DJ54, I know that clover/legumes provide nitrogen to soil.
My question is when does a legume release the nitrogen, so that other plants can use it?
1. Is it available when the clover is growing?
2. Does the legume have to die before it is released?
I have searched for the answer many times and I am yet to see it stated in a factual manner. I think the correct answer is the legume must die, but I can not validate that.
This is the web page for the Renovation Clover.
Renovation White Clover The answers to both your questions are both no and yes. Until it get well established this year, I probably won't see the results until next year. As explained in this article,
https://www.drovers.com/news/beef-production/how-do-clovers-add-nitrogen-pastures Basically the life and death cycle of roots. and root hairs, releasing nitrogen and generating new roots, completing a new cycle. (See paragraph 2)
In my mind, I'm thinking the largest gain will be over the winter when the clover goes dormant, and some of the root mass dies off releasing that N.
I actually cut my first cutting 2 weeks ago. The Renovation Clover bloomed well before the Fescue headed out, the Tuukka Timothy came to the boot stage, and Red Clover bloomed, when I cut it. It was to the point, some ( maybe 20%) of the Renovation bloom had started to turn brown, so can't help but think it was to the stage where it is reseeding itself.
I'll pull a soil sample this Fall, then another next Fall, and see if there is a difference. I did reseed some thin spots last Fall with Fescue, and it too will not see full production until later this year, or next, although it was growing well, just hadn't reached its full potential. However, what I did frost seed a year ago Feb. 14th, is doing better than expected. As luck would have it, I caught the Fescue just headed out, Timothy in boot, and red clover just starting to bloom. The picture below doesn't show justice to the heavier part of the Fescue in the field. The best part, I gathered up some that had was drooped out of the baler when dumping a round bale. I gave it to the horses, and they licked up every bit of it. The second picture is of first cutting last year, cut May 30, that was frost seeded Feb. 14th. I was really pleased with that also. Although the Fescue was coming on, the difference between last year, and this year was outstanding. The intent was to sow it thick enough to choke out the existing Rye Grass, and was evident this year that it was successful. The Rye Grass makes more bulk, but the horses don't eat first cutting all that well.
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