Best Clover for Small Food Plots?

[69Viking]

Ok everyone, I'm looking to revive an area of our Hunting Camp in Southwest Alabama that has seen little action in the way of deer the past couple of seasons.  The reason mainly I think is that the area had clear cut areas on two sides of it 2-3 years ago.  Well these clear cut areas have been planted with pines and are starting to fill in and provide a good area for cover.  There are two small food plots that are adjacent to where these pines are growing in, in the past they were just planted every fall with new food plots of annual grains and grasses.  I would like to establish these food plots with a quality Perennial Clover that can be planted now or in the early fall and be left alone for a few years, maybe just mow it and weed control it.  Remember this is the South so it's hot & muggy but we do get a decent amount of rain through the summertime due to afternoon thunderstorms.  What would you recommend as a tough clover that can be planted and left to grow for a few years without having to replant every year?   

[ranwin33]

Durana.  Or Patriot.
 
http://www.penningtonseed.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=154
 
I've been very impressed with it.  Fertilize with a low nitrogen high potassium high phosphorus fertilizer.  It's also very competitive with grasses and weeds so mowing may be the only maintanence needed, no herbicides.  I planted a plot with it last Spring, this Spring it has come back thicker and more quickly then any other clover plot we've got.  Truly impressive, given it's in a semi-shaded area.
 
http://www.buckmasters.com/bm/Resources/PenningtonFoodPlots/tabid/175/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/370/The-Whole-Truth-About-Durana-White-Clover.aspx
 
 

[jacannon63]

Viking, I planted clover on all 30 of my plots 3 years ago. I planted in the fall and lost every one the following Aug. I planted 12 in the fall the following year and lost 10 in Aug. again. The ones that survived were on hill tops in heavy clay. This past fall I planted one more in durana and am waiting to see if it will make it through the summer. I hope we get some rain in Aug. Have you checked the PH on those plots?

[69Viking]

ORIGINAL: jacannon63

Viking, I planted clover on all 30 of my plots 3 years ago. I planted in the fall and lost every one the following Aug. I planted 12 in the fall the following year and lost 10 in Aug. again. The ones that survived were on hill tops in heavy clay. This past fall I planted one more in durana and am waiting to see if it will make it through the summer. I hope we get some rain in Aug. Have you checked the PH on those plots?

Question, what kinds have you tried that haven't made it through the year? Right now I think I'm going to try Durana and Imperial Whitetail, the area has two small plots so I'll plant one in each and will be able to compare them.

[jacannon63]

I tried Imperial for two years and it just couldn't make through the dry summers. I planted 4 acres of durana last Oct. and am waiting to see what happens. I still have about 1 acre of Imperial from the 2nd year that is still alive and it looks good. I don't have any complaints about the WI clover I think it just too hot and dry.Thanks for the fishing web site. I am west of you on 98 in Gulf Breeze.