Red clover seed

[davidroberts30]

How much is it??

Wacky idea time
Worth a try having a few kilos in the fert spreader while top dressing the grazing ground??
Obviously wont throw 12m but can split.the tramlines next time

 

[Great In Grass]

Go for a blend, £8.00/kg for the better varieties.

 

[milkloss]

Don’t want to rain on your parade but red clover won’t put up with grazing

 

[davidroberts30]

Go for a blend, £8.00/kg for the better varieties.

Do you think its a mad idea to just throw it on top?

 

[spin cycle]

Go for a blend, £8.00/kg for the better varieties.

whatcha got

 

[davidroberts30]

Don’t want to rain on your parade but red clover won’t put up with grazing

Was thinking more whites for grazing and red on the cutting

 

[Great In Grass]

Do you think its a mad idea to just throw it on top?

No not mad, Red is quite vigorous time sowing it just before rain.

 

[Great In Grass]

whatcha got

Here's a link: https://www.barenbrug.co.uk/farming/products/england-wales/ensign-red

Top yielders on the current 2018/19 RGCL list.

 

[Chae1]

No not mad, Red is quite vigorous time sowing it just before rain.

What are your thoughts on sowing grass seed in dry conditions? Would you just sow it now and hope for rain, or leave it and wait till good chance of rain forecast?

 

[spin cycle]

Here's a link: https://www.barenbrug.co.uk/farming/products/england-wales/ensign-red

Top yielders on the current 2018/19 RGCL list.

so i topped + put 65kgn/ha on a bit grass today... could i broadcast clover next week....turn sheep back on for couple of days to tread in...then remove?.....how soon before it's established and can be grazed?.....could i feed the clover to the ewes/lambs instead?

 

[hendrebc]

@Kiwi Pete

 

[Great In Grass]

What are your thoughts on sowing grass seed in dry conditions? Would you just sow it now and hope for rain, or leave it and wait till good chance of rain forecast?

I was speaking to a man today in your neck of the woods and he was telling me you've had a fortnight(?) of dry weather, he's sowing 160 acres in the next few days though. If the seed is in dry soil it will be okay, germinating then going into a prolonged period of dry weather can put pay to the young seedlings.

 

[Chae1]

I was speaking to a man today in your neck of the woods and he was telling me you've had a fortnight(?) of dry weather, he's sowing 160 acres in the next few days though. If the seed is in dry soil it will be okay, germinating then going into a prolonged period of dry weather can put pay to the young seedlings.

Thanks. Will just get on with it then. Yes been dry for a couple weeks. Fertiliser still lying on top. Can and probably will all change fast so will enjoy it on way past.

 

[Great In Grass]

so i topped + put 65kgn/ha on a bit grass today... could i broadcast clover next week....turn sheep back on for couple of days to tread in...then remove?.....how soon before it's established and can be grazed?.....could i feed the clover to the ewes/lambs instead?

Red Clover benefits from a small amount of N at establishment (50k/ha) so you're okay there. Sheep going in for a few days after sowing is ideal as they will keep the existing sward down. Weather permitting 8 weeks to grazing I would have thought.

 

[Kevtherev]

Remember oestrogen levels with ewes on red clover at tupping time

 

[hendrebc]

How well does red clover persist in a sward? I think ive read about a variety that grows its crown either very low to the ground or underground and is more suited to grazing than other varieties.

 

[davidroberts30]

How well does red clover persist in a sward? I think ive read about a variety that grows its crown either very low to the ground or underground and is more suited to grazing than other varieties.

I had a cutting mix in and it did 4 good years, 5 year burnt out

 

[jondear]

Do you think its a mad idea to just throw it on top?

Yep. Will grow if wet enough but won't like being trampled when still small .I would try white clover if that survives it will spread.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

How well does red clover persist in a sward? I think ive read about a variety that grows its crown either very low to the ground or underground and is more suited to grazing than other varieties.

Depends entirely on how you manage it.
It doesn't like some treatment at all, and can be grazed out quite easily with continual grazing, just like most things

If you let it form hard seed once every few years then it lasts indefinitely, just like most things it all depends how you fit what you want to do, with what it wants to do.
Ranges from about £3.20-£6.50 here and most of our varieties are bred for low phytoestrogen levels, some of the older cultivars would effectively stop ewes cycling.

One of the main benefits of red clover IMO is it does have a method of self-survival in that it goes bitter to discourage grazing once it enters it's reproductive phase, so generally some will set seed unless you mow it off.
...And that the N it fixes is slowly released as the plant goes dormant in cooler soil, which is great for autumn-early winter pasture needs... stock do well on it... and clover seed is ultimately way cheaper than putting extra fert on, especially if you don't rip it out and start again all the time.

 

[davidroberts30]

How about mixing white clover seed into the barley in the cattle trough?