Maintaining CLOVER FOOD PLOTS | Spraying & Mowing 

Very cool! We use clover for wildlife food plots mostly. We do mow it a few times a year to help with weed competition. Cool to have viewers from Morocco!

Thanks for pointing out the link. We will get that fixed. Here is a link for a product that is safe for clover, chicory and alfalfa. whitetailinstitute.com/arrest-max-herbicide/

You shouldn't have to mow brassica plots. Using a grass selective herbicide is okay for brassica plots because it wont hurt the broadleaf plants. If you're having weed problems in those plots maybe try seeding a little heavier. The broadleaf plants should shade out most weeds so there isn't competition between the plants.

Maybe just post your questions here in the comments in case anyone else has a similar question so we can answer it for everyone! Thanks!

@@Whitetail_Properties Okay thanks, so I live in upstate NY ( just below ADK's) and have a 12 food plots with my 350acre gun club that total about 20 combined acres. Soil ph is okay, very successful with radishes, Wrye and clover. This year I want to plant them all clover and once planted wanted to know the steps after it. How long until I mow clover? Why should you mow? What kind of grass killer did you use in the video? What kind of clover fertilizer should be used when its growing?

@@pa7145 Thanks for the questions! . Why you should mow, mowing helps with weed control, if you see grasses or other broadleaf weeds starting to bloom or put on a seed head, that is the time to mow. It will help reduce the reproduction of the grass or weeds in the plot. Try to mow right before a heavy rain and the clover should bounce back very quickly. Try not to mow lower than 6 inches tall. Depending on rainfall, browse pressure, weed/grass competition etc. try to mow your clover about 4 times a year. Here, Tim is using Clethodim, which is an annual and perennial grass selective herbicide. Spraying really depends on how much weed competition there is, and how much that weed competition bothers you. After all, is it just a food plot! If weed competition is bad and threatening taking over the plot, apply proper herbicide to the plot based on weeds within a few days after you mow. The clethodim or a product called Arrest will handle your grasses, and a product like "Slay" will handle broadleaf weeds. Fertilize your plot at a rate of 400 lbs per acre with 0-20-20 fertilizer. If that is unavailable, use something with the least amount of Nitrogen (The first number on the bag) You can do this application all at once, or half in the spring and other half in the fall. I have put links to all the herbicides I mentioned as well as crop oils (help with herbicide translocation through plant for better kill) and the clover seed we use. Hope this helps!

It could certainly help

@@Whitetail_Properties thanks, also I've had great success with the clover but it's been turning yellow then brown. Is possible it's dead or can be revived? It looked so thick I thought water wouldn't be the issue. Thanks again!

@@samuraioodon It could be stressed from the heat/lack of water. Its pretty resilient stuff.

@@Whitetail_Properties would you recommend mowing clovers before applying herbicides or spray first then mow? Clovers are about 5 inches. I also have clovers in 4 weeks germination, is it safe to spray on that? Thanks

@@samuraioodon you can spray/mow in whatever order you want. If you mow first. Wait at least a day or two before applying herbicide.

We use whitetail institute imperial clover. It has worked very well for us!

@@Whitetail_Properties how well does that work in the woods? I am putting a food plot in the woods which gets filtered light.

@@davidfiedler6988 I have had a Whitetail Institute Clover plot in the woods now for about 6 years. I just redid it this spring. It actually has done really well to be in the woods. I could have gotten more time out of the first plot if I would have maintained it better. It was over run with grass after 5 years so i replanted. My plot is approx. 20 yards x 60 yards. I put 100 pounds of 3-18-18 on it, because thats what the co-op had that was close to 0-20-20. If its a new plot in the woods I would lime it really good. I used pelletized lime and have added lime to mine every year since I started it. I probably need to do a soil test on it, but its doing great. I only have woodland, so my plots are in the woods. I have been experimenting with different things. Im gonna try some brassicas this fall, and winter rye. Surprised that they do well in the woods. but with lime and time I think it will work. Get as much light to it as you can. Hope this info is of help to you. The deer and turkeys do use it by the way. EE

@@luvbgrass I really appreciate all of the information you have given me. Sadly here lately with all of the rain we have been getting in GA my Lime and seeds washed away LOL. So I am working of getting a sears garden tractor to where my food plot is so I can disc the dirt and give the lime and seeds a better chance. Plus I have been marking trees that need to removed to bring in more filtered sun light.

No man, most weeds are not anywhere nutritious as clover, LOL. WOW. Clover has great protien content, weeds do not. Yikes. Plus we plant it because they are perenial and can last 10 years or more if you just spray in spring and trim in summer. Every 3 yrs may need to add some Phos and K++. Very economical and effiicient. Thats why.

@@roseco581 There are many many species of "weeds" with all ranges of C/N ratios. Not all weeds fix nitrogen though. I've seen deer select weeds over clover just this year . The "weeds" were growing in better soil, thus better nutrition.

Not sure what the ounce per gallon ratio would be. It would just take some more math to figure out if you wanted to spray that way. Most all herbicides we've used have been ounces per acre. But, agreed, it would simplify things if they told you ounces per gallon.

I called the company and they said 1 to 1.5 oz to a gallon. With 2 oz surfactant.

@@travissmith-wz5nc Very helpful, Thanks!

Hi Travis, how did it work out using 1.25 oz of Celthodim and 1.5 oz of surfactant?

Yes it was a surfactant to help the herbicide stick and uptake into the grasses.

Whitetail Properties can u spray the clover in July or is it best to spray it in May? I’ve mowed mine twice so far this year looks good but some grasses are starting to develop.

@@bigweb0311 That is typically what we do. Mow once or twice in the spring/summer. Then depending on weather we will spray anywhere from May until July. Essentially, whenever the grasses start popping up and the weather gives us a good window to spray. We didn't get this plot sprayed until the end of June, because of the weather we've had here in the midwest this year, which is fine. It had been mowed once which helped keep the weeds down until it could be sprayed.

Watch till 2:20 he clearly says 40 gallons.....

Sprayer is 40 gallons!