# Hubam Clover



## scokat

I finally found the clover on line where it did not cost an arm and a leg to ship it. So i ordered 20 lbs, it should be here next week, just in time, our last frost is over and I already plowed and cultimulched a couple of acres to give this a try. I'm in zone 5 so it should grow ok here if it grows up in zone 4. If this goes good, I have 25 acres to put into this next fall or early spring. :banana:


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## maedmonson

scokat said:


> I finally found the clover on line where it did not cost an arm and a leg to ship it. So i ordered 20 lbs, it should be here next week, just in time, our last frost is over and I already plowed and cultimulched a couple of acres to give this a try. I'm in zone 5 so it should grow ok here if it grows up in zone 4. If this goes good, I have 25 acres to put into this next fall or early spring. :banana:


Throw a couple of lbs of Phacelia in with it and you will be impressed with the results. Phacelia will produce before the Hubam and so you can have even longer flow. You can get Phacelia from Wildseeds TX


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## beerbee

Where did you get your hubam?


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## maedmonson

beerbee said:


> Where did you get your hubam?


http://www.geneticseed.com/comm_viewproduct.aspx?ID=138

He will get you cheap shipping. 

Also abseed has it by lb.

I think raising bee nectar and pollen forage is the future of beekeeping... call it bee farming


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## maedmonson

Remember you can probably plant again after it flowers for a fall flow


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## scokat

got my seed from dk seed, the cheapest for shipping. from tx to ny


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## gregsky88

I am a newbee in Amarillo, TX getting my bees in about two weeks. I have a couple of patches of white clover about 100 feet from where my hive will be. I just notices some areas of the clover infested with aphids. Any suggestions on how to eliminate this peat and not harm the bees with any residual or systemic insecticide spray?


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## Kamon A. Reynolds

Spray a thick oil solution for aphids. Oil as in a natural food oil like peanut oil. Aphids are soft bodied and breathe thru their skin. Just don't hit bees direct and it will not hurt the honeybees at all. We use it in our organic farming with good results!


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## Live Oak

scokat said:


> got my seed from dk seed, the cheapest for shipping. from tx to ny


Last February, Max Wimmer from DK Seed Co. $149.95 plus $33 shipping to TN. The shipping has probably gone up some I am not sure if the price of the seed has or not. 

http://www.dkseeds.com/our-products/Wildlife/clovers

I am trying the yellow sweet clover that is being sold on this forum this year that is about 1/3 the price. Yellow sweet clover is closely related to Hubam clover and has similar traits.


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## danmcm

real soap in a sprayer not detergent... again aphids are soft bodied you can spray with oil which coats them and smothers them as they breath through thier skin or wash them in soap which removes thier natural oils and dries them out... i like the soap better then the oil and a bee in oil dies and bee in soap water just dries herself off and does her hair afterwards. oil on the lawn also looks bad.

Daniel 
Maryville, Tn


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## beekeeper1

We puchased ours from Turner Seed Company in TX.


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## jtow

How is the Hubam clover growing for those that bought it?


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## maedmonson

Its around waist to chest high and blooming. It warms my heart to hear the gentle hummmmm when you walk by the field. Your from OK so you know about the windy days we have been having the clover waves back and forth with the bees. Notice on the pic, the bee doesn't even bother to pull in her tongue


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## RayMarler

Can hubam be just open broadcast seeded or does it need to be tilled or disced in? I just ordered 20lbs of it and 20lbs sunflower.


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## Michael Bush

I broadcast a lot of it this year and it seemed to do fine. At least I think the Hubam would explain the really long bloom (some of it was still blooming a week ago) of the white sweet clover in my field. I have some regular white as well, but there were definitely two different blooms that overlapped each other. The other sweet clover was drilled, which I think is preferable...


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## johno

Where did you manage to get the Hubam clover seed from, I did a google search but could not find a supplier. I would appreciate some information as I need to plant in the next 2 weeks or so 
Johno


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## RayMarler

I have not received it yet, but I got mine at JunstinSeed.com

Justin Seed Co.
Box 6 Justin TX 76247
524 South Hwy 156
Justin TX 76247
940-648-2751


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## Michael Bush

>Where did you manage to get the Hubam clover seed from

http://www.dkseeds.com/our-products/Wildlife/clovers

You'll have to call to get a price.


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## Penzi

Just received a 50 lbs bag of Hubam

any idea of the planting rate per acre


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## Michael Bush

When drilling they recommend 10-15 pounds per acre at a depth of 1/4" to 1/2". I would plant heavier if broadcasting.


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## Penzi

When a good time too plant Is it frost tender
Apricots are are blooming and cherry's will be soon


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## Michael Bush

Now is fine.


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## Penzi

Good
Just started to work field today

Hope this Hubam clover gives me some good results


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## Andy382

Does Hubam clover come back every year after planting or do you sow it every year? Does it have to be cut at end of season to come back the following year?


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## Michael Bush

>Does Hubam clover come back every year after planting or do you sow it every year? 

It is an annual. If you let it go to seed, it comes back. If you cut it before it goes to seed and you never let it go to seed, there will be a lot less the next year. (just what seed was left that hadn't germinated the year before).

>Does it have to be cut at end of season to come back the following year?

I don't think it has to be. I cut it. Otherwise it's slow to get the sun back on the soil in the spring to get things going.


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## ljbee

Any preference between yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) or white sweet clover (Melilotus alba). Think it too late to plant in the south? Looks like some good stuff


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## Dominic

ljbee said:


> Any preference between yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) or white sweet clover (Melilotus alba). Think it too late to plant in the south? Looks like some good stuff


I was told the yellow one is "better". They don't start flowering exactly at the same time, though. All we've got here is the white kind growing wild, and the bees love it. If I were to plant some, I'd try to sow both kinds. Along with alsike clover, birdsfoot trefoil, and vetch. Plus perhaps some other legumes, depending on the soil, and other non-legume broadleaves.


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## ljbee

yes I'll try both and see which one does best. I don't know anyone growing it around here. I have some Ladino clover and buckwheat planted right now


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## Boxelder

I would like to try some Hubam sweet clover in my rotationally grazed pasture, using it as a dual purpose forage for both cows and bees. How long would I need to rest each individual paddock in order for the Hubam to set seed for next year?


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## beepro

From the time you see flowers to the time that the seeds dropped to the ground. Of course you
have to let the plants grow tall enough to flower. I say buy the seeds instead because they are 
consider an annual here.


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## Boxelder

And how many days would that take, approximately? I think we share a similar climate, so any experience you have should be applicable.


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## beepro

In CA we have many micro-climates even within a half mile away. What was raining in a nearby city may not have
any rains here. In my local bee environment it is considered a semi-desert condition. The rains from the north rarely
touch us or in a brief shower sometimes. So it is pretty dry here. Answering your question is impossible because we are basically
in a different area and micro-climate.

I have not plant any Hubam clover before but have seen the posts here over the years. The plant description will tell you more on
a net search. To grow to seeds it will take them a few months to established the stand. It also depend on whether or not the 
stand is irrigated or left to nature to take its course. Then you have to consider the fertility of the local soil. Growing in 
clay or in organic compost is a very different matter. For me to collect the seeds I have to give them plenty of fertilizer and in an irrigated field as well. I don't think the plants will do well if they are on our dry clay pan soil here. So it depends!


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## Hogback Honey

beepro said:


> In CA we have many micro-climates even within a half mile away. What was raining in a nearby city may not have
> any rains here. In my local bee environment it is considered a semi-desert condition. The rains from the north rarely
> touch us or in a brief shower sometimes. So it is pretty dry here. Answering your question is impossible because we are basically
> in a different area and micro-climate.
> 
> I have not plant any Hubam clover before but have seen the posts here over the years. The plant description will tell you more on
> a net search. To grow to seeds it will take them a few months to established the stand. It also depend on whether or not the
> stand is irrigated or left to nature to take its course. Then you have to consider the fertility of the local soil. Growing in
> clay or in organic compost is a very different matter. For me to collect the seeds I have to give them plenty of fertilizer and in an irrigated field as well. I don't think the plants will do well if they are on our dry clay pan soil here. So it depends!


I'm pretty well north of you, beepro, I did get some Hubam Clover a few years ago.......... NOTHING, nothing grew, I do not have any irrigation, and it is dry in the summertime here, guess the spring rains were not enough. I was extremely disappointed


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## beepro

The reason they do well over there in the deep south and northern region is that they have more
rains than us during the summer time. We don't have that much rains here in the summer time. So
in order to grow these just like the sainfoins the stand need to be irrigated. These are not the drought
tolerant plants. The wild mustard don't need any irrigation as they grow in response to the weather each season. 
The point is test out a small plot to see what will grow in your area. The ones that do is the food source you will have for
your bees and animals.


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## Live Oak

Bear in mind that Hubam Clover prefers a high PH/lime soil. Hubam Clover seed has an extremely hard seed coat and typically required scarifying or stratifying the seed in order for it to have a decent germination rate.


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