# fertilizer for clover



## Hungry Wolf

Hey guys- I did a search and could not find a specific answer to my question- Would it be a good idea to fertilize my clover now (late feb-early march) I am hoping to boost the spring green-up. Last year I was using either 0-13-13 or 0-19-19. Thanks.


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## rzdrmh

Little early. Try using 200 lb/acre of 7-27-27 around the 1st of april.


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## Hungry Wolf

rzdrmh-
Just a question- Why is it too early? I would think that by getting it in now it would be availiable for the green-up. Would it somehow go away or diminish the effects if done now? Thanks for the reply-


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## rzdrmh

those are the guidelines that Ed Spinazzola gives in his book, "Food Plots, easy as 1-2-3". My assumption is that by waiting until then, you'll have good ground contact (snow should be gone.) Also, any clover seed in the ground won't germinate much earlier than that. 
Sorry - don't have a good reason - I'm just going by Ed's advice, which seems to be pretty accurate.

Good luck


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## johnhunter

Last year, I broadcast clover seed over a prepared plot on St. Paddy's day weekend, and then broadcast 200#/acre of 6-24-24 about five minutes later. Results could not have been better.


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## Ed Spin

No problem with broadcasting fertilizer in February for the cool weather will keep the fertilizer from volitizing, denitrifying,etc. The problem comes from broacasting it on snow with some depth, or on open frozen ground. 

If you have deep snow and comes a quick thaw and/or rain, the melting runoff may carry the fertilizer and seed with it. The problem with broadcasting it on frozen ground too early is similar, but not a problem very often. The fertilizer, but not so much the seed may run off with a heavy rain that cannot soak into the soil due to it being frozen. Oh! the problems we incur in agricultural practices.

Farm Legend, among his many talents, knew the weather conditions far into the future, so, he had nothing to fear.

Keep the fun in hunting!


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## Hungry Wolf

Thanks for the info guys-- If I may, a follow up question. How much fertilizer should I apply at any one time? Is there a limit on how much per year? Farmlegend- you suggested 200lb/acre. Could I put 100lb. on in the spring and another 100lb. shortly before Oct. 1st to hopefully make my plots more attractive during hunting season? I appreciate your feedback--
-Matt


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## Ed Spin

Hungry Wolf:

Tips for the clover plots. 

In my clover feed plots of one to five acres, which are designed for feeding deer all year, I use farm store type seeds consisting of 3 lbs each of ladino, medium red and alske clover per acre. I recommend to add, for that sure to come dry summer season, 3 lbs of birdsfoot trefoil and 1 lb of chicory. For good measure I sometimes add 3 lbs of grazing type alfalfa. All new plantings are fertilized with 200 lbs of 19-19-19. If planted in the spring I follow up with 200 lbs of 7-27-27 or 6-24-24 per acre around August the first, NEVER any later. I mow around the first of June and again the first of august. 

Maintenance is broadcasting 200 lbs of 7-27-27 both in early april first and august first. Agronomists normally recommend a little nitrogen for the planting time, but none thereafter. That's exactly what I did when I raised hay for livestock, but now I'm growing forage for deer. you still need to take soil tests and correct accordingly, with sometimes a heavy dose of potash. My 7-27-27 recommendation is for maintenance with no soil test to guide you. 

Now for the attractant type clover fields (where you hunt). I usually eliminate the birdsfoot trefoil and use the expensive blends, like Tecomate, Whitetail Imperial clover or biologic clover plus, which has two types of chicory added to it. I prefer to plant it in late summer (July 20-August 15), with August first the target date, for the freshest clover forage. I sometimes add grazing type alfalfa. The planting fertilizer and mowing maintenance is the same as the feed plots, except on August first I broadcast 200 lbs of 19-19-19 and on september 15th. I broadcast 50 lbs of urea 46-0-0 per acre. This heavy use of nitrogen in clover in late summer goes against all normal advice from farmers, agronimists, feed and seed farm stores and elevators. I'm not only growing forage for deer I'm competing against local farmers who just took a last cutting of their alfalfa in late august. This is tough competition. What type of fertilizer is recommened to green up your lawn. Yep, one that has a lot of nitrogen, and you probably noticed it works with aggressive new leaf growth. In fact I apply 50 lbs of urea per acre in every attractant type food plot around September 15th. (timely for that October 1st bow opener) no matter what the forage type is. A recommendation probably found nowhere else.

Does this work? Timely planting and intense maintenance coupled with better seeds will accumulativly make a differance in your attractant type food plots, trust me!

Keep the fun in hunting!


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## Swamp Ghost

Great tips, Ed!


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## Hungry Wolf

Thanks Ed-


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## johnhunter

FWIW - This guy Ed Spin can move markets!

Up until 3 years ago, every fading wooden barn in Michigan had an old cultipacker laying behind it, gathering rust. The more ambitious farmers sold them for scrap, just to get the ugly things out of their barnyards. Then Ed told us how indispensible these old slabs of iron were. Try to find an old packer today! If you're lucky, a farmer who owns one will take your late-model pickup truck on an even swap for his half-century old Brillion, Dunham, or Deere. 

Then, Ed regaled us with stories of using old cement mixers to mix seeds and seed inoculant, even to "de-beard" those fluffy big bluestem seeds so they could be run through your broadcast spreader! Much more effective than a mixing tub or bucket! Next thing you know, guys started advertising decrepit mixers on Ebay for just that purpose, with bids starting at $200. 

Now that Ed has begun recommending that we spread Urea on fall attractant clover plots, I fully expect every fertilizer dealer in Michigan to increase their prices on 46-0-0 by at least $2 per bag!

Please, Ed, next time you get one of these great ideas, send me a private message first so I can lock in my position at yesterday's prices!


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## Ferg

too funny FL - just to damn funny - 

ferg....
but true !!!!
PM me too Ed


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## Swamp Ghost

LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!


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## SalmonSlayer

i hear ya man! I cannot find a cultipacker anywhere down here. and I live in farm country!!!


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