Red Clover
Medium red clover is a workhorse cover crop in the Northeast. This short-lived perennial is used to supply nitrogen. Unlike other legumes, it fixes a lot of nitrogen even when the soil has high nitrate. It is shade tolerant so it can be overseeded into small grains and incorporated in May of the following year. Since red clover seedlings tend to be slow growing, it benefits from a nurse crop. It forms tap roots and is useful for remediation of compacted soils. Red clover can be used for weed suppression with timely mowing.
Land Preparation
Medium red clover prefers cool weather. This crop is well-adapted a wide range of soil types and conditions. Medium red clover tolerates wet conditions better than vetch. It can be overseeded on small grains. Tf the soil is not crusted, it can be overseeded in vegetable crops with no additional preparation to the land to provide post-harvest cover.
Seeding Rate
Drill or broadcast at 10 lb/ac. For a nurse crop, mix 2/3 annual ryegrass with 1/3 medium red clover, sow 20-25 lb/ac. After seeding, roll the ground to improve seed-to-soil contact but do not break up soil aggregates.
Seed Cost
2024 price: $2.50- $3.00/lb
Seeding Dates
February–March for frost seeding. April–September. Clover can be seeded with turf grass or small grains.
Time Until Control
Flowering (May)
Seed Suppliers
Local farm seed dealers, AgriCulver, Seedway, Lakeview Organic Grain. Good varieties of medium red clover include Redland III, Cinnamon Plus, and Bulldog. Do not substitute Mammoth red clover for cover crop use.
Management Tricks
The best for overseeding. Has shade tolerance.
Unavoidable Problems
Retains root rot in legume rotations.
Avoidable Problems
Slow to establish, use nurse crop.
Classic Uses
Frost seeded over small grain, plowed down following spring.
Maintenance
Mow medium red clover during the summer of the first year. It can be seeded between established rows, reducing soil compaction in well-traveled areas.
Control
Control blossoms by May, incorporate when flowering.
Tips
Red clover supports aphid predators such as ladybeetles, green lacewing larvae. and hoverfly larvae. Purchase a seed lot with high germination. To use as a nurse crop, seed with annual rye in June-July, buckwheat in August, and oats in September. Medium red clover is also discussed in the articles on late summer legumes and early spring cover crops.
| Management Goal | Planting Time |
|---|---|
| Attract Beneficial Insects | Late Summer |
| Attract Beneficial Insects | Winter |
| Break Up Deep Compaction | Late Summer |
| Break Up Deep Compaction | Winter |
| Nitrogen Fixation | Late Summer |
| Nitrogen Fixation | Winter |
| Nitrogen Scavenging | Winter |
| Reduce Weeds | Late Summer |
| Reduce Weeds | Winter |
| Winter Erosion Protection | Late Summer |