Sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis Lam. (yellow sweetclover), Melilotus alba Medik. (white sweetclover))
Characteristics
- Yield based on 2 harvests/season
- Seeds/pound: 260,000
- Seeding rate: 8-10 lbs pure live seed/acre
- Seeding date: early spring
- Seed inoculation is essential
- Biennial, with only vegetative growth in the seeding year
- Primarily used as a soil-improving, plowdown crop
- Can be used for pasture, hay or silage
Advantages
- adapted to a wide range of soil and climatic conditions
- deep-rooted and winter-hardy (the winter following seeding)
- opens up subsoil
- excellent for bees
Concerns
- low palatability, contains coumarin
- not adapted to acid soils
More information
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