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Clover needs
water, sun and lime (in most soil). Clover gets its
phosphate and potash from the soil and its nitrogen from
the air through a bacterium that lives on its roots. The inoculants
we apply to the seed is a dormant culture of
this bacterium. Lime is necessary to bring the pH of the
soil up to the neutral range (6.5 to 7.0 for the best
performance). On acid forest soil (especially in acid acid
rain areas), Clover simply will not grow without lime.
Lime will also release phosphate and potash from dark
forest soils reducing the need for fertilizer. Two of the
Megabucks clover varieties can tolerate soils a little
lower then 6.5 but most forest soils are even lower than
that. FERTILIZER 0-20-10
is a good clover fertilizer but one or the other component
may be a little more necessary. Have your soil tested if
you are going to plant a large area to save on the cost of
lime and fertilizer. SUN Clover
will grow in light shade but not very fast, so for a given
number of deer you will need a larger planting than you
would need in full sun. Small clearings or trails cut back
to let sun on the clover for 4 to 6 hours a day is fine. WATER Clover
needs over 30 inches of rain a year to be productive -- 45
inches or more is optimum. Two of our varieties will
tolerate poorly drained soils very well, but no clover
will grow where water stands for weeks at a time. PREPARATION The
usual end for a clover plot comes from being choked out by
weeds, so it is essential that competing vegetation be
killed. You may till by conventional methods - plow, disk,
lime, wait for soil to settle, seed and roll with a cultipacker.
If the planting is done in early spring let the last
frosts set the seed and skip rolling. You may also use the
no-till method. Mow or burn off existing vegetation in
spring, wait for green-up so those perennial weeds and
seeds emerge, then spray with Roundup (Monsanto) or
another total herbicide to kill all existing vegetation.
Wait for it to turn brown then lime and seed. The dead
thatch will provide all the cover needed for the seed. If
you want to plant a recently worked area such as a new
power line, drainage project or log landing simply put
down the lime and seed. Then drag with a piece of steel
wire fence weighted down with a log. SEEDING Clover
seed is very small, a little goes a long way. It should be
spread with a rotary (cyclone) broadcaster. Do not seed if
large cracks or fissures are still present after working.
Wait for a rain to "heal" or close up the soil.
Clover seed planted deeper then 1/4 inch in the soil may
not emerge. TIMING Plant
in spring before the last frosts until the full heat of
summer or in the fall at least 6 weeks before a heavy
freeze. In the south where snow is rare, you may plant all
through the winter. MORE
INFORMATION Our
book, Practical Trophy Nutrition, will answer all your
questions about clover, minerals and protein supplements;
order your copy today by clicking on the contact us tab at
the top of this page.
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