Red Clover Seed

 Medium Red Clover Seed

Red clover seed is an important forage legume grown widely in the temperate regions throughout the U.S. extending from the Northeast through the Midwest to eastern North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas and into the upper South. Red clover is becoming increasingly important in the Deep South where it is used as a winter annual. It is also grown in many areas in the Pacific Northwest and other regions of the U.S.

Red clover is adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions, soil types, fertility levels, use patterns and management. It is easy to establish, red clover seeds establish vigorously and is a very good clover to fixate nitrogen out of the atmosphere and in to the soil. Red clover is relatively easy to remain free of disease and pests. For this reason, red clover has many uses and is often used as part of a crop rotation program. Although red clover seed is tolerant of a wide range of soil and climatic conditions, it prefers rather mild conditions rather than hot climates and prefers locations where rainfall or irrigation are consistent throughout the year.

Red clover is most often grown in association with cool season grasses but can be grown alone or with certain warm season perennial grasses. It can be used for pasture, hay, or silage, and is an excellent soil improvement crop. When grown where it is well-adapted, the yield of red clover seed is usually higher than that of any other clover. In addition, it has a longer growing season than any other clover grown in the United States.

Red clover seed grows best on medium to well drained soils with adequate levels of fertility. To ensure your red clover seed gets off to a good start, it is worth the money to invest in a good soil test so you can find out the soil pH, phosphorus and potassium levles. Red clover seed yields better and stands last longer when grown on soils with at least medium levels of phosphorus and potassium. A pH of 6.2-6.5 is usually recommended for excellent yields and stand persistence. In some states certain minor elements are recommended. You can contact your county extension agency to find out the best soil environment for your red clover seed. Nitrogen is not recommended when seeding red clover into grass. Nitrogen will stimulate the grass, thus providing more competition for the red clover seedlings during establishment.

Adequate amounts of lime, nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and minor elements are needed to produce high yields of red clover and to maintain desirable stands. Nitrogen is supplied by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in nodules of properly inoculated red clover. Except for red clover seed production and in certain geographic locations, minor elements are usually supplied in adequate quantities by the soil. In general, lime, phosphorus, and potassium are the critical elements for red clover-grass production. Red clover seed requires a higher pH, as well as more phosphorus and potassium than most grasses. A soil test should be used as a guide in determining the amounts of fertilizer and lime needed as mentioned above.

Inoculant - Our clover seed is NOT preinoculated. Inoculation must take place within 24 hours prior to planting; therefore, it is impossible to preinocluate seed. Companies that claim there seed is preinoculated are stretching the truth greatly. The seed may have been inoculated, but it will do NO good due to that fact that all the rhizobia would be dead by the time you plant your seed. For your convenience, we do sell inoculant seperately at this link: Inoculant. However, inoculation has NO effect on germination and is rarely needed. Inoculant is normally only used in certain cover crop situations where extra nitrogen fixation is required or in very, very poor soil conditions.

Plant red clover seed at 1/2 lb per 1,000 square feet or 8 to 16 lbs per acre. Ideal seeding depth is approximately 1/4 inch, but error on the side of being shallow rather than too deep. Good seed-soil contact helps ensure establishment. Most red clover is seeded in late winter to early spring in the northern and central parts of the red clover belt. Autumn seedings are preferred in the Lower South.

This information is just part of a full document from the Oregon Clover Commission. To view the full document click on the link: Red Clover