%20(1).png)
Old Cobblers Farm™ Wicked Tuff Turf Sweet Clover
Deepest taproot of any cover crop (3-6+ feet). Breaks compaction, fixes 100-200+ lbs N/acre, reclaims depleted soils. Premier bee forage. Melilotus. Zones 3-8.
Growing Guides & Fertilizer Education
The soil breaker. Sweet Clover drives a taproot 3-6+ feet into compacted, alkaline, and depleted soils that defeat every other legume. Its two-year lifecycle makes it the most powerful nitrogen fixer available for soil renovation—fixing 100-200+ lbs N per acre and delivering it deep into the soil profile where shallow-rooted crops can't access but future deep-rooted crops can. Sweet Clover is also the premier bee forage plant in North America, producing the honey that bears the 'clover honey' label at grocery stores.
Category
Legume
Type
Sweet Clover
Scientific Name
Melilotus officinalis (Yellow) / Melilotus albus (White)
Zones
3-8
Brand
Wicked Tuff Turf
What Is It ?
The soil breaker. Sweet Clover drives a taproot 3-6+ feet into compacted, alkaline, and depleted soils that defeat every other legume. Its two-year lifecycle makes it the most powerful nitrogen fixer available for soil renovation—fixing 100-200+ lbs N per acre and delivering it deep into the soil profile where shallow-rooted crops can't access but future deep-rooted crops can. Sweet Clover is also the premier bee forage plant in North America, producing the honey that bears the 'clover honey' label at grocery stores.
How to Apply ?
Step 1
Scarify seed; inoculate with Rhizobium
Step 2
Plow under/mow after flowering in year two
Step 3
Spread seed (6-8 lbs/1k sq ft new; 3-4 lbs overseed)
Step 4
Plant 1/4 to 1/2" deep; firm seedbed
Step 5
Keep moist during germination
Step 6
Year 1: allow rosette growth; Year 2: allow bloom
Best For
Soil compaction remediation (deepest taproot of any cover crop)|Alkaline soil reclamation (pH 7-8+)|Abandoned or depleted land restoration|Bee forage and honey production (premier clover honey source)|Nitrogen fixation on challenging soils|Road cut and gravel pit revegetation|Green manure plow-down for soil improvement|CRP and conservation plantings
FAQs
1.
What is Alsike clover?
Sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis and Melilotus alba) is a tall-growing biennial legume available in yellow and white varieties. It is primarily used as a soil-building cover crop, bee forage plant, and deep-rooted compaction breaker. Sweet clover's taproot can penetrate 4-8 feet deep, breaking up hardpan and compacted subsoil layers that other crops cannot reach. It is one of the most effective biological soil remediation tools available.
2.
What does 85/80 Kentucky bluegrass mean in this mix?
Sweet clover roots penetrate 4-8 feet deep in most soils, with documented root depths exceeding 10 feet in sandy or loamy soils. This deep root system breaks up compacted subsoil layers (hardpan), creates channels for water infiltration, and mines nutrients from deep soil horizons that shallow-rooted crops cannot access. When sweet clover roots decompose, they leave behind macropores that improve soil drainage and aeration for years.
3.
How much clover is in the All Purpose Lawn Mix and will it be visible?
Yes. Sweet clover is a biennial that completes its lifecycle over two growing seasons. Year one: it establishes a rosette of leaves and develops its deep root system. Year two: it bolts (sends up tall flowering stems 3-6 feet), flowers, produces seed, and dies. If managed as a cover crop, sweet clover is typically terminated in year two before seed set to prevent volunteer regrowth. Some early-flowering varieties can be managed as annuals.
4.
How much nitrogen does sweet clover fix per acre?
Sweet clover fixes 100-200+ lbs of nitrogen per acre over its two-year lifecycle, with most fixation occurring during vigorous second-year growth. When incorporated into the soil, sweet clover biomass provides both nitrogen and significant organic matter. A mature second-year stand can produce 4-8 tons of dry matter per acre, adding substantial carbon to the soil along with the fixed nitrogen.
5.
What is the difference between yellow and white sweet clover?
The All Purpose Mix performs in 3-8+ hours of direct sunlight. Optimal performance is at 4-6 hours. In shadier spots (3-4 hours), creeping red fescue carries the stand. In full sun (8+ hours), tall fescue tends to dominate over time. For less than 3 hours of direct sun, the Sun & Shade Mix is a better choice with its 65% fine fescue content designed specifically for heavy shade. The All Purpose is best described as a moderate-shade-tolerant blend.
6.
What fertilizer program does the All Purpose Lawn Mix need?
Apply 2-3 lbs nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft annually, with the white clover component providing an additional 0.5-1 lb N through biological fixation. Fall fertilization (September-October in zones 4-6) produces the best results. A simple program: 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft in September, 1 lb in late October, and optionally 0.5-1 lb in late May. Avoid heavy spring nitrogen which promotes disease and weed pressure. Slow-release or organic fertilizers complement the clover's natural fertility contribution.
7
Is sweet clover toxic to livestock?
Sweet clover contains coumarin, which can convert to dicoumarol (a blood anticoagulant) when sweet clover hay is improperly cured or becomes moldy. This condition—sweet clover disease—causes internal bleeding in cattle. Fresh sweet clover pasture is safe to graze. The risk exists only in poorly cured hay or silage. To avoid issues: do not feed moldy sweet clover hay, alternate sweet clover hay with other hay every two weeks, and never feed sweet clover hay to animals before surgery.