Clovers

Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)

Most suitable for annual cover crop rather than short term cover crop, unless undersown in early spring. Can be overcompetitive when undersown.

• Overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 15 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 5-7 kg/ha

• Approximate seed cost 5 €/kg

• C/N ratio 15…20:1

• Deep tap root and aggressive, thick branching roots

• Slow to establish

White clover (Trifolium repens L.)

White clover can be recognised by its creeping growth habit. Its creeping stolons help to fill in gaps in the sward, putting down roots at each node. White clover varieties can be categorised into small, medium and large leaf sizes. Good drought resistance. Most suitable for growing in mixes and as annual cover, rather than short term cover crop.

• Overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 10 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 3-4 kg/ha

• Approximate seed cost 5 €/kg

• C/N ratio 18…20:1

• Taproot that develops from the seedling primary root and adventitious or nodal roots that develop from nodes on stolons

Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.)

Alsike clover fixes nitrogen and is a low growing species so potentially useful for undersowing beneath cash crops. Alsike will grow better on wetter and more acidic soils than other clovers including red clover. Alsike will grow at a lower pH than the other clovers.

• Overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 15 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 3-4 kg/ha

• Approximate seed cost 5,5 €/kg

• C/N ratio 18…20:1

• Taproot and secondary roots that form nodes with nitrogen-fixing bacteria

Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.)

• Not overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 15 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 3-5 kg/ha

• Approximate seed cost 3,5 €/kg

• C/N ratio 18…20:1

• Deep tap root and aggressive, thick branching roots

Berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.)

Short term legume also known as Egyptian clover. It provides fast growing biomass and nitrogen fixation when sown in warm soils. A quick growing, fleshy, high biomass crop. With it's low frost tolerance the green material can break down quickly, making it easy to incorporate before the following crop.

• Not overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 15 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 3-5 kg/ha

• Approximate seed cost 3 €/kg

• C/N ratio 18…20:1

• Small tap root

Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum)

This short term annual fixes nitrogen and is capable of rapid growth making it ideal for providing a quick boost to soil fertility where there is a window of 5-9 months. Persian clover is not particularly winter hardy, normally it is killed by the first couple of autumn frosts.

• Not overwintering

• Pure seeding rate 10 kg/ha

• Seeding rate in a mixture 3-5 kg/ha