Sowing & Growing: Large White Clover

White clover (Trifolium repens) is one of the most popular legumes in the UK, large leaf varieties are more upright in shape but have less tolerance or regular, low cutting regimes..

Common large leaf varieties are Alice, Aran & Barblanca.

When to Sow: Legumes need to be sown into warm soils. Sowing from late April to early September is recommended.

Sowing Rate: 1 g/m2 - 4kg per acre - 10kg per ha.

Preparation: The most successful results come from sowing into a newly prepared seedbed. Aim to cultivate the top soil to about 5cm, with a light cultivator or discs. The finished seedbed should be fine but firm, with no clods. Several passes with a cultivator may be needed to achieve this.

Sowing: When clover seed is sown, either as a component of a mixture or a pure stand, the depth of sowing is critical. The seed should be sown no deeper than 10mm as sowing too deeply can reduce the germination and establishment dramatically.

Management: Large leaf varieties have a more upright, stemmy growth habit. They can be damaged by close mowing and heavy grazing.

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Date Posted: 18th January 2023