Brian spraying weeds in a clover plot early this week at The Proving Grounds.

Clover food plots can be a valuable tool in a wildlife management plan. Clover grows quickly and becomes palatable early during the spring. Minimal acreage is needed of clover because it produces a lot of tonnage per square acre. How do we take care of this great tool?

When managing clover there are two important things to remember, the first being that clover requires a lot of fertilizer. Secondly, weeds and grasses can choke clover out relatively easily so weed control is very important.

We fertilized the clover plots with Antler Dirt a few weeks ago. This week I’ve been working to control the weeds. We choose to spray our clover plots rather than mow them. Spraying with herbicide actually kills the weeds versus mowing that simply reduces their height. I sprayed the clover plots with two different herbicide solutions. For the broad-leafed weeds I used a mixture of 2,4 DB and crop oil. In order to control the grasses I used a mixture of Clethodim and crop oil. Mixing these two herbicides will lessen their effectiveness. I followed the amounts prescribed on both labels. In some plots weeds can be patchy, in those areas just spot spray rather than spraying the entire food plot. This will help to conserve expensive herbicide.

Find some time this week between turkey hunts to get out and show those clover plots a little love. The Growing Deer Team will be out finishing up clover care and punching a few more turkey tags!

Managing whitetails together,

Brian