Alsike Clover Seeds – ,Improve Your Garden Soil Caribbeangardenseed

Please Use Dropdown box to order- Inoculated Seed.

The best clover for poor soils. Inoculated

• Improve Your Garden Soil,The best clover for poor soils.
• Perennial, Nitro-Coated, Inoculated Clover Seed
• Helps boost soil nitrogen levels, taking nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil
• Can be used as ground cover, cover crop and for erosion control
• Useful in pasture mixes and turf mixes

You can plant alsike clover seeds with grass, or overseed the seed into grass in spring. Plant alsike clover at a rate of 2 to 4 pounds (1 -2 kg.) per acre. Avoid nitrogen fertilizer, which may damage alsike clover.

Alsike Clover (Trifolium Hybridum) – Alsike clover is a short-lived perennial plant, alsike clover lacks persistence so is treated agriculturally as a biennial. It is grown widely in the eastern and northern mid-western states from bulk clover seeds, and in the Pacific Northwest. Similar in many ways to red clover, it matures a week to ten days earlier. It is especially well adapted to cool climates and wet soils, will tolerate flooding for considerable periods.

Alsike clover seeds will also germinate and produce well on well-drained soils. Does well on soils to acidic for red clover, and will tolerate more alkalinity than most clovers; however, it responds to lime application. May be readily established on poorly drained or overflow land. Usually produces only one hay crop a year. Fits well in pasture mixes for wet lands. Alsike clover tends to lodge badly; a companion crop is desirable for hay production. Flowers are pink or white.
USDA Zones: 3 – 10,
Seeding rate 6 to 8 lbs/acre.

Alsike clover isn’t planted on its own. Rather, it is seeded along with grass or other plants, such as red clover, to improve soil, or as hay or pasture. It is rich in nutrition, providing food and protective cover for livestock and wildlife. It can be difficult to tell alsike clover from red clover, but it can be an important distinction. Unlike alsike clover, the leaves of red clover are not serrated, and they display a white ‘V’ while alsike clover leaves have no markings. Also, alsike clover, which reaches mature heights of 2 to 4 feet (60 cm. to 1.25 m.) is taller than red clover, which maxes out at 12 to 15 inches (30-38 cm.).

Avoid planting alsike clover in horse pastures, however. The plants may harbor a fungal disease that causes horses to become photosensitive, in which areas of the skin turn white before becoming red and painful. In severe cases, fungus in alsike clover may cause liver disease, evidenced by symptoms such as weight loss, jaundice, colic, diarrhea, neurological disturbances and death. The fungus is most prevalent in rainy climates or irrigated pastures. Other livestock should be introduced gradually to a pasture containing alsike because the clover may increase the risk of bloat.
How to Grow Alsike Clover Growing alsike clover is possible in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. Alsike clover performs best in full sun and moist soil. Alsike prefers moist soil but tolerates acidic, alkaline, infertile or poorly drained soil. However, it doesn’t tolerate drought.