Ladino Clover for Deer | A Complete Guide to Planting and Maintenance

Ladino clover is a popular choice among deer enthusiasts for its ability to provide high-quality forage for these magnificent creatures. It's a perennial legume that thrives in a variety of conditions.

Ladino clover is a cool-season crop, which means it grows best in temperatures between 40°F and 75°F. This makes it an ideal choice for planting in early spring or late summer/early fall.

To ensure optimal growth, Ladino clover requires full sun and well-drained soil. It's also a nitrogen-fixing plant, which means it can improve soil fertility over time.

With proper care, Ladino clover can provide deer with a reliable source of nutrition throughout the year.

Soil preparation is a crucial step in growing ladino clover for deer. Ladino clover can grow on a wide variety of soils, but does best on fertile, well-drained areas.

A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is perfect for ladino clover, but it can handle soils that are more acidic than most clovers prefer. Soil test prior to planting to determine if agricultural lime is needed to raise the pH.

Soil preparation is critical to ensure good establishment of this crop. A smoothed and light-textured soil will aid in germination and establishment. The seeds are tiny, so it's essential to plow the field first, then come back with a drag and cultipacker to firm the soil prior to seeding.

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Soil testing is an essential step in preparing your wildlife food plot for optimal growth and production. It helps you determine the soil's pH level and nutrient availability.

A soil analysis report will provide you with valuable information about the soil's pH, phosphorous, potassium, and other micronutrients. This information will guide your decisions on liming and fertilization.

If your soil pH is below 6.0, forages will underperform in growth and production. This is because they can't adequately use fertilizers and other soil nutrients, resulting in lower nutritional value.

Proper liming and fertilization can make a significant difference in your food plot's performance. A soil analysis report will help you identify the necessary adjustments to make.

Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect to find in a soil analysis report:

By taking the time to conduct a soil test, you'll be able to create a customized plan for your food plot, ensuring it receives the right nutrients at the right time. This will ultimately lead to a more productive and healthy food plot.

Ladino clover can grow on a wide variety of soils, but does best on fertile, well-drained areas.

A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is perfect for ladino clover, but it can actually handle more acidic soils than most clovers prefer.

Soil test prior to planting to determine if agricultural lime is needed to raise the pH.

Clover is a legume that doesn't require as much nitrogen unless you're planting it in a blend with a cereal grain like wheat, oats or rye.

When planted alone, clover can be established with 300 pounds of 5-10-15 per acre.

A smoothed and light-textured soil will aid in germination and establishment of ladino clover seeds.

I normally plow my field first when preparing for clover, then come over with a drag and cultipacker to firm the soil prior to seeding.

Inoculating the seed is a crucial step in preparing the soil for Ladino clover.

You'll need to get the correct strain of Rhizobium bacteria, specifically Strain B.

Prior to planting, seed must be inoculated with this strain.

You can buy a small packet of inoculant from a seed store where you buy the clover.

I use a little sugar water mixed with the inoculant in a bucket, and then pour this mixture over the seeds, stirring all of it around thoroughly.

Allow the inoculated seeds to dry just a bit before putting them in your spreader.

If this caught your attention, see: Seeding Dutch White Clover

Planting ladino clover is a straightforward process that can be done from August to October, or as a spring planting in late January through April in the northern states.

Seeding rates can vary from 1 to 5 lbs./acre, depending on whether you're drilling or broadcasting the seed. Drilling allows for lighter seeding rates.

To ensure proper germination, seed should be lightly dragged or cultipacked after planting to achieve a planting depth of no more than 1/4-inch.

You can plant ladino clover as early as August or as late as October, depending on your location.

In the northern states, it's also possible to establish it in the spring from late January through April.

Seeding rates can vary from 1 to 5 lbs./acre, depending on whether you're drilling or broadcasting the seeds.

Drilling allows for lighter seeding rates, making it a good option if you're working with limited seed.

For Food Plot 3, we're planting Regal Graze Ladino Clover Seed by Hancock Seed. This variety is a great choice for a food plot because it's a perennial legume that fixes nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for fertilizers.

Regal Graze Ladino Clover Seed is a high-quality seed that germinates quickly, allowing for a fast start to the growing season.

Ladino clover is a popular choice for deer management, but it's not the only option. White clover and red clover are also viable alternatives.

Ladino clover has a high protein content, making it an attractive choice for deer. This is especially true for young deer, which require a diet rich in protein to develop strong bones and muscles.

White clover, on the other hand, has a more delicate flavor and is often preferred by deer in the spring when other food sources are scarce.

Seed germination is a crucial step in the life cycle of clover, and it's essential to understand the factors that affect it.

Some clover species, like white clover, have a high seed germination rate of around 80-90%.

Germination rates can be influenced by factors such as moisture, temperature, and light.

Red clover, on the other hand, has a slightly lower germination rate, ranging from 70-80%.

Pure Live Seed (PLS) rates are a measure of the number of viable seeds in a given amount of seed.

A high PLS rate ensures that more seeds will germinate and grow into healthy plants.

Typically, a PLS rate of 90-95% is considered good for clover seeds.

Durana is a variety of Ladino white clover that's well-suited for heavy grazing. It's moderately drought tolerant, which makes it a great option for areas with limited water resources.

Durana clover is a cool-season, perennial legume that's highly productive and relatively low-maintenance. It produces from October through June, making it a great choice for those who want a consistent supply of clover throughout the growing season.

You can plant Durana clover on silty loam to fertile clay soils, and it'll even tolerate some shade. Poor drainage is also not a problem for this variety.

The ideal planting dates for Durana clover are September 1–October 15 and February 15–May 1. This gives you a good window to get your clover in the ground and take advantage of the cooler temperatures.

The optimal pH range for Durana clover is between 6.0 and 6.5. Make sure your soil falls within this range to get the best results.

If you're planning to plant Durana clover, keep in mind that the recommended seeding rate is 8 lb/acre. This will give you a good starting point for a healthy and productive stand of clover.

Before we dive into the specifics of planting ladino clover for deer, let's cover some key agricultural considerations.

To start, it's essential to prepare the soil properly. This involves spraying existing vegetation with glyphosate and following up with mowing or burning. This process helps clear the area and allows for better seedbed preparation.

Tilling or disking the soil a few weeks before planting is also crucial. It helps aerate the soil and gives time for turned-under thatch and root systems to decompose. A second tilling or disking followed by dragging the plot with a harrow to break up dirt clods is even more effective.

A firm seedbed is vital for optimal results. To achieve this, roll the plot with a cultipacker. This will give your ladino clover the best chance to germinate and grow.

When planting, be mindful of the depth. Ladino clover should be planted no more than ¼ inch deep, while cool-season small grains have better germination and plant survival when planted ½ inch deep.

Related reading: When to Plant Dutch White Clover

VNS stands for Very Nutritious Stuff, and Ladino clover delivers. It's the largest type of white clover, growing 2-4 times as large as common white clover.

Ladino clover is high-yielding, producing 80-130 lbs of nitrogen per acre when terminated the year after establishment. This makes it an excellent cover crop.

As a living mulch, Ladino clover will outcompete weeds and provide ground cover while fixing nitrogen. It's low maintenance and can be used between vegetable rows or fruit trees and berry bushes.

Ladino clover is traffic tolerant and can be used in wetter soils. It's also somewhat shade tolerant, but will grow better when the canopy is opened.

For deer forage, it's best to mix Ladino clover with grass to reduce the risk of bloat. This can be done by adding white clover to a stand or supplementing feed with grass hay.

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