# Clover in central Illinois-What type to plant



## dogmechanic (Mar 15, 2019)

Almost the whole nation has had some bad weather. Starting my 3rd year and I am in the country surrounded by late planted corn and soybeans. My neighbor plants a huge field of sunflowers-not coming up. I have a 1/4 acre of tall grass prairie and its about 3-4 weeks behind. I do not have a decent nectar flow. No trees to feed on and my staple of wildflowers and sunflowers is really late and dont know about sunflowers. 
What I want to know is what kind of clover or another plant can I easily plant. I have between a 1/4 acre to 7 acres to plant. I have not seen my bees collect much nectar from white clover but its around. What should I plant. What kind of clover should I plant. Could it be planted in fall or winter. I need all the help I can get. No nectar flow which is unusual. Maybe its super low flow. Please give me some help. I have even planted pollinator plants but having a hard 2nd year with all rain and now will probably be dry. Who knows.I want to plant the best clover for this area and for bees. Have 4 hives and going to 6. Saskatraz queens


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

If you're putting it in your lawn where it will be mowed, white dutch is hard to beat. If you are putting it in a field where it has to compete with the grass and doesn't get mowed, I have better luck with Ladino (like white dutch only a lot bigger). Sweet clovers (white and yellow) are nice but always seem to get crowded out by the grass. Other stuff you can plant where you mow: Creeping thyme, Self heal, Birdsfoot trefoil, Kurro clover. Other stuff to plant where you don't mow: chicory, crimson clover, alfalfa, ground plum, onion chives, garlic chives, borage, catmint, lavender, hyssop, milkweed, echenicia, russian sage, bluebeard, aslike clover.


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

I planted yellow clover and white hubam clover last year on about 5 acres and the bees love it. The yellow blooms for a couple of weeks, and when it done the white is now starting.

The county ditches have lots of yellow clover and they haven't mowed much of it yet :thumbsup: ....and even when they do mow it, it seems continue blooming even though it's cut short.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Clover seems to do better in a wet year...(like we're having this year :applause: ).


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## beechet (Jan 4, 2018)

I have had the different clovers as well as buckwheat and the sweet (yellow) clover was what the bees seemed to get the most out of.


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## Tim KS (May 9, 2014)

As a follow-up to my first post, this year has not been a good year for the hubam clover I planted. Oh it grew fine, got 6-7 feet tall and bloomed a bunch top to bottom.......it's just that I saw very few bees on it. I saw lots of wasps and flies on it, but few bees. The bees seemed to like the yellow much better this year. I'm going to see what comes back next year, and give it another chance.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Bees work whatever they are on until it gives out and then work the best source until that gives out. It all depends on the timing whether they will work any given bloom.


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