Planting White Clover

[Happyman]

I know this is more of an agricultural question, but I'm hoping someone here can help.
I'm clearing 6.5 acres of timber so my wife and I can start a Christmas Tree Farm in Central Virginia. After the land is cleared (mid September this year) I will be planting clover as ground cover. It also adds nitriogen to the soil which the trees love. Anyway, I need some schooling on the best method and equipment for planting clover.
Any suggestions?

 

[piller]

Hey there, I used to live in Richmond, now I'm down in East TN. What kind of Xmas trees are planning to grow?

I've not done exactly what you are trying to do, however I have renovated my pasture with clover. I plant clover (red and white) in February and I plant cool season grasses in the fall.

I graze/mow my pasture down and perhaps lightly disk just just to open the soil up a little. I then broadcast the clover seed. I used a hand crank cyclone type seeder.

Here's a link that might be helpful:
http://forages.tennessee.edu/Page 4- Planting/sp435a.pdf
Virginia's Horse Pastures: Renovating Old Pastures - Virginia Cooperative Extension

 

[Happyman]

Pillar, thanks for the links.
I'm growing all clover as ground cover so I don't have to mow so often around the seedlings and mature trees. We're planning on growing a variety of Xmas trees, but can't grow the most popular (Fraizer Fir) due to our climate. The Frazier Fir likes cooler, higher altitudes then what we have in Central VA. I'm thinking of using a drop seeder that has a cultipacker on the back of it. I used it to overseed some pastures last year and it worked well. My feed & seed supplier recommended mixing the small clover seed with lime and then pouring that into the drop seeder. The clover seed is so small it can be difficult to get a good drop from the seeder.
I'll do a soil test before hand to be sure I don't need to add anything else. I know lime will be needed given our acidic soil here.

 

[MMagis]

White clover seed is so small that I’d agree you may have trouble with a drop seeder. At the same time, I’m not sure I’d want to spread 6.5 acres with a hand crank spreader. Mixing with lime may be the best plan, though I’ve never tried it. You’re dealer should likely have more experience than most. Will you be using a cover crop as well? It’ll probably be a good idea, as it helps hold in moisture and eases some of the deer pressure. Your idea of the seeder with a cultipacker behind should work well.

 

[Happyman]

White clover seed is so small that I壇 agree you may have trouble with a drop seeder. At the same time, I知 not sure I壇 want to spread 6.5 acres with a hand crank spreader. Mixing with lime may be the best plan, though I致e never tried it. Youæ±*e dealer should likely have more experience than most. Will you be using a cover crop as well? It値l probably be a good idea, as it helps hold in moisture and eases some of the deer pressure. Your idea of the seeder with a cultipacker behind should work well.

I had not thought of mixing in something else as a cover crop. What did you have in mind? Maybe rye? Whatever it is I would want it to die out later on so just the clover remains. Speaking of deer, I would rather have them eat the clover and leave my saplings alone! I have 60 acres and it's chock full of deer. I put about 6-7 in the freezer every year and have a lot of "friends" who also hunt on my land. The old saying goes: plant a third of your trees for drought, a third for insects and disease and the last third for the deer!

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

wheat is cheap and greens up fast to save on erosion while the clover establishes - plus it won't come back next year.
I seeded some bare spots with clover this year and it's a lot like grass seed in that it wants to be harrowed under just a bit, then stay off it for a month.

 

[MMagis]

Winter wheat, rye grain, and oats would all work as well. Winter wheat and rye will both make it through the winter, but that's not all bad. It can be mowed down next year. Oats will die sometime mid winter.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Isn't white clover an annual? Red clover has 3 year varities (Kenstar I believe).

 

[Happyman]

Great ideas everyone. Thanks for all the input. I'm going to check into winter wheat or oats.

 

[MMagis]

Isn't white clover an annual? Red clover has 3 year varities (Kenstar I believe).

There are many variaties of white clover, but most are perennial.