I've been tempted to get some perennial fields going for the last few years but I never have time to do a spring plant which I've always heard is better to establish your clover plots.

From what I've read if you're going to plant in the fall to establish a perennial you have to plant some type of wheat, rye or oats in there with it to relieve the pressure on the clover.

My question is for the folks who've done both was it a big time saver? money saver? to go with perennial?

It seems like with only spraying arrest max a couple times a year, mowing and maybe an application of fertilizer it would end up being cheaper than planting an annual field and also not be as much work. The tonnage seems impressive as well but I would like to hear from those who have actually done it. Thanks in advance!!

Interested in reply’s too. I’m gonna try it this fall. Just sent soil samples off. Read good reports on Durana clover.

In Alabama clover does best if planted in the fall. Plant you some wheat or oats in with it just use enough clover for a pure stand. Next spring spray some clethodim to kill the wheat or oats and any other grass that came up and some 2,4,D-B for weeds.

Figure up the cost in time, labor, fuel. spray, etc that it will take to maintain a clover plot the way many are gonna suggest you do.....Now figure up the cost of a few lbs of clover seed......my suggestion would be to just throw a few lbs of seed on it each fall and let it go until the next year. Come back each fall and just overseer a few more lbs once summer vegetation starts going dormant

We planted 4 perennial clover plots last fall, 3 of the 4 have done well. What I have learned so far is it's all about the soil. PH was good in all, better in some. The clay/clay loam fields did best. The field that was sandy/loam didn't do well at all, the only spot in that field that survived was in the shade of a big oak tree. 2 of the fields still have blooming Durana clover. We planted Durana, red clover and wheat.
We did everything following the directions of Dr Craig Harper at U of Tennessee. He is the Durana guru, look him up

What rate per acre? You going back with a fertilizer in the fall?

That’s good to know. I’ll go back and look at my soil samples but I’m sure at least two of my bigger plots are sandy.

I have a plot of WI Alfa-Rack which is around 5 years old now. To be honest, I have not put a whole lot of effort into caring for it, just mowing it occasionally. Just this year it is finally starting to thin and get overtaken by grass, mostly crabgrass. I ordered some clethodim a couple of days ago. My plan is to spray the clethodim as soon as I get it, wait until mid-September & then overseed with WI Fusion (clover & chicory). I planted the original plot in September & it grew decent until winter, but then really exploded the following spring. I always plant some annual fields for hunting season (oats, rye, wheat, brassicas), but I consistently see far more deer in the Alfa-Rack plot than in any other plot. I should add that most of the alfalfa disappeared after the first year or two, leaving only the clover and chicory. I have noticed they feed on the clover year round, but during the summer they absolutely love the chicory.

Probably 5-8 pounds per acre fertilize as normal when planted and then 0-20-20 the next spring.

I am pretty sure if you have sandy soil at all it just will not hold enough moisture for clover to survive. If you have some heavy clay that holds moisture clover will stay green and growing all summer. That has been my experience here at the house.

All of that revolves around one common theme.....soil moisture. To grow clover in sandy soil you need a lot of organic matter....black dirt.....and/or the field be in a bottom. Some semi-shade helps a lot.

I've had good luck in sandy soil with annual clovers like crimson and yuchi arrowleaf, apparently Durana and red clover are more particular. Looking back, I have 3 fall plots that have always white clover in them, never planted it but it's there. Those fields have some clay in them and are high in phosphorous.

The soil on my place changes drastically across a short area.....in about 100 yards I can go from barely being able to grow clover to being able to grow it knee deep. I actually still have some crimson growing right now that came back from this year's seed

Evening shade is your friend when it comes to perrenial clover plots. North/south running plots do best because of shade. Clover will not do well in Alabama in July and August in full sun, unless we get abnormal rainfall. Bottom land soil that holds moisture does best. Fall planted, and spray in early April to kill grass before it goes to seed. Either mow or spray to control broadleaf. As CNC stated, you can just add perrenial clover to your fall plots and it will usually make it thru July.

Dont know if you guys can do this, but up here I have had a lot of luck frost seeding clover.

don't know why some folks are against rye grass. Throughout the years we have planted fields with just plain rye grass and deer eat it up. We now plant a seed mixture which has some rye grass in it and it does well. Rye grass will grow when some other grasses won't. The only downfall is that it tends to get really thick and will choke out other grasses. But as a whole deer like it

Rye grass is a nitrogen sucker and a poor nutrition source.

I have had similar experiences deerman - I am not saying plant rye grass - but I use to be in a club that mostly planted rye grass - saw more deer than any other club I have ever been in and the fields were beautiful - I know it is low in nutrition - In areas I can’t get a tractor now I hav planted it - it is not my go to if I can get in area w proper equipment

I love it when the neighbors plant ryegrass in their plots, the deer on their property hotfoot it over to my greenfields. Why eat hot dogs when you can have steak?