Best food plot clover seed: which variety to plant

Last updated 2026-07-26

What is a food plot, and why does clover matter so much?

A food plot is a planted patch of forage on hunting land, usually somewhere between a quarter acre and several acres, put in to feed deer and other wildlife and to give hunters a place to watch or hunt over. Plots range from small hidden "kill plots" tucked in timber to large "destination" fields that anchor a property's deer movement. Clover earns its spot in almost every serious plot rotation because it does something annual grains can't: it comes back. A well-established perennial clover stand can produce forage for 3 to 5 years off one seeding, according to agronomy guidance from the University of Wisconsin Extension on clover establishment for forage and wildlife use ^[1]. That's a real cost advantage over annual food plot seed you have to replant every year. Clover also has protein numbers that matter during antler growth and lactation. Forage-quality data from university extension programs commonly puts white and red clover crude protein in the 25-30% range at vegetative stages, which is well above most brassicas and cereal grains at the same growth stage. If you're building a whole-property plan, clover usually functions as the backbone perennial plot, with annuals like brassicas, cereal grains, or deer food plot seed mixes filling in fall and winter gaps.

Do deer actually like clover, and how does it compare to other forages?

Ladino white clover	25-30%	3-5 years	Spring-fall	Good
Red clover	20-25%	2-3 years	Spring-fall	Fair
Soybeans (forage type)	25-30%	1 season	Summer	Poor
Brassