Clover Mowing

[SWEDE]

How low do you all cut down clover and how often. I have 5 small plots in woods 3 small in field that i can do with weed whacker and one large i can do with mower but max height is 6 inches on mower. Too short?

[Otto]

I cut when I see flowers on the clover. And I cut high enough to just cut those flowers off. 

[SWEDE]

Im late then. How many times per season

[land 1]

2x dont really care about clover height more about broadleafs and other weeds cut before they can seeed

[Otto]

 I usually get to it 4 or 5 times a year.  Right now the disk is on the tractor and I know there are flowers.  They will have to wait until the weekend. 

[SWEDE]

Got ya on weed heads. Battled grasses with cleth early. Trimmed tops once. Established plots grow fast. Heard new tender is better. Mowing would be way too low with garden tractor  im guessing. Have a good bicycle style husky so ill keep on with that.

[G-Man]

12 hours ago, Otto said:

I cut when I see flowers on the clover. And I cut high enough to just cut those flowers off. 

Let the clover seed itself ,the flowers will turn brown, then mow, your cutting them before they make seed, really helps thicken plot up at no expense,  2x a year is all you need if the rest of your weeds are under control. I like my last mow end of august to make new growth available for beginning of season. 

[SWEDE]

That sounds good. Will do. Tried to find weed controlto use but any turf weed control contains dicamba clover killer. Only one plot has a weed problem

[LET EM GROW]

I try not to mow more than 2x a year unless weeds are bad. and you only want to clip the tops if you can when you do mow. no more than 1/3 of the plant is desired..

I have cut them with a reg lawn mower where you cut more than you should, but you want to do that when there's adequate moisture and no signs of drought. Mow it end of august or early september, controls your weeds and keeps it at good height for fall when they'll start consuming it heavily again. 

[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, G-Man said:

Let the clover seed itself ,the flowers will turn brown, then mow, your cutting them before they make seed, really helps thicken plot up at no expense,  2x a year is all you need if the rest of your weeds are under control. I like my last mow end of august to make new growth available for beginning of season. 

 

10 minutes ago, LET EM GROW said:

I try not to mow more than 2x a year unless weeds are bad. and you only want to clip the tops if you can when you do mow. no more than 1/3 of the plant is desired..

I have cut them with a reg lawn mower where you cut more than you should, but you want to do that when there's adequate moisture and no signs of drought. Mow it end of august or early september, controls your weeds and keeps it at good height for fall when they'll start consuming it heavily again. 

good info to know.  We are planning on getting a pull behind brush hog soon for our lease and trails are grass and clover.  We were thinking one cut end of June, July and August and by this sounds like a good plan.  thanks   copy -  @FISHDO

[LET EM GROW]

10- 4, just remember not to mow during dry conditions.. clovers struggle during droughts and will go dormant if bad enough, and mowing could do some serious harm.... Mowing keeps plants younger and palatable. And In my experience deer dont do much with clover by end of May throughout most of summer until Fall again when they start hammering it again.. 

[wolc123]

3 hours ago, LET EM GROW said:

10- 4, just remember not to mow during dry conditions.. clovers struggle during droughts and will go dormant if bad enough, and mowing could do some serious harm.... Mowing keeps plants younger and palatable. And In my experience deer dont do much with clover by end of May throughout most of summer until Fall again when they start hammering it again.. 

I am waiting for a good rain before clipping mine again.  It looks like they are predicting some for sat, sun, and mon in wmu 9f.  The turnips I planted in July sure could use some.  

Also, it is much nicer mowing the clover after rain because that keeps the dust down.  

[SWEDE]

Was wondering why they dont eat it now. Now i know. Thanks guys

[G-Man]

4 hours ago, SWEDE said:

Was wondering why they dont eat it now. Now i know. Thanks guys

The deer just started hammering my clover plots this week.  Mowed 3 weeks ago.  They will hit it until better deer candy comes along , like pear, apple, some early nuts, then they will hit it again after high carb food are dwindling and paw through snow to get it until snow depth stops them. 

[LetEmGrow]

On 8/13/2020 at 8:36 AM, LET EM GROW said:

I try not to mow more than 2x a year unless weeds are bad. and you only want to clip the tops if you can when you do mow. no more than 1/3 of the plant is desired..

I have cut them with a reg lawn mower where you cut more than you should, but you want to do that when there's adequate moisture and no signs of drought. Mow it end of august or early september, controls your weeds and keeps it at good height for fall when they'll start consuming it heavily again. 

Same here.  You need to let the deer talk to you.  My deer like it tall.  Never had much action in it until I gave up on it and then the deer were in it.  Some of it gets mowed twice because of trails but most of it I mow once in June.  

[LET EM GROW]

On 8/15/2020 at 10:20 PM, LetEmGrow said:

Same here.  You need to let the deer talk to you.  My deer like it tall.  Never had much action in it until I gave up on it and then the deer were in it.  Some of it gets mowed twice because of trails but most of it I mow once in June.  

Very true, some guys like the plants young and more palatable and others don't mow at all other than controlling weeds.. some guys will tell you not to mow it.. whatever works for you.. keep on keeping on. lol I usually like to mow in Late May/June and again around Labor Day if conditions aren't dry. Old matured clover leafs don't seem to appealing to me, vs fresh new growth as fall approaches and crops begin to be harvested. 

I really want to play around with alfalfa , but my soils are far from preferred for that..