Mammoth Red Clover vs Crimson Clover as a cover crop

[Fluffnpuff]

I planted hairy vetch as a cover crop at the end of last summer and got fantastic results, but to avoid complacency I'm always trying new things in my garden.

This summer i wanted to try a type of clover as a dual use cover crop. Dual in that i want something my chickens would enjoy nibbling on. The vetch for all its virtues, appears non edible to chickens as i never noticed them eating it even when walking through a patch.

I've narrowed my clover picks to mammoth red and crimson clover because they are both described as being good cold weather choices. I would simply order mammoth red because it affixes more nitrogen per acre, but i read it multiplies through runners which crimson clover apparently does not. If i understand it correctly, crimson red is far more easy to kill through tillage than the mammoth variety.

My question for BYC gardeners is how mammoth red will react to plowing and tilling. I don't mind a little regrowth, but i'm worried it will become a full blown weed of sorts. Has anyone planted either of those two varieties? If so what was your experiences?

 

[Highcotton]

I planted hairy vetch as a cover crop at the end of last summer and got fantastic results, but to avoid complacency I'm always trying new things in my garden.

This summer i wanted to try a type of clover as a dual use cover crop. Dual in that i want something my chickens would enjoy nibbling on. The vetch for all its virtues, appears non edible to chickens as i never noticed them eating it even when walking through a patch.

I've narrowed my clover picks to mammoth red and crimson clover because they are both described as being good cold weather choices. I would simply order mammoth red because it affixes more nitrogen per acre, but i read it multiplies through runners which crimson clover apparently does not. If i understand it correctly, crimson red is far more easy to kill through tillage than the mammoth variety.

My question for BYC gardeners is how mammoth red will react to plowing and tilling. I don't mind a little regrowth, but i'm worried it will become a full blown weed of sorts. Has anyone planted either of those two varieties? If so what was your experiences?

It would help to know where you are / what zone you are in. Here in the Southeast Crimson clover is used in the winter. It is a cool season annual that dies off when the weather warms up in the spring. Most clovers are perennial and they are hard to get rid of. Crimson Clover reseeds so if it is a winter cover crop it keeps coming back each year. If you want to plant something else just turn it under.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

It would help to know where you are / what zone you are in. Here in the Southeast Crimson clover is used in the winter. It is a cool season annual that dies off when the weather warms up in the spring. Most clovers are perennial and they are hard to get rid of. Crimson Clover reseeds so if it is a winter cover crop it keeps coming back each year. If you want to plant something else just turn it under.

I'm in zone 6. I should have included that in my opening post. Sounds like crimson is what i should go with.