Sweet Clover, Legumes

Sweet Clover Seed

Honey-scented yellow flowers make this legume a bee favorite
Deep roots loosen soil and capture nutrients
Substantial biomass creates effective green manure
Adaptable plants establish across many soil conditions

See product details

Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Melilotus officinalis

Days to maturity

60 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Zones 3–9 Check your growing zone

About Sweet, Clover Seed, Clover Seed

The Sweet Clover is a legume that is exceptional for not only attracting honey bees to the garden, but also creating green manure! This clover can grow nearly anywhere under most conditions. The Sweet Clover is our favorite clover because it is more versatile than other clovers at nitrogen fixating, erosion control and attracting beneficial insects. This variety is slow to establish the first year but comes on fast the following year and can produce up to 170 lb. of nitrogen per acre.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/4"

Days to Germination

5–14 days

Row Spacing

Broadcast or Drill

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Perennial

Hardiness Zone

Zones 3-9

Plant Height

72 inches

Growth Habits

Upright

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

16,250

Seed Type

Open Pollinated

Before Planting

Clover benefits from an open, sunny site with a firm, well-drained seedbed. Test the soil, correct pH and phosphorus or potassium deficiencies before planting, and control established weeds without overworking the surface. Inoculate clover seed with the correct fresh rhizobium strain when the crop or compatible legumes have not recently grown there.

Planting

Clover is best direct-sown during its recommended seasonal window, when enough growing time remains for establishment. Broadcast or drill seed evenly, then roll or press the area to ensure firm seed-to-soil contact. Keep the surface moist until seedlings establish if rainfall is insufficient. These crops normally form a stand and are not thinned; use the separate seeding-rate guidance to control density.

Watering

Maintain moisture until clover forms a uniform stand. Established plantings usually need supplemental water only during extended dry periods; apply deeply and infrequently rather than keeping the surface constantly wet.

Fertilizer

Avoid routine nitrogen fertilizer on clover; healthy nodules normally supply the crop’s needs. Correct phosphorus, potassium, or pH deficiencies only as indicated by a soil test.

Harvesting

Clover readiness depends on use: graze or cut while vegetative for quality forage, mow at early bloom for biomass, or allow seed to harden only when deliberate reseeding is desired.

Tips

Keep clover weed-free while the stand establishes. Mow or terminate before unwanted seed set, and avoid cutting so low that the crown and growing points are damaged.

AVG. Seeding Rate

½ lb./1,000 sq.ft.; 25–30 lb./acre

Pests & Diseases

Clover diseases vary by species, but Sclerotinia crown rot, anthracnose, powdery mildew, and root rots are common concerns. Patchy stand collapse or cottony crown growth warrants rotation. Select locally resistant cultivars, avoid cutting wet stands, and allow enough regrowth to prevent disease from overwhelming stressed crowns.

Watch clover for aphids, weevils, beetles, cutworms, and mites. Remove egg clusters and badly infested foliage, protect seedlings with collars, and avoid unnecessary broad-spectrum insecticides.