how to plant alsike clover

Alsike clover performs best in full sun and moist soil. Alsike prefers moist soil but tolerates acidic, alkaline, infertile or poorly drained soil. However, it doesn't tolerate drought. You can plant alsike clover seeds with grass, or overseed the seed into grass in spring.

Is alsike clover a perennial?

Alsike clover is a true species in spite of its specific name which originally implied that it was a hybrid of red clover (T. pretense) and white clover (T. repens). It is an introduced, short-lived, non-creeping perennial with a growth habit similar to red clover.

What time of year do you plant crimson clover?

Sow and Plant

Sow in late summer so that plants can become established before cold weather comes. In cold climates, crimson clover can be planted in early spring instead of fall. Broadcast seed into cultivated soil so that the seeds are about 2 inches (5 cm) apart and one-half inch (1 cm) deep.

What is the best time to plant clover?

Plant clover in the spring or early summer, when the ground has become soft and moist from the spring rains. You may also plant in September or early October in most locations. Clover seed is very small, so you may want to mix it with lime or fertilizer to give you more substance to work with.

How do you prepare ground for planting clover?

Clover is easy and affordable to grow from seed!

Seed can be sown directly over established turf grasses. Mow your grass at a low setting and gently raking out any built-up thatch. Then mix seed with sand, sawdust, fine compost, or soil, to make even distribution easier. Broadcast seeds over the planting area.

What kills alsike clover?

The proportion of alsike clover in pastures can be reduced by spraying with herbicides such as Banvel or Lontrel. Herbicide applications should be made when the clover is actively growing, or in the fall while the clover is still green. High rates of nitrogen fertilizer suppress clover growth and promote grass growth.

Where does alsike clover grow?

Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) is an extremely adaptable plant that grows along roadsides and in moist pastures and fields. Although it isn't native to North America, it is found in cool, damp areas across the northern two-thirds of the United States. Plants have three smooth leaves with serrated edges.

Does crimson clover come back every year?

For mixed seeding, sow crimson clover at about two-thirds of its normal rate. In order for crimson clover to reseed itself, there has to be sufficient moisture through April. For winter annual use, crimson clover should be seeded 6-8 weeks before the first average frost date.

How long does crimson clover take to grow?

When planted in the spring, crimson clover will grow in an annual habit flowering in the same year in 70 to 90 days.

How deep do you plant crimson clover?

Seed should be planted at a depth of no more than ¼ inch in clay soils and ½ to ¾ inch in sandy soils (Hollowell, 1951).

How do you encourage clover to spread?

Mix your clover seed with sand, sawdust, or fine soil to make spreading easier. Use a broadcast spreader (if you can find one that accommodates clover) for large areas to ensure even distribution. Do not fertilize. Follow with grass seed if using.

Does Clover spread on its own?

Annual or Perennial

Perennial clover will self-seed too, but it spreads consistently through its creeping root system. Some perennial clovers will die back in hot or cold weather, but new growth will emerge from the roots the following growing season.

Will Clover take over grass?

Contrary to popular belief, Clover won't take over your lawn, it will help your lawn. Notice how the the Microclover sections of this lawn are thick and green, while the grass only sections are brown from the Summer heat. Clover can keep your lawn looking great when other grass types gets stressed.

What is the best fertilizer for clover?

Fertilize Your Clover

Most often the best fertilizer for clover will recommend around 300 lbs of 0-20-20 per acre annually. Many choose to fertilize at planting time and then during the spring annually thereafter.

Does Clover die in winter?

Clover is a broadleaf, compound weed. It is a perennial, which means it dies back during the winter but will return in the spring. With white blossoms and thee-part leaves, some may consider it attractive, and it used to be included in lawn seed mixes.

Can you overseed clover?

You might only need 1-3 lbs of clover seed per acre every year to overseed. You might have a clover plot last 10-15 years if you continuously do all you can to keep a plot thick. ... Then work the ground and you might need to roll the soil before broadcasting the seed. Then rolling a second time.

Why is Clover bad for horses?

The clover plants themselves are non-toxic and it is the fungus that contains the toxin slaframine that causes the undesirable symptoms in horses. ... Symptoms of liver failure due to alsike clover consumption include loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, jaundice, colic and death.

Is Clover bad for cattle?

Sweet clover is a legume so it can cause bloat. Most of the time in this region, sweet clover is a part of a diversity of grasses, sedges, legumes and forbs on rangeland or pasture and doesn't result in bloat. As ruminants, cattle can adapt to grazing forage with high bloat potential over a period of several days.

Is Clover poisonous to humans?

WARNING: White clover in colder climates is generally non-poisonous, but the same white clover in warmer climates can be poisonous. All clover with white flowers should be avoided except in the northern states and Canada. You can eat clovers raw, but they taste better boiled. ...

What is the difference between red clover and white clover?

Red clover grows tall and upright, while white clover grows shorter in height and spreads laterally. Red clover is has a short life-cycle, approximately two to three years, while white clover is a persistent grower that can reseed itself, even under grazing conditions.

Will clover grow in wet soil?

Unlike most commonly grown annual clovers, berseem clover is quite tolerant of wet soils and also alkaline soils. ... The most hardy variety has similar winter hardiness to arrowleaf clover or crimson clover, but varieties often grown in western states are much less cold tolerant.

How do you plant medium red clover?

Clover is best to establish in late summer, when weed competition will be lower. Plant into a well-prepared, firm seedbed, up to ¼ inch deep. Soil pH should be above 6. Nitrogen fixation and nodulation will be suppressed at a lower pH, in which case fertilizer would need to be supplied.