Cultivation methods and precautions of clover

How to grow clover

soil

The seeds of clover are relatively small, so their ability to emerge from the soil is weak, and the seedlings are relatively slender, so they grow relatively slowly during the seedling stage. Therefore, before sowing, the soil must be prepared, shallowly plowed and debris removed to make the soil clods small. At this time, the soil becomes loose and conducive to sowing.

Sowing and seed treatment

The best time to sow clover is spring and autumn. The suitable sowing temperature should be 19-24℃. Sowing can be carried out when the spring temperature is stable above 15 degrees Celsius. Autumn sowing can be carried out in mid-to-late September. The seeds must be soaked before sowing, and the sowing depth should be 1-2cm. If it is too deep, it may cause difficulty in germination.

Post-planting management

After sowing clover and before germination, if the soil is compacted, it should be loosened in time to facilitate germination. Because clover grows relatively slowly in the seedling stage, it is very susceptible to weeds. The soil should be loosened and weeded 1 to 2 times during the seedling stage. In addition, disease and pest control work should be done to ensure the smooth growth of clover. When the soil is dry, it is important to retain water. Keeping the soil moist is more conducive to the growth of clover.

Fertilization

Clover belongs to the legume family, so it has the ability to fix nitrogen. However, during its seedling stage, a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer is still needed to help the seedlings grow strong, otherwise the plants will be short and the leaves will turn yellow. After the seedlings grow strong, you can also apply a certain amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.

Things to note when growing clover

Pests and diseases

Clover has common diseases and pests. Sclerotinia and viral infection are the main diseases of clover. If clover is infected with the disease, we can either pull out the diseased plants to cut off the source of the disease , or use chemical agents. The more common pests include leafhoppers, cutworms, and white cabbage butterflies. We need to use special insecticides or pesticides to kill these pests.