Red Clover

[cowzilla]

I'm going to try some Red Clover this year and was wondering if anybody else has. I"ll probibly use Oats as a cover crop and cut early for greenfeed or silage. How would it compare to Yellow Blossom Clover?

 

[Ben H]

Where are you located? How is the drainage and pH for the field? Are you planting for dry hay, silage or pasture? Red Clover has yields similar to Alfalfa the first year, winterkill slows it down for the second year and forget about a third year unless you allow it to come to seed. Red Clover is a good short term solution for fields not good enough for alfalfa. Keep in mind it is a Biennial, only get two years out of it. We use Red Clover in the North East, one of the challenges is getting it to dry for hay. We often mix it with grass to aid in the drying and for something to be left after it has died out. Some people intergrate it into their rotation for corn planning to plow it under for some Nitrogen and green manure. Initially it will be good for pasture but like I said it will be gone in a couple years.

 

[cowzilla]

BenH : Seed salesmen claims you can get 2 cuts on the second year, is this possible? I farm sandy soil in southern Manitoba and winter kill usually isn't a problem. Does Red Clover grow as coarse as Yellow Blossom?

 

[Denny]

It is native here but last year was a good year for it so this year should be also.If it does'nt get cut it will get stemy and lose leaves.It grows as fast as alfalfa so a 2nd cutting would be no problem.Trick is getting it dry.

 

[frenchie]

BenH : Seed salesmen claims you can get 2 cuts on the second year, is this possible? I farm sandy soil in southern Manitoba and winter kill usually isn't a problem. Does Red Clover grow as coarse as Yellow Blossom?

Is there not doublecut clover varietes available. :?:

We have always grown the single cut varieties . Like denny and the others have said it is a bugger to get dry.It can also be a real bitch to cut if it lodges. I broke down and put lifters on my mower conditioner to retrieve ours :lol: I don ,t think Its quite as course as Yellow Blossom. If its put up early.Its incredible feed as well..cows love it.

 

[Manitoba_Rancher]

I ve never grown red clover but a neighbor did and he got a darn good crop last year but after he cut it, the rain began to fall and after a week it was pretty black feed.

 

[bjb-iowa]

I have grown a great deal of red clover over the years. It is much easier to get a stand than with alfalfa (especially if the soils are a little acid). For a number of years I ran a rotation of corn, oats, clover. I no-tilled the corn in the clover sod. It is easy to kill and very good for the soil. It can also be plowed down as a green manure crop.

Another advantage is that you can harvest your own seed. I take it standing on the second cutting. . . hot dry weather generally will make the best seed crop. I have had it go as high as 3 bushels per acre of #1 seed. Probably average over the years 2 bushels....I have also harvested seed in the fall of the year seeded. . . 1.5 bu per acre.

I find it makes better hay with orchard grass or timothy in the mix. . .3 to 4 pounds of grass seed per acre....The clover hay has a tendancy to absorb moisture, so , the grass will help big bales shed water....also, it will help hold up the clover for harvest....and, adds to the tonage. I prefer timothy (like Grandpa used to do). . .it matures closer to the time first cutting clover does and it is easier to kill out if you want to no-till into the sod.

Since, I have had a lot of seed over the years. Another use I found was in renovating pastures....easy to get a stand and by the time it dies out your grass is established, plus it adds a lot of nitrogen to help grass get going....Makes an excellent cover crop for crown vetch or birdsfoot trefoil as well, really seems to help them get started - use 1/2 rate clover seed and full rate vetch or trefoil.

I am in Southern Iowa on rolling ground. . .and use it on soils marginally suited for row crop and/or hill ground with shallow lower producing soils.

Best of luck