White Clover: A perennial, capable of very high production (mainly spring, autumn) if fertility is high and moisture is adequate. Very suited to irrigation. Poor drought tolerance and of little use in low rainfall areas. However, a small amount is often added to pasture mixes in these drier areas in the hope it will survive in damp spots. White clover can also behave as an annual in drier areas, regenerating from seed when conditions are favourable. White clover uses stolons (stems running across the surface of the ground) to expand the size of plants and put down new roots.

 

Red Clover: Red clover is an upright, short-lived perennial. It has a strong tap-root that allows it to use subsoil moisture in summer better than white clover. It doesn’t tolerate dry conditions or drought, or poorly drained soils. Red clover provides extra feed in late spring and summer in high rainfall areas, irrigated pastures or on naturally summer-moist soils that are well drained. May be sown in pure swards as a specialist crop for hay, silage or grazing. Rotational grazing will promote plant longevity and persistence. Most cultivars do not persist beyond 2 to 3 years. Sowing rate: 6-8kg/ha (Pure) 2-3kg/ha (Mixes).

 

Strawberry Clover: A long lived, prostrate, perennial clover that tolerates poorly drained, moderately alkaline and saline soil. These are conditions in which white, red and subterranean clovers either grow poorly or do not persist. Strawberry clover is most productive on heavy neutral to alkaline soils of reasonable fertility. In other conditions it may compare poorly with the other clovers. Continuous grazing that reduces competition from grasses favours strawberry clover. It spreads by both seed and stolons. Stolons are stems spreading across the surface of the ground that can put down roots, establishing new crowns. Also ideal as a cover crop in mixtures with other perennial clovers.