RED CLOVER

Red clover establishes easily and rapidly but isn’t as drought-tolerant or winter-hardy as alfalfa.

Best Use:

Pasture, haylage, dry hay or cover crop

Adaptation:

Red clover grows on wet and low pH soils that won’t support alfalfa. Better adapted to heavier soils.

Pasture & Hay

• Difficult to dry as hay but improved varieties (Ruby Red, Freedom) dry down faster
• Can cause livestock bloat when heavy stands are grazed

Planting Date:

February – May, July 15 – August 30. Can be frost-seeded.

Seeding:

8-12 lbs/acre straight; 2-5 lbs/acre in a mix. Drill or broadcast and roll. Plant ¼” to ½” deep.

Cutting/Grazing

• Medium red clovers recover after being cut unlike mammoth red clover
• Don’t cut after September 1 in the seeding year to allow for overwintering
• Graze or cut for hay when 25% – 50% of the red clover stand blooms
• Leave at least 2″ growth after each harvest