Crimson Clover Seed for Cool-Season Forage and Cover Crops in Raw or Coated and Inoculated Form
Crimson clover seed grows into a cool-season annual legume that provides forage for livestock and wildlife while helping improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Use it in pastures, wildlife food plots or cover-crop plantings; its crimson flower heads also bring seasonal color and attract bees and other beneficial insects.
Seed Ranch crimson clover is offered as raw seed or coated and inoculated seed. The coated form includes a protective coating and rhizobium inoculant, so its recommended sowing rate is higher by weight. Both forms come in package weights from 4 oz. to 50 lbs.
Plant from fall through early winter in fertile, well-drained soil with consistent moisture during establishment. Good seed-to-soil contact supports germination, and the plants develop through winter before producing forage growth in late winter and spring.
Features
- Nitrogen-fixing legume that helps improve soil fertility
- Palatable forage suitable for grazing, hay or silage
- Crimson flowers attract bees and beneficial insects
- Cover-crop growth helps protect soil from runoff and erosion
- Raw seed and coated and inoculated seed have separate recommended seeding rates
- May reseed under favorable growing conditions when allowed to mature and set seed
Specifications
- Plant: Crimson clover
- Scientific name: Trifolium incarnatum
- Growth habit: Cool-season annual legume
- Seed forms: Raw; Nitro-Coated & Inoculated
- Package weights for each form: 4 oz.; 2 lbs.; 5 lbs.; 10 lbs.; 25 lbs.; 50 lbs.
- Planting season: Fall through early winter
- Planting depth: 1/4–1/2 inch
- Approximate germination time: 7–14 days
- Sun exposure: Full sun to partial sun
- Soil: Fertile, well-drained soil; loam and clay loam
- Soil pH: 5.5–7.0
- Raw seed sowing rate: 20–25 lbs. per acre; 0.5–0.6 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.
- Coated and inoculated seed sowing rate: 25–35 lbs. per acre; 0.6–0.8 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft.
- Establishment moisture: Consistent moisture
- Grazing height: Generally begin at 6–8 inches; avoid grazing below 3–5 inches
Frequently Asked Questions
How much crimson clover seed should I sow per acre?
Sow raw crimson clover seed at 20–25 lbs. per acre, or coated and inoculated seed at 25–35 lbs. per acre. For 1,000 sq. ft., the corresponding rates are 0.5–0.6 lbs. raw or 0.6–0.8 lbs. coated and inoculated.
Why does coated and inoculated crimson clover require more seed by weight?
Coated and inoculated crimson clover requires a higher sowing weight because the coating contributes to the package weight, leaving fewer actual seeds per pound than raw seed. This form also includes rhizobium inoculant designed to support nitrogen-fixing activity.
When and how deep should I plant crimson clover?
Plant crimson clover from fall through early winter at a depth of 1/4–1/2 inch. Maintain seed-to-soil contact and consistent moisture during establishment; germination typically takes approximately 7–14 days.
What soil conditions suit crimson clover?
Crimson clover performs best in fertile, well-drained soil with adequate moisture and a pH of 5.5–7.0. Excessively sandy, drought-prone or persistently saturated sites are less suitable.
When can livestock begin grazing crimson clover?
Livestock should generally begin grazing crimson clover once it reaches 6–8 inches tall. Avoid grazing below 3–5 inches to encourage continued growth, and reduce grazing during flowering and seed development if natural reseeding is a goal.