spring, late spring and fall

Durana is the gift that keeps on giving. Your pictures look great

[Sasha and Abby]

Looks great. Rye grass will start dying out soon. You have cut it for this year, so you are mostly in the clear.

IF you have weeds, IF... you can spray with 2,4DB for broadleafs or clethodim for grasses. Both are inexpensive.

I have also had great success spraying Durana clover with a weak glyphosate solution. This way you do not have to make two applications of the above chemicals (yes I know you can tank mix at higher ratios) and kill everything. I run about 6/10oz per gal of 41% gly to a gallon of water. I can spray about 1.5 ac of Durana with this mix in a 25gal tank.
THE FINE PRINT: I always spray gly when there is rain in the forecast within two days and NEVER if the temps will be above 85 degrees. Clover is remarkably tolerant of chemicals.

I mowed some of mine last week to get ahead of the ryegrass and nightshade. Normally I don't mow. I just spray occasionally. This particular plot has been planted for 10 years this fall. I will spray in the next week or so when I get a good window.

[Sasha and Abby]

I will also add that you can just leave the wheat for the turkeys and songbirds. The clover will continue to grow fine through the dead grain.

I top sow wheat in mine before a big autumn rain to assist the plot.

[Palmetto Bug]

Could you apply herbicide to anything taller than the clover with a rope wick applicator? I use a small hand help wick applicator for targeted application in standing crops, like hitting pigweed in the middle of sunflowers, and it works well. They make tractor and ATV width applicators and I've always thought they'd be ideal for clover.

I have a field I don't do anything with other than mow it and I've been thinking about making it a clover pasture. Do the deer and turkeys frequent your clover like you'd expect?

[Sasha and Abby]

Yes you can absolutely use a wick. The deer and turkeys LOVE Durana. Hogs will hit it also, especially when we get a lot of rain. You are welcome
to come get my boomless sprayer if you like.

I'll add that I have scads of turkeys I'm my Durana plots now, harvesting the wheat that I topsowed last fall. Another month and it will be all seedless stalks and clover.

[Timberman22]

Looks great. Rye grass will start dying out soon. You have cut it for this year, so you are mostly in the clear.

IF you have weeds, IF... you can spray with 2,4DB for broadleafs or clethodim for grasses. Both are inexpensive.

I have also had great success spraying Durana clover with a weak glyphosate solution. This way you do not have to make two applications of the above chemicals (yes I know you can tank mix at higher ratios) and kill everything. I run about 6/10oz per gal of 41% gly to a gallon of water. I can spray about 1.5 ac of Durana with this mix in a 25gal tank.
THE FINE PRINT: I always spray gly when there is rain in the forecast within two days and NEVER if the temps will be above 85 degrees. Clover is remarkably tolerant of chemicals.

I mowed some of mine last week to get ahead of the ryegrass and nightshade. Normally I don't mow. I just spray occasionally. This particular plot has been planted for 10 years this fall. I will spray in the next week or so when I get a good window.

Thank you. The end goal for me personally is having a clean 100% stand of Durana. I may spray 1 plot in a couple of weeks and leave the other just mowed.

[Huntinjunkie]

I wouldn't spray it. The wheat is helping to block out the weeds and will die off this summer. I sow oats and rye into my clover then mow it every fall and I rarely spray. A shot of clover fuel wouldn't hurt it.

[AnythingFeathers]

https://fwf.tennessee.edu/wp-content...ots_QW28.3.pdf

[Sasha and Abby]

interesting article. I would agree with the mowing. I rarely do it and would much rather spray.

Edit to ad - since the Durana puts back so much nitrogen in the soil, I always broadcast wheat just before a heavy rain in it, around the middle of September. I may come back and dress it again for some succulent new growth about a month later before a rain... the deer love the fresh stuff.