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[nafex] Was: Weed fabric, Now: Clovers & cover/trap crops



At 09:25 AM 07/04/2000 -0400,  Doc Lisenby wrote:
>!One (all?)of the clovers causes cattle to
>hemorrhage, eh, Lucky? Coumadin?

Only sweet clover (Melilotus spp) is a problem, so far as interfering with 
coagulation is concerned, and really only if it's fed as spoiled or moldy 
sweet clover hay.  The standing plant contains some coumarin, but it's not 
especially palatable to cattle - they'll consume it, but it's one of the 
last things they'll eat, before they start in on the broomsedge and 
goldenrod. However, if cut for hay and rained upon or not dried rapidly 
enough, molds will grow and convert the coumarin to dicoumarin which is 
much more active in interfering with the synthesis and activity of Vitamin 
K.  The other clovers and legumes don't cause this problem.  For a more 
indepth discussion on sweet clover poisoning, check out this site:
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/animaldisease/g325.htm

In a pasture setting, my own preference for legumes runs to Ladino clover 
and annual lespedeza.  Red clover is a short-lived perennial - you may get 
3 years or so out of it before you have to re-seed, but if you get 
Ladino(white clover with a turbo-charger) established, it's there for the 
long run in most cases.  Most of the clovers will pretty much  go dormant, 
or at least slow down, when hot weather hits, and that's when the annual 
lespedeza really shines - it makes the bulk of its growth here in my zone 
6b from July through September.  Managed correctly, by either removing 
grazing animals or stopping mowing around 1 Oct, will allow it to reseed 
itself.  I've not purposely planted either in my fruit orchard, though 
there are some 'volunteer' patches of both here and there, as well as a lot 
of the subterranean hop clover.
I can't comment on the attractiveness of either for stinkbugs & the like, 
as noted by Ed Fackler, but ATTRA has an online publication on Sustainable 
Pecan Production which addresses, briefly, planting cover/trap crops to 
divert problem insects or increase numbers of beneficial insect 
predators.  These may not work for pomefruits.
http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/pecan.html


>

Lucky Pittman
USDA Zone 6
Hopkinsville, KY


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