Post by benmnwi on Feb 2, 2024 11:59:00 GMT -6
I'm planning a new clover plot and I'd like to get some opinions on the best time to plant. This will be 2 new plots that will be planted around the edges of 2 new ponds. The soil I'll be planting on is the dirt that was dug out from the pond and it is good black dirt. These plots are relatively small and will be planted using hand spreaders and possibly an ATV drag.
I'm considering a couple options - one being frost seeding these areas this winter and see how that goes. I'm sure there will be a flush of annual weeds popping up once the soil warms, but if the clover mix can get established early then the weeds could be essentially a nurse crop that I could mow later in the year.
The second option would be do to nothing early and let the weeds sprout before spraying them before they go to seed and then plant a clover mix in late summer, perhaps with a light mix of brassicas, oats or rye for a nurse crop. I've had really good luck planting clover mixes in late summer, but that was using a tractor with tillage and that isn't an option here.
I know what I'm leaning towards, but I'd like to hear some other opinions. I'm also open to other ideas, but the end goal for this project is to have a 10-15 yard strip of early season food around these two ponds so we can shoot some early season deer with a bow.
I'm considering a couple options - one being frost seeding these areas this winter and see how that goes. I'm sure there will be a flush of annual weeds popping up once the soil warms, but if the clover mix can get established early then the weeds could be essentially a nurse crop that I could mow later in the year.
The second option would be do to nothing early and let the weeds sprout before spraying them before they go to seed and then plant a clover mix in late summer, perhaps with a light mix of brassicas, oats or rye for a nurse crop. I've had really good luck planting clover mixes in late summer, but that was using a tractor with tillage and that isn't an option here.
I know what I'm leaning towards, but I'd like to hear some other opinions. I'm also open to other ideas, but the end goal for this project is to have a 10-15 yard strip of early season food around these two ponds so we can shoot some early season deer with a bow.
