What sub clover suits neutral to alkaline loams and clays?
We recommend Seaton Park Subterranean Clover. It is best suited to neutral to alkaline, light to medium, well-drained soils, including cracking and self-mulching or stony loams and clays. It is a black-seeded, mid-season sub clover that is very persistent, even under heavy grazing. Inoculate with Group C rhizobia.
Which clover stays productive under heavy set stocking?
Seaton Park Subterranean Clover thrives under set stocking and can be grazed moderately hard while flowering. It is prostrate, so it can be shaded out by taller plants if grazing is too lax. It is readily eaten green or dry by sheep, beef cattle and horses, and it has very good spring growth.
How much Seaton Park sub clover seed do I need?
We recommend 15 to 20 kg/ha of Seaton Park Subterranean Clover when sown on its own and 6 to 10 kg/ha in a mix. Inoculate the seed with Group C rhizobia at sowing. It is very persistent under heavy grazing and suits neutral to alkaline, well-drained loams and clays in 425mm+ rainfall areas.
Is there a clover that's safe for horses and makes good hay?
Seaton Park Subterranean Clover is readily eaten as green or dry feed by horses, sheep and beef cattle, and it makes good hay and silage. It has low levels of formononetin. As with any clover, introduce stock gradually to lush pasture, and keep a grass component in the mix for balance.
What clover handles frost in the Great Southern?
Seaton Park Subterranean Clover has mild frost tolerance, so it can suit cooler Great Southern paddocks with 425mm or more rainfall. It is a mid-season variety with very good spring growth, best on neutral to alkaline loams. It does not tolerate too much waterlogging, so for wet paddocks we suggest our Riverina Subterranean Clover instead.
Why did my sub clover germinate on an early rain and then die off?
This is a false-break loss, and it is more common in sub clovers with lower hard seed, such as Seaton Park Subterranean Clover. Seaton Park is also shallow rooted, so it can die early in a dry spring. In false-break-prone areas, we suggest a more hard-seeded variety such as our Urana Subterranean Clover or Dalkeith Subterranean Clover, or a mix.
Can I use Seaton Park in a tight crop and pasture rotation?
We do not recommend Seaton Park Subterranean Clover for a tight rotation of one year of crop and one year of pasture, as its hard seed levels are not high enough for reliable persistence. It is better suited to a short to medium pasture phase, or to permanent pasture in higher rainfall areas.
What sub clover is resistant to root rot?
Seaton Park Subterranean Clover has good resistance to Phytophthora root rot and better disease resistance than Dalkeith Subterranean Clover. It is susceptible to clover scorch and leaf spot, so watch for these in wetter seasons. For resistance to both root rot and scorch, our Riverina Subterranean Clover is also worth considering.
What rainfall zone is a mid-season sub clover suited to?
We recommend Seaton Park Subterranean Clover for areas with 425mm or more rainfall. As a mid-season variety it flowers about 108 days after sowing in Perth, so it needs a longer growing season than early varieties such as Dalkeith Subterranean Clover. It is very persistent under heavy grazing and best suited to neutral to alkaline, well-drained loams and clays.
Seaton Park vs Urana sub clover?
Choose Urana Subterranean Clover for well-drained soils down to pH 4.5 in 400mm+ areas, where you want strong winter growth and high hard seed for cropping rotations. Choose Seaton Park Subterranean Clover for neutral to alkaline loams and clays (pH 6 or more), heavy set stocking and good spring growth; it also has good Phytophthora root rot resistance. Seaton Park flowers slightly later, at about 108 days.
