Clover reintroduction

[DrDunc]

Got a field of young grass that was sown out first week of May.

Grass and clover have established extremely well.

Unfortunately, a carpet of creeping thistles have now appeared too. Can't top them so looks like spray is the only answer.

What's the best way of reintroducing the clover? Scratch tine harrows with a seed box?

Can it be sown in the autumn (in the Scottish hills), or wait until next spring?

 

[Great In Grass]

What's the best way of reintroducing the clover? Scratch tine harrows with a seed box?

That'll work, get some sheep in afterwards for two or three days. For best establishment clover needs a soil temp of 10dC for 10 weeks.

 

[Coximus]

why cant youn top them?

I've found spot spraying a few with neat glpyhosate works wonders - it goes through the creeping roots and the rest of the stand goes yellow and dies.
Verry effective, for only a few small bald patches the size of a small molehill.

 

[DrDunc]

why cant youn top them?

I've found spot spraying a few with neat glpyhosate works wonders - it goes through the creeping roots and the rest of the stand goes yellow and dies.
Verry effective, for only a few small bald patches the size of a small molehill.

Thistles are way too low to top and it's an absolute carpet of the buggers.

I'll post a picture of them tomorrow morning.

 

[neilo]

Would it be trying Spruce & Triad first? It should take them out (& leave the clover) if they are seedlings, IIRC.

I had a 10ac field (new ley) that I gave up on and sprayed out the carpet of thistles with Thistlex. I've been trying to re-establish clover for the last 2 years, with only limited success.

 

[hally]

Moore unidrill, disc drills don't damage existing seeds as much as tine seeders

 

[neilo]

Moore unidrill, disc drills don't damage existing seeds as much as tine seeders View attachment 550146

That looks like a lot of seedlings coming there. How much seed did you use?

My most recent attempt on the above field has been to stitch in some balansa clover with my Simtech drill. Where it's been damp (no higher than the lake) there is a bit coming nicely. Where it's dry, the seed has done nothing, although I did see a few more seedlings poking through today, after the recent rain.

 

[hally]

That looks like a lot of seedlings coming there. How much seed did you use?

My most recent attempt on the above field has been to stitch in some balansa clover with my Simtech drill. Where it's been damp (no higher than the lake) there is a bit coming nicely. Where it's dry, the seed has done nothing, although I did see a few more seedlings poking through today, after the recent rain.

2kg but your right the density did surprise me a bit. I photoed it as the farmer said I should call in and see the results but we did drill it in the rain so moisture certainly not an issue around here

 

[Jackson4]

Scratch it back in and roll it, could always miss out the tines and use electric seeder with clover as only wants pressing into the top anyway if you think tines would pull some grass out.. would want to be some moisture.

 

[Cow1]

Can anyone give me a ball park figure for rate of clover and cost to do the same as OP?

 

[DrDunc]

Scratch it back in and roll it, could always miss out the tines and use electric seeder with clover as only wants pressing into the top anyway if you think tines would pull some grass out.. would want to be some moisture.

Would an atv slug pellet applicator throw out the seed, or is seed too small?

 

[Kevtherev]

Would an atv slug pellet applicator throw out the seed, or is seed too small?

Yes mix it with a bit of fert and you can get pelleted clover seed but more expensive

 

[hally]

White Clover is generally £7 to £8 pound a kilo depending on variety etc. We mainly sell blends of a few varieties depending on if needed for grazing or cutting or both. Sow rate generally between 1 and 2 kilo/ acre again depending on how much clover you need ( organic, intensive etc ).
If I was broadcasting I would go for the pelleted clover which is much the same cost ( although the number of seeds you get per kilo is less due to the coating of the seed ). The pellet allows easy calibration of drills or mixing with fertiliser etc as normal clover runs just like sand and not every machine or drill can handle it.

 

[sticky]

Can you introduce clover to pp with a Moore? My father had all the pp sprayed with thistlex a few years ago and lost it all and nothing has come back.

 

[Bob the beef]

Would an atv slug pellet applicator throw out the seed, or is seed too small?

Definitely try the spruce and triad option Duncan. Had a field exact same last year and sprayed with this mix . Knocked the clover back a bit last season but back fine this year. Thistles all gone. Not a million miles away from you

 

[hally]

Can you introduce clover to pp with a Moore? My father had all the pp sprayed with thistlex a few years ago and lost it all and nothing has come back.

It's not a competitive plant so if your pp is a very dense tight sward you will need to open it up with either cutting or seriously heavy grazing otherwise no problem

 

[neilo]

Would an atv slug pellet applicator throw out the seed, or is seed too small?

Yes it spreads well. It might carry on trickling out slowly when you shut the spreader off, or perhaps that's just on mine.

The best take I've had anywhere was spread on with a pelleter, straight after a silage cut, then mobbed with ewes for a couple of days to press it in, then heavy thunderstorms the day after. I've not managed to organise all those at the right time, or in the right order since.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Get some store lambs and feed the clover to them?

 

[neilo]

Get some store lambs and feed the clover to them?

I tried that once, even getting some especially palatable minerals to do the job. I didn't see any more clover in the field, apart from where they'd spilt some around the buckets and trod it in.

 

[Old Tip]

I tried that once, even getting some especially palatable minerals to do the job. I didn't see any more clover in the field, apart from where they'd spilt some around the buckets and trod it in.

Think the technique works a lot better with cattle than sheep, mix a tiny amount of seed with each days feed and a bit off veg oil to help the seeds stick to the feed.