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Clover Food is something of a do it all plant which appeals to two of the most sought wild game in the USA, whitetail deer and wild turkey. The plant itself is incredibly nutritious, with some clovers supplying around 25% protein in every pound or two. That’s precisely the sort of protein requirement which a thriving herd of deer needs, especially for healthy antler growth. When deer discover a good-sized clover patch, chances are extremely high they’ll return for more.
While turkeys will also eat clover flower, they often zero in on the prodigious insect life which clover attracts. Clover leaves provide a compact foliage cover for insects to hide in. All those sweet nectar-filled blossoms are a feeding haven for insects of all types, providing a food source for the turkey to thrive on. With insects in the ready, they won’t be afraid to make their nests directly in a plot of clover. It’s the ideal training ground for young turkey after they are pecking.
The rest of this report covers all you have to know about choosing and planting clover food plots. Learn about the kinds of clover, when to plant, and also the best clover seed to your food plot.
Quick Picks: Best Clover Seed
- Whitetail Institute Imperial Whitetail Clover
- Antler King Trophy Clover Mix
- Cabela’s Clover Blend
- Mossy Oak BioLogic Clover Plus
- Evolved Harvest Clover Crush
Benefits of Clover Food Plots
The main benefits of clover are that it is inexpensive to develop, maintenance-free, and pleasing to the eye. Once past the initial expense of purchasing seed, their potential costs are minimal. Since clover is a perennial, it’s a multi-year life span before it has to be reseeded. Another bonus is that the rabbits and quail which will flock to it.
- Easily Launched: Clover doesn’t require any tilling, in actuality, if plant clover seeds are more than a one-quarter inch below ground, it won’t last. That means, when seeding, spread it around by hand, per package directions on how many pounds per acre, and forget about it. The clover seed will sprout naturally over the course of a single week, and whether the soil is ready or you get a few good rounds of rain, then it may sprout in as few as 2 or 3 times.
- Low Price: According to clover seed is quite cheap, even the best clover seed blends won’t break the bank. The ideal clover seeds all come from brand name companies, where you will receive high quality with no filler. But in case you really want to go on the cheap, and results will vary, almost any agricultural seed and feed store will take clover seed. It is not the ideal solution, but if you’re on a budget, then it is going to find the job done.
- Varieties for any Climate: Clover isn’t fussy when it comes to climate. Most clover types do just fine in the southern or northern hemisphere, but there are a few that do better than others, and we’ll get into that when we tackle the kinds of clover to plant.
Planting a Clover Plot
Although planting clover is simple compare to other crops, there are a few things to know before you get start:
- Where to Plant: The perfect spot to get a clover plot is right next to a wooded area. Both deer and turkeys love the protection of the woods. If a principal source of food is right alongside their security area, they’ll tend to use it. Clover food plots must cover 1/2 an acre, and always make it thinner and longer than broad. A good guideline is for every 25 acres of forests, seed in two acres of clover, but because deer are bigger and will cover more ground, you can put in any size plot with your accessible land.
- How: For maximum benefits, lightly till the place, pressing the seed to the soil by means of a roller, or lightly rake over the seeds. Do this a day until it rains if potential for the maximum success rate of germination. For pure clover with no other plants in the plot, mow the area and spray with a whole herbicide to kill all of the vegetation. If it turns brown, seed and till the clover. The dead thatch will shield the seeds and let them germinate.
- When to Plant Clover: In northern climes, the best time to sow clover seeds are from the early spring and summer, particularly when the soil is moist and moist. You can also sow clover seeds in late September and early October. This permits the clover to set up a root zone before going dormant in the winter. In southern climes, just be sure that the soil is moist, and you’ll be ready to go.
Kinds of Clover
There are 5 major types of clover that will appeal to both deer and turkey. We’ll provide you an insight into each one below.
- Red Clover: Red clover is thought to be a perennial except in the deep south, where it’s similar to a semi-annual. It produces a large and bold flower which may be a fantastic addition to any clover plot. Red clover isn’t perfect for deer since the longer stalks of red clover have more lignin than others. This makes it a bit more challenging to digest for deer. The red flowers attract an array of insect life, so for turkeys, it’s one of the greater clovers to plant.
