Clover, Red (Trifolium pratense) seed, inoculated, organic
$3.95 – $16.00
Family: Legume (Fabaceae)
Hardy to Zones 5 to 10
(Red Clover) Medium red Clover is a lush, nitrogen-fixing biennial, taprooted cover crop native to temperate Europe and Asia. Broadcast seed on newly tilled ground in spring, summer or fall. Clovers are the best choice for forcing out unwanted weed species. Their activity is three-fold (just like their leaves): they loosen the subsoil with their roots, fix atmospheric N in the soil with their root nodules, and offer tea by way of their bright red flowers that occur in the second year of growth. Traditional usage (TWM): Blood cleansing. In warm winter areas the seed may be sown in the fall for an overwintering cover, or in cold winter areas it may be sown in the spring or in the summer. Germ time 3 to 7 days. Fixes 140 lbs nitrogen per acre. Seed is treated with rhizobium inoculant in order to spur nodulation.
Packet contains 500 seeds.
Sow 1 lb per 2,000 square feet, 10 lbs per acre. Certified Organically Grown
Question
Amanda –
Hi, I’m looking for a late summer-July thru Frost, nectar producing crop that I can plant for my bees. Rocky ground, old pasture, no more horses. Some shade, mostly sun. Suggestions? I’m in Western WA. I think zone 8. thanks! I’m considering a mixture of some sort for diversity.
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Richo Cech –
Easiest answer: Buckwheat. r
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Renee Green –
What is the most valuable clover medicinally for zone 4? Is it the one called red (but seems to be pink flowers), the leaves having a “white chevron”?
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Richo Cech –
hello renee, mammoth red clover has light pink flowers and the medium red clover where you left this question has darker flowers–that is why we offer the medium red, not the mammoth. Medium red clover is the best choice. richo
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Question
Tim Child –
Sorry to bother you i think you must be very busy with the current events going on in the nation but i have a question about a issue. I have moved my garden to the back of the field on my parents land where my dad use to have his garden. The ground in that area is very hard but i managed to get it broke up and get some manure compost mixed in where we planted some garden plants. In the fall after everything dies i plan to plant some cover crops to help loosen the hard ground and was wondering which one of the three cover crops you would recommend? Mammoth red clover, Medium red clover, or biodrill radish?
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Richo Cech –
Hi Tim,
Things are settling down around here. I can see why you might want to use radish, that can help break up hardpan. Red clover is good, too, any kind. Fior fall planting we usually use oats and peas, which is like growing compost in situ. Richo
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Eileen McCabe –
Hello! How tall does the red clover Trifolium pratense grow? I am looking for options to replace grass in my front yard orchard, ideally a variety of color, but no taller than about 8 inches. Suggestions?
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Richo Cech –
Hello Eileen,
The shortest clover is white subclover and it is OK for yards but watch out for bare feet and bees. The red clover flowers to about waist high and can be mowed. Check my blogs for the “herbal groundcover” info.
Richo
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Question
Tim Child –
What cover crop would you recommend for perennial grass that seems to be very difficult or even impossible to get rid of?
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Richo Cech –
When this happens here we deep mulch with weed-seed-free straw (rice straw is best) and allow the worms to come up from underneath and eat all the grass and grass roots, which they do very nicely. Then, we plant red clover which is the best choice for forcing out weeds, n fixation and breaking up hardpan. r
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Question
Tim –
What clover is best used as a living mulch in zone 7 sometimes a zone 6 if the winter is severe enough?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hi Tim,
Red clover is very good and survives the winter down to zone 5. You might also try any of the white subclovers. We don’t carry them, though.
r
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Debra –
I live in AK, zone 4. Am looking for ground cover or plants to take over areas that have thick buttercups. Could you please suggest ? Thank you
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Richo Cech –
Hi Debra, Buttercups (we call them “ranuncs”) are very hard to displace. Probably the fastest covercrop I know of that forces out or shades out weeds is buckwheat. You might also try fenugreek. Richo
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Question
Maxime Leblond –
How much seeds is in a packet? I stumbled on this page looking for bulk organic cover crops. I need to cover few acres. Do you offer large volume?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Normally we do have this in larger quantity, but for now by the packet only. Packet contains 500 seeds.
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Admin Richo Cech –
The plant is powerfully effective for loosening poor, rocky or clay soils and for fixing atmospheric nitrogen in its roots and thus feeding crop plants after being turned under. One time we planted red clover in half our field and left the other half in perennial grasses. When the tractor guy plowed through the field he commented that the machinery dug inches deeper into the clover side–and that was after only 3 months of growth. Feed the soil and the soil will feed you…
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Saralyn Bellmer –
Do you prefer the medium red to the mammoth for use as an herb?
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Admin Richo Cech –
Hello Saralyn, No, they are equally applicable.
richo
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Malia –
Hi, I am looking for some organic micro clover seeds to replace my grassy yet bindweed filled backyard. It’s an old farm property. Do you know where I can buy some? I’ve looked around and seen much organic seed.
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Admin Richo Cech –
These folks seem to have it. https://www.whygoodnature.com/microclover
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