stitching in clover after silage is cut

f140

was thinking of stitching in a bit of clover to two silage fields that have been cut during the week. what is involved to do it?


would spreading it with the fert spreader and a coat of slurry do it without the need to roll it?

Sam Kade

The ground is a bit dry for it now unless rain is forecast the clover seed won't germinate.
https://www.cotswoldseeds.com/seed-info/use-overseeding-improve-your-pasture

Greengrass1

Are the fields continuous silage?
I'm a fan or clover but it can take over in silage fields that are cut twice a yr and smother put the grass

Farmer Pudsey

Waste of time and money.

Greengrass1

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

Waste of time and money.

How?

Greengrass1

Greengrass1 wrote: »

How?

While I await puds reply.
Clover is definitely not a waste of time. I used to think so too but the research has shown me otherwise.
moorepark and clonakilty are doing clover trials atm.
last yr was the first yr of them.
any way. 2 swards both with clover. One got 150 kgs of N other got 250 kgs of N
Believe it or not they both grew the same amount of grass.


I would put clover in a mix and try keep it in my swards but if weeds become a problem I have no problem using a strong spray and forget about the clover

Sam Kade

Greengrass1 wrote: »

While I await puds reply.
Clover is definitely not a waste of time. I used to think so too but the research has shown me otherwise.
moorepark and clonakilty are doing clover trials atm.
last yr was the first yr of them.
any way. 2 swards both with clover. One got 150 kgs of N other got 250 kgs of N
Believe it or not they both grew the same amount of grass.


I would put clover in a mix and try keep it in my swards but if weeds become a problem I have no problem using a strong spray and forget about the clover

Solohead would be a better example they're using clover with years on the dairy farm however a lot dairy farmers are not in favour clover.

Farmer Pudsey

Clover per say is not but trying to stitch it into silage fields or paddocks often has very poor results. The clover seed itself is expensive and it will take 6-10 weeks to establish. During that period you need to keep sward grazed bare. If weather is dry it may not establish.

While using slurry may seem a bright idea if it is very dry after doing it the seed will smother. If it is a bit wet the slurry will power on the grass which may smother the seed as well. Stitching clover was in Reps 4 I think and I have yet to meet a farmer that it worked for. You would be nearly as well off going for a complete reseed

stretch film

Broadcast with fert spreader during reps 4 . Mix small amounts of seed with 0.7.30 regularly and criss cross the field .
Take was good almost too good in spots .

stretch film

2 different fields

blue5000

Might be better to do it after a second cut, better chance of rain then. Ground is very dry here anyway ATM. Have done it a few years back in a wettish summer and worked ok.

Milked out

Greengrass1 wrote: »

While I await puds reply.
Clover is definitely not a waste of time. I used to think so too but the research has shown me otherwise.
moorepark and clonakilty are doing clover trials atm.
last yr was the first yr of them.
any way. 2 swards both with clover. One got 150 kgs of N other got 250 kgs of N
Believe it or not they both grew the same amount of grass.


I would put clover in a mix and try keep it in my swards but if weeds become a problem I have no problem using a strong spray and forget about the clover

When the stocking rate is high and you will be using the upper limits of n it is a waste I think as it isn't growing much at the shoulders and has poorer ground cover in wet weather also

mahoney_j

Milked out wrote: »

When the stocking rate is high and you will be using the upper limits of n it is a waste I think as it isn't growing much at the shoulders and has poorer ground cover in wet weather also

Agree with that,a lot of reseeding done here in last few years and i dont include clover for reasons u outlined .personally don't like it in a award as it can take over ,also very prone to docks .better bang from high sr and pushing your land block to the max within n regulations.clivet ain't worth a ****e before June and after August most years

Justjens

Did it a few years ago after silage, slightly later in the year, spread FYM and then power harrow, took a year or two to establish.

Went with chain harrow after FYM 2 years ago and it's starting to come now.

frazzledhome

Greengrass1 wrote: »

While I await puds reply.
Clover is definitely not a waste of time. I used to think so too but the research has shown me otherwise.
moorepark and clonakilty are doing clover trials atm.
last yr was the first yr of them.
any way. 2 swards both with clover. One got 150 kgs of N other got 250 kgs of N
Believe it or not they both grew the same amount of grass.


I would put clover in a mix and try keep it in my swards but if weeds become a problem I have no problem using a strong spray and forget about the clover

Totals are very deceiving. Grows massive amounts mid season and the warmer the better. Not worth a curse in spring or back end as shut down, cannot see a place for it in intensive grazing

Greengrass1

frazzledhome wrote: »

Totals are very deceiving. Grows massive amounts mid season and the warmer the better. Not worth a curse in spring or back end as shut down, cannot see a place for it in intensive grazing

That's definitely true. Would work in likes of a suckler system. Sowed it here in abergain monoculture. .5kg /ac