Seeding clover?

glennster · Mar 3, 2017

Looking to plant some yellow and white Dutch clover along my waterway buffers for honey bee forage. Up in n central Illinois. How early can I broadcast seed? I need to burn off the dead grasses in the next week or so. Can I broadcast into the ashes and let it grow from there? Can't work it in with a tractor as the banks aren't the best to drive on. Prolly spread off a 4 wheeler. Any thoughts???

Dick L · Mar 3, 2017

I like to frost seed in February if it is froze without snow at the time. Or in between snows. If I could get around I would seed in the morning. Another stupid MRI. That way I just drill in the seed and let nature take its course. If it gets into where the ground is dry enough I work up the ground before seeding. Sometimes I run over it with the cultipacker and sometimes I don't. Clover seems to find a way to root about any way you treat it. We have spring rains that will beat the seed into the mud if it is not on a hill where it will wash it away.

JD Seller · Mar 3, 2017

Dick L has how I used to sow clover. Frost seeding usually works best if you not going to work the ground. So if your going to burn it off and then seed I would do it ASAP.

mtf · Mar 4, 2017

Here in Ky we always seed clover in the dark nights of February. I broadcast one #50 bag of redclover ($175) and it is starting to sprout already.

hd6gtom · Mar 4, 2017

I seeded dutch white 10 or 15 years ago, got great stands but you gotta mow it to keep it blooming. I have 40 hives and never seen a bee on the dutch white, but I work full time and am not there during the day.

FinnMD · Mar 4, 2017

I frost seed clover often just using old fashioned shoulder mounted broadcast seeder. You can easily cover 5 acres walking and broadcasting in about an hour or so, if you're fit and can walk fast. Best time is when weather calls for sub freezing at night and thaw in daytime. Ideal when in early am you can get those fissured cracks in soils and its crunchy to walk on. Seeds get into the soil cracks and better results. If you now have grass would be best to get it mowed real short or burned first. You need open soil to allow seeds to take.

Seeding clover?

glennster

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Dick L

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JD Seller

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mtf

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hd6gtom

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FinnMD

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