**A Little Clover Info**

[Low Fence]

Was eating lunch with the County Extension Agent this afternoon and he brought me some info on BALL CLOVER:

First off let me say, I have not used this product or done any testing of this product. I will be planting a few test plots this Fall to compare results and monitor deer preference.

Just some info: BALL CLOVER

Soil:
*Fine,sandy loam to clay
*Moderately well-drained; can tolerate somewhat poor drainage
*Especially well adapted to soils that are wet in the fall but too dry in the summer for white clover to survive.
*pH range is 5.0-8.0 with limited production in more acidic soils. More acid-tolerant than crimson clover


Planting:
* Early to mid-October through November

Fertilizer
*NO nitrogen needed

Management:
*Tolerates short grazing and will produce seed close to the ground
*most production occurs in late April to May and can persist into June if moisture is adequate.


PROTEIN CHART

Date Crude Protein Dig. Crude Protein
1/26/05 21.2% 17.3%
3/25/05 30.1% 25.9%
4/28/05 16.5% 12.8%
(results reported on 100% dry matter basis)


If anyone plants this, or has planted this please keep me updated. I'm sure you can find more info at there web site ballclover.com

[Leftridge]

Who is carrying it?

[Low Fence]

Produced by Fairlie Seed Company,LLC. My feed store will order it, as most will I'm sure.

[smokey]

I like it!, I gonna ask Turner seed about it.

[smokey]

Turner seed does not have it.

[Low Fence]

Cant believe they cant order it. Might have to buy a certain amount of quantity at a time.

The company that is pushing it is out of Commerce, Texas.
Might give them a call and see where a dealer is, or if they will send it direct.
(903)-886-2362 Fairlie Seed Company, LLC

[PSE-Hunter]

Sounds great for my area gonna have to give it a try thank you. Hope it works for u as well.

[Abbott]

how does it do in drought times? does anyone know?

[Low Fence]

it says better than white clover, but I don't think it will thrive

[Not the first]

I have had pretty good luck in establishing ball clover in some sandy loam areas of Robertson County, especially with better than average moisture in the soil. However, I dont think ball clover is as palatable to deer as some other clovers are, though my cattle eat it. It is a great reseeder and lasts into June-July as long as there is moisture. I establish it in my pastures for cattle and add in some other types of clover for deer usage to benefit from the clover management (lime, fert. etc). However, they typically die out quicker over time as they are not as competitive as the ball clover. I have added/tried yucchi, apache, crimson, white and this year I am trying durana. I would say from my experience that clovers are very fickle and some may work one place but not another. I have had more success in clay loam with burr clover than anything else, and it is very palatable to deer but does not grow very late into spring. The later a clover lasts, the better it is for deer, as it covers the fawning and early antler growing period. Hope this helps.

[Low Fence]

Let me know how you like the Durana, we planted it 2 or 3 years ago. Weather didn't work in oiur favor so I have no personal data on it, but the numbers on it are good.

[Downwind]

Do you have to till the soil in order to plant it or is a throw and grow type of seed. It is hard to till the rocks in Harper.

[Low Fence]

Says you can broadcast then run a drag across. Only needs soil contact (like most clovers) 1/4" MAX.

[Downwind]

Thanks Low Fence. I think I'll try and find me some to plant this fall. Great info.

[texag2010]

I just got back from a several hour class field trip in Grimes County to the 17th annual Clover Field Day. We went out to Gene Sollock's Farm where he has had amazing success with Ball Clover. He runs a very fast paced, intense rotational grazing system and was basically showing how productive the Ball Clover is for him and how well it grows back after being grazed to the ground.

There was also a drawing and I happened to win 10 pounds of Ball Clover...free food plot!