Clover

[ganderlander]

I am looking for something to rotate with Brassicas that I can broadcast. Can I plant clover? Do you have to mow it? I do not have a mower (I should say I only have a push mower).

Thanks

[Alpha Doe]

How big is your plot?

[Tap]

Originally Posted by ganderlander

I am looking for something to rotate with Brassicas that I can broadcast. Can I plant clover? Do you have to mow it? I do not have a mower (I should say I only have a push mower).

Thanks

Clover or rye are the most logical choices for broadcasting a small plot.
I'd frost seed some clover and maybe some chicory mixed in. Clover should be mowed, especially to keep weeds in check.
Spray the site with gly now, broadcast brassica and fertilizer just before a good rain, and frost seed clover next march. The rain will help push the brassica seed to soil contact and also get the nitrogen fertilizer into the soil. N won't last if left laying on the surface.
Search through some of Lickcreeks threads. He has tons of info on clover/rye and brassica.

[CaveCreek]

A mower is nice to have, and a good practice to manage clover.. but it is not a necessity.

Are you wanting to rotate this fall yet, or will you have brassicas still, this fall?

If the "first", I'd go ahead and broadcast clover seed this fall.

Clover seed is tiny, and does just fine broadcasted. Add some winter rye, if you are wanting this as a plot to hunt over.

[ganderlander]

The plot is about an acre total and this will be year two of brassicas so I am just starting to think about next year already. Brassicas have been planted for 6 days and I am going to check them out today.....probably just getting a little rambunctious so I am starting to think about next year

[VHORN4]

Many will disagree with this thought, but I almost always plant clover with my brassicas. Yes, the brassicas can and will shade out some of the clover, but you'll end up with a good clover the field the next spring more often than not. I usually will frost seed a couple of pounds per acre on top in Feb/March to "thicken" up the plot for spring. I have probably done this 20 times and it has worked 17-18 times well for me.

It also cuts done on my work load which is important in my case...

Good luck,
vhorn4

[Tap]

Originally Posted by VHORN4

Many will disagree with this thought, but I almost always plant clover with my brassicas. Yes, the brassicas can and will shade out some of the clover, but you'll end up with a good clover the field the next spring more often than not. I usually will frost seed a couple of pounds per acre on top in Feb/March to "thicken" up the plot for spring. I have probably done this 20 times and it has worked 17-18 times well for me.

It also cuts done on my work load which is important in my case...

Good luck,
vhorn4

I did something similar last season. I planted an Ed Spin blend that had clovers, alfalfa, and birdsfoot mixed in with brassica. I thought I was a little short on seed coverage, so I added some sunflowers as an experiment. The sunflowers did great, the brassica did ok but were in competition with the SF and the clover was really being shaded by the competition. Last march I frost seeded a little extra red clover in that plot. The clover took-off this year and the plot is really nice.
I agree with seeding clover with brassica in a late summer planting. The clover will germinate and linger in the damp shade of the brassica and then explode the following spring. A pure clover stand planted in the fall won't develop much tonnage before winter, but the brassica will. Then next spring you are already set for a nice clover plot. I can't see a good reason to plant brassica alone.