Huban clover

[dickm]

I know this has been discussed but I can't find it. Bullseye Bill you planted some , I think. Where can I get some seed so I can plant some with the white dutch clover I'm going to plant. I figure that should give me flowers the 1st year.

Dickm

[ikeepbees]

I'd like to know too!

[rainesridgefarm]

Here is where I get mine from.
http://www.alseed.com/prodinfo.php?pid=5&SID=7ac3946a9eb7deadf835a268adcc3c33

[beekeeper39]

Me also!

[beekeeper39]

Wow, you posted seconds before I did!

How would someone go about palnting some of this in grass? Could you just use the same thing for spreading seed for a lawn? Then I could just hook it up behind the four-wheeler and spread it where our trees are planted.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

Our local feed and seed has it and the Farmers Co-op will order it if they don't have it on hand.

Normally, you would use a seed drill set at a very light setting, just barely scratching the ground, and at 13 to 15 pounds per acre. Contrary to the advise of the more experanced farmers, I had a better sprout in an area where I had it set a bit deeper, perhaps it was due to ground moisture.

The rule of thumb is to cover a seed four times it's own thickness. You can broadcast clover at this time of year, and it works fine for dutch clover, but for huban I would suggest that you drill it in a field without much competition.

The optimum time of year to plant clover and alfalfa, here, is August fifteenth. We lightly work the ground and sow 1/4 inch deep. The fall rains come in early September, and a good crop will get established, have it's dormant period through winter, and will bloom hearty the next spring.

Huban planted this time of year will have a fair to good bloom with timely rains, but will do much better the following years. When the plant dies off during drought of summer, brush hog it down to take advantage of the seed it produced and to make room for new growth. When the rains come it will green up and bloom until frost.
http://www.beesource.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000500.html

[Michael Bush]

I think drilling is by far the best method. However I don't have a drill and I just broadcast it. I've planted all kinds of clover and alfalfa. It just takes more seed when you just broadcast to make up for what the birds eat.

[BULLSEYE BILL]

>Could you just use the same thing for spreading seed for a lawn? Then I could just hook it up behind the four-wheeler and spread it where our trees are planted.


For less than ten bucks you can get a brodcast spreader that is hand cranked. It looks like a little scoop that holds about a gallon with a handle to hold it and a crank on the side. The seed will spread about a twelve foot wide swath.

When I did the ditches around the farm, I had someone drive the car and I held it out the window as we drove down the road.

I have also sat on the front of the tractor and sowed as dad drove the field. You may be able to do it yourself from the four wheeler if you can set your throttle to idle as you sow.

Remember that dutch clover is a much smaller seed than the field clovers and needs a much smaller setting.