For most people clover is a problem plant that they want to eradicate from their lawn. Because Clover can grow in poor soil conditions it can quickly take over a lawn that is depleted of Nitrogen. It is also an indicator plant that tells the farmer or landscaper that your soil is depleted. If clover is beginning to take over your lawn then a general purpose weed and feed with a relatively high level of nitrogen should knock it out rather quick. It is important to take care of this early because clover is a perennial plant that can live up to 5 years and it will continue to take over your manicured lawn.
On the other hand Clover can also be a beneficial plant. Clover is a legume plant that is in the family like peanuts and their roots will grow small nodules that contain high amounts of nitrogen. As the Clover plant absorbs the Nitrogen from the air the roots will store it and then when the clover dies the roots will release the nitrogen into the soil.
The ability to absorb and transfer Nitrogen into the soil is one of the reasons that Farmers use the Clover plant as part of their tool box when managing their fields.
Clover can be planted as a cover crop in the late fall or at any time of the year to protect the soil from erosion. At the same time the clover will absorb Nitrogen from the air and store it in their roots. If a field is being rested in rotation from planting then this is a bonus crop. It protects and enriches the soil. Also because the roots are relatively shallow the plant can be killed by plowing and turning the soil. Many farmers do not use plows on their soil but do Disc their soil to prepare it for planting by breaking up clumps and removing weeds so Clover fits well within this method of farming.
Clover As A Field Crop For Small Animals Like Chicken And Goats
Clover can be purchased in a seed crop that contains just Clover seed or it can be mixed with other seed such as normal grass seed. Clover that is mixed with grass seed is good for farms that raise small animals like chicken and goats. Clover is a good choice for part of your field because it has a lot of nutrients that small animals should eat. It may also be a source of protein. It is best to talk with your Veterinarian or a reputable source about the benefits of different grasses and what we call weeds in your field for small animals. This is important because there are different varieties of plants and some animals have a higher benefit from specific plants.
Final Note
Not every home or farm can benefit from the presence of clover but it can be managed pretty easily if you don’t want it around. For the rest of us Clover can provide a variety of different benefits for both vegetable farmers and livestock.
Clover can be purchased in large bulk quantities that make it relatively inexpensive to introduce to even the largest fields. It is easy to get started and can be applied with a regular green lawn seeder. For larger fields you can pickup 50 pound sacks or barrels of seed that can be applied by your tractor.
Because Clover is a perennial it should last you 5 years unless you take steps to get rid of it. For that reason you shouldn’t store bulk seed for extended time or you will have reduced germination rates and you should buy fresh seed as you would any other plant type.