- Crimson Clover: Not to be confused with red clover, red is considered a yearly and works best if planted each year. Even though it can continue to self-germinate with lower growth outcomes, for years with no help. It doesn’t tolerate heat very well, so it’s best in northern climates. With a greater protein ratio, it’s particularly beneficial for deer, as well as the blossoms also bring in a huge quantity of insect life. It requires more care during planting than other clovers, but once established, it puts nitrogen back into the soil, which assists other plants around it grow hardier and fitter.
- Arrowleaf Clover: This is primarily a southern or southeastern perennial species that deer and turkey love. It grows best in well-drain soils and can be seed in the fall, generally by broadcasting the seed using a seeder or by hand. It’s considered a perennial selection, and it’ll reseed itself in the late spring.
- Berseem Clover: Berseem is most successful in the eastern seaboard out to the Midwest, and across the far west coast. It’s thought to be a summer annual in northern climes, and a winter annual down south. Seeding can be done after the last signs of frost in the Midwest, usually from the middle of April. In southern areas can be done in the autumn. In the Mississippi Deer Lab, Frosty Berseem clover has regard as the best clover for deer, found to be favoure over each other clover available.
- Ladino Clover: This perennial clover is a hybrid develop especially for food plots. It provides both deer and turkeys exactly what they want, in a simple to seed clover. Ladino can be planted in the spring or early autumn and is regard as among the greatest clovers for both species. It needs to be mowed two or three times per year to keep it growing and robust. A no-nitrogen fertilizer may also be utilised in the spring to promote growth and general health. For those who have a decision to plant only one clover for both deer and turkey, then this is the one.
- (Bonus) Durano Clover: Durano is just another hybrid kind of clover developed especially for feed plots. It has very similar features to Ladino clover, and it’s also an exceptional selection for planting if you’re only going to have only 1 type for the two species.
Greatest Clover Seed for Deer
While clover is a considered best choice for deer and turkey food plots, you should seriously think about planting a mix. The perfect clover food plot will include several varieties with the capability to bring in the animals you search. Each seed mix is coat with a starter fertilizer for rapid initial development. Here’s a listing of 5 clover combinations which ought to be considered.
Whitetail Institute Imperial Whitetail Clover
Imperial was the first feed-plot genetically select clover made especially for deer. Made primarily of Ladino and Berseem clover, together with traces of alfalfa. It can produce growth lasting up to five decades. The seeds are coat with a special coating for enhance seed survival and features the JumpStart formula for fast initial growth. Imperial is tolerant of cold and resistant to heat and has been successfully grown across all areas of North America.
Antler King Trophy Clover Mix
This perennial clover combination has 4 different kinds of clover, with Ladino and Berseem the primary, together with some chicory and rapeseed too. Antler King has one of the high protein concentrations, with an acre producing up to ten tons of forage per acre, and 30%+ protein. The four-clover mix is very pleasing to look at once grown in, particularly when the clover blossoms. Antler King Clover is devise for all climate zones, and under good conditions can last up to 6 decades.
Cabela’s Clover Blend
This 5 year continuing blend features 3 unique clovers; Ladino, Dutch white, and Arrowleaf. Like many commercial food plot combinations, the Cabela’s mix has a Micro Boost seed coating to power the first plant growth after germination. You can seed a half acre with 5 lbs of seed mix. The coat also adds nitrogen to the soil, which is important to achieving numerous years of clover growth. For the cost, the Cabela’s Clover is a really good value.
Mossy Oak BioLogic Clover Plus
This Mossy Oak mix is a mixture of clovers from New Zealand. Contained in this clover mix are varied kinds of white clover, red clover and Berseem clover. It’s northern zone hardy, but grows best in the Midwest and southern climes. Because it’s clover, it is going to attract wildlife, but if you’re trying to target deer. Turkey or you will find better combinations out there.
Evolved Harvest Clover Crush
With a blend of red and white clovers, it’s basic so far as clover blends go. Evolved Harvest is the sole clover mix with an expert endorsement, but take that with a grain of salt. It’s mid-priced as far as combinations go, so it’s a fantastic bargain, but a straight Ladino or Durana may be a better bet. The major drawback is it seems to only be available in 2lb bags.
Bear in mind these combinations will provide superior preliminary functionality over non-coated seeds, as a result of the special coatings. Just bear in mind that in the actual world, Producers are not control test planet, not one of these blends can be proven to attract deer or turkey better than anything else. That is not a knock, only a reminder to bear in mind that the results may differ from plot to plot. All you can do is the best to pick the plot site and prepare it for achievement as best possible.
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