Spring planting of Clover

[nmbee]

Can I plant my Clover in the Spring as opposed to the Fall? I am running short on time this year. I have about a half an acre of land that has water rights available to me and want to plant something that will give my girls the most benefit. Water is not going to be a problem.

Is Clover going to be the best thing to plant in your humble opinions?

Thanks again in advance for the help.

David

[Swobee]

We planted several acres of clover this spring on an unused corner of a field near a creek. That spot of land is almost unusable, holds water after rains so most crops flood out and is in a difficult spot to get modern large farm machinery into. The landowner-farmer swathed and baled it twice this year, but we'll let it flower and go to seed next year.

Remember that clover is a bi-annual crop, meaning it develops its roots and general growth the first year then flowers in the second year. Your bees won't benefit from the clover until '09. There are many crops that are biannuals- carrots for example.

[Michael Bush]

>Can I plant my Clover in the Spring as opposed to the Fall?

Yes, but if you plant this fall it may bloom next summer. If you plant in the spring it won't bloom until the year after that spring.

>want to plant something that will give my girls the most benefit. Water is not going to be a problem.

>Is Clover going to be the best thing to plant in your humble opinions?

What kind of clover? Red won't do them any good at all. White sweet and yellow sweet will make a lot of nectar over a fairly long time. White dutch will make some and will survive mowing. Birdsfoot trefoil will also make a lot of nectar over a long time and will survive mowing.

[mike haney]

why not plant swaths of different plants? then you can extend your bloom season. contact your state or county agent for the best varieties

[TwT]

you should still have time to plant this year, it is best to plant clover in fall, it only has to be up 6 weeks before the first frost,

[Swobee]

>
Yes, but if you plant this fall it may bloom next summer. If you plant in the spring it won't bloom until the year after that spring.

Michael- I didn't think this late in the season would cause the clover to establish itself enough to bloom next season. I suppose in some locales that may be so. I see the original poster is from New MExico and they have a later growing season than we do in the Midwest. Thanks for the suggestion on fall planting- I never gave clover a thought for fall planting. We always planted alfalfa in the spring and clover is a similar crop, so I thought...

Funny (to me anyway) anecdote: years ago, a neighbor his usual crop spraying pilot plant alfalfa via air on some property next to a small town city limits. Great way to cover a lot of acres in a short time by the way. A town-dwelling neighbor freaked out over the "spray plane" flying so near their property and blamed the pilot on killing his garden. They explained repeatedly that the 'bare dirt' field was being "sprayed" with seed and not chemicals, but I don't think the guy ever believed the truth. Lesson- not everything is as it seems.

[Michael Bush]

>I didn't think this late in the season would cause the clover to establish itself enough to bloom next season.

This is about when I plant it every year and it seems like that's what's blooming the next year. But then I've been planting it every year for a while now...

Alfalfa will bloom the first year.

[nmbee]

Maybe I should just do Alfalfa then, I did not know that Clover took two years to get going. I really want something that will produce the best for the least hassle - you know how that goes!

Thanks for all of the feedback.

David

[Ross]

What kind of seed prices are you folks seeing on sweet clovers. Duran white is $140 for 50# here.

[spunky]

What kind of seed prices are you folks seeing on sweet clovers. Duran white is $140 for 50# here.

3.50 $ white dutch, about the same on sweet yellow



You can always do buckwheat, but I dont know how well it survives wet soils. I know it plows thru drought no problem

[Barry Digman]

Your mileage may vary, but here's what one of the ag boys says...

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hay/r862w.htm

[Michael Bush]

I had always read you should plant it in the fall... I may have to try planting it in the spring.

[TwT]

I plant crimson and ladino clover in the fall, yellow sweet clover that I tried before most say it doesn't bloom until the second year. we have always planted clover in the fall, thats the first I have read about planting in the spring, I will still plant in the fall, just always have...