clover on sandy soils?

[budworks]

planning on doing an acre of clover in a sandy, acidic(pine) river edge/thickets area and need advice on prepping soil for good growth. any ideas or comments appreciated. is this feasible?

[RealDcoy]

BUD,

I am sure others have more experience than I do, but I can make one suggestion.

Take a sample of land and have it analyzed. I just did this last week. In fact, I am also in T.C. so I can direct you where to go if you want. There is a location doing some free testing next week, but it is minimal testing. The cost for a full workup is about $15 and takes a week (+/- a day or two).

Good luck in your efforts. I just turned a plot in Kalkaska on Thursday.

[Steve in MI]

I have a plot that i planted with Imperials white tail Alfa Rack it is designed for fast draing soils you can not plant clover ang get good results with sandy soil. You can contact Imperial direct and they can fill you in Good luck

[RealDcoy]

Steve in MI, could you update us as to your success with Alfa-rack?

I was considering this product, but I was not real impressed by a friends test plots in WI of their no-till, and regular product. Granted, we are talking about 20ftX20ft test spots that have not been soil tested, but...
Another test plot planted with some local product from WI was doing 4x better!

I also have sandy, poor soil to deal with. The only good thing I have going is a pH of 6.9. I have planted buckwheat that I will turn under later this year as a grren manure, but it will take me years to get productive soil.

If it does well, please let us know about it, as well as soil conditions! Thanks!

[Steve in MI]

Yes , i will keep you up on the progress.
One thing i will tell you is if you do not soil sample just make your checks out to me i will gladley spend your money. You have to get a soil sample and most of the time (i didn't have to ) you will have to linme the soil a few tons worth on a 1/2 acre plot. I did everything that the whitetail people said to do i have had to mow my plots 3 times this year they are growing great . I am very impressed i was a skeptic as well i had tried the buck wheat approarch regular clover none has been this good i have deer feeding every night now. For a area that is not got alot of buck i hope to be able to make a differance. I planted 44 plots all in about the same 5 acre's 4 are the clover the other is in the area of my father in laws blind the soil is all sandy there we planted the alfa rack they seem to like it not as much as the clover but if your soil is sandy you dont have a choice and they will eat the alfa rack over corn , soy bean winter wheat, and farm grown chop mix, alf afla clover sorgrum ,barley. I hunt in a ALL farming area this is the best thing i have planted period. E-mail me if any one has more questions. lgougeon@advnet.net good luck in your food plots