Kura Clover Plants are high-quality perennial legumes that are an excellent crop for soil improvement and honey production.
You’ve probably heard of the four-leaf clover, but many gardeners are unfamiliar with kura clover (Trifolium ambiguum). Kura clover is a forage legume known for its extensive underground stem system. Whether you’re considering kura clover as a groundcover or for other purposes, this article will provide you with the information you need to get started.
When To Grow Kura Clover
Kura clover thrives best in climates similar to its native regions. It performs optimally in cool weather with temperatures around 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting kura clover is simple in these colder areas, where the plants are more productive than in warmer climates. However, breeders are working on developing more heat-tolerant strains to expand their adaptability.
Kura Clover Plants Growing Needs
Use well-drained, fertile soil to grow this plant. Kura clover goes dormant during dry periods unless you provide supplemental irrigation. The main challenge in establishing this clover is its slow seed germination and seedling establishment. Typically, it only flowers once per season, although some cultivars bloom more frequently.
When growing kura as a groundcover, your primary task is to manage competition. Many growers plant kura in the spring, similar to other perennial legumes. It is crucial not to sow companion grasses with kura clover, as they can compete for water and nutrients, potentially causing the clover to fail.
Kura Clover Information and Uses
Kura clover belongs to Crimea, Caucasian Russia, and Asia Minor. Though it has not grown in its native countries. This perennial spread through underground roots known as rhizomes.
Interest in clover, particularly Kura clover, for use in pasture mixtures is increasing in this country. Kura clover is highly nutritious and ideal for grazing. When mixed with grasses, Kura clover can last many years because of its extensive rhizome structure. Though, establishing Kura clover can be somewhat challenging.
Kura clover plants are not very popular in this country. While they were previously used as a nectar source for honey production, their primary use today is for grazing.
Note: Avoid sowing Kura clover with companion crops like small grains.
Pest Management of Kura Clover
Weeds are the most significant problem for kura clover, particularly throughout the establishment; weed competition can show stand failure. Fortunately, Kura clover is generally resistant to most insects and diseases, with the exception of powdery mildew.
Harvesting and Storage
Kura clover stands gradually thicken over time. Minimal production can be expected in the year of sowing and only a small amount in the second year. Grazing should not be allowed during the first year. Kura clover blooms only once per season, starting in the second year after sowing.
The first crop can be harvested for hay or silage, though it will yield less than alfalfa. After this, the regrowth can be grazed. Avoid grazing thoroughly after mid-September to allow for root reserve replenishment and stand maintenance. The stands can last for years when not grazed overly.