MGF Clovers
Red Clovers
Red clover is a great addition to pastures or hay fields! As a legume, it is capable of fixing nitrogen to help the performance of grass companions. Traditional medium red is a biennial (meaning that it typically survives for only two years). Some new varieites are bred to persist for three or four years. For best results, red clover should be frost seeded in February - March or planted March - May 15 or August 15 - September 15.
Seeding Rate: 15 pounds per acre for a pure stand. 4-8# in mixes or for overseeding
Seeding Depth: 1/4" - 1/2"
Cautions: too high of rate can be difficult to dry down for dry hay. Can cause bloat, so manage appropriately. Leave at least 2" of stubble for regrowth.
Medium red is easy to establish and manage! It typically persists for 2 years. It is a great frostseeding option to improve existing pastures or hay fields! Coated seed contains the inoculant in the coating.
Medium red is easy to establish and manage! It typically persists for 2 years. It is a great frostseeding option to improve existing pastures or hay fields! Inoculant for raw seed is available upon request.
Blaze is designed to provide superior yield and persistence! Blaze offers a great disease package and is well suited for most soil types in hay and pasture situations!
Q is a high yielding red clover that is tolerant of 2-4,D, allowing for weed management. It is an excellent choice for grazing or hay production. Always read & follow herbicide label restrictions!
White Clovers
White clovers are a valuable perennial legume in pasture and wildlife situations. White clover can be frost seeded in February or March or drilled from March 15 - May 1 or Aug 15 - Sep 15. White clover seed is very small, so consider using a carrier.
Seeding Rate: 6-8 pounds per acre for a pure stand. 1-3# in mixes or for overseeding
Seeding Depth: 1/4"
Cautions: White clover can cause bloat in livestock. Can also cause slobber in equine animals. White clover typically handles shade and wet soil better than other varieties. It is very slow to dry, so it is typically not a good option for hay.
Ladino is a large leafed white clover that can persist for several years. It is shade tolerant and is a great option for grass pastures that are in need of a legume.
Ladino is a large leafed white clover that can persist for several years. It is shade tolerant and is a great option for grass pastures that are in need of a legume.
Renovation is a stoloniferous clover that has wide leaves and is designed to withstand tough grazing pressure. It is a great option for livestock and wildlife!
Other Clover Options
Alsike clover is a good choice for wet soils or soils with pHs as low as 5.0. Alsike can often establish where other clovers have failed to do so.
Seeding Rate: 4-6#/acre
Depth: 1/4"
This is a low growing, perennial clover that can be added to trails or lawns. It offers good traffic tolerance and is very hardy.
Seeding Rate: 1#/1000 sf for lawns
or 6-8# / acre for trails
A biennial clover that is very drought tolerant. Yellow is very palatable. it is a great option for pasture, waterways, pollinator habitats and green manure!
Seeding Rate: 5-12# in a mix
or 15-20# / acre mono
Frosty is a multi-cut, cold tolerant annual clover that is non-bloating. It is a great addition to thinning or first year alfalfa! It dries very well!
Rate: 5-12#mix / 15-20# mono
Dates: Feb 15 - May 1. Can be frost-seeded!
Clover FAQs
Why is coated clover cheaper than raw?
Unlike corn or soybeans, which are sold by the seed count, clover is sold by the pound. When coating is added, it becomes less dense, meaning you get fewer seeds per pound! For example, pure red clover seed is typically around 220,000 seeds per pound. With a coating on it, you typically get 150,000 seeds per pound!
Should I change the rate between coated and raw clover seed?
University trials have shown that there is little difference in final stand when using the same rate of coated or raw clover seed. This is because coated clover seed typically has a higher percentage of plants that establish.
What is the benefit of coated seed?
Coated seed contains a limestone based polymer to help the seed draw moisture to germinate and establish. Most legume coatings also contain inoculant. The inoculant helps to establish beneficial bacteria that can improve the plant's nitrogen fixation.
Can I use coated seed if I am organic or transitional?
No - unless the OMRI logo is on the tag! Always remind your supplier each time you order so that they can help make sure you get raw seeds or OMRI approved products?
Why are your coatings not OMRI?
OMRI coatings typically cost $.10 - $.30 more per pound. We typically offer a "raw" version for those that are organic or transitional. We don't have the warehouse capacity to carry another coating option, and do not feel that it is fair for conventional producers to face an upcharge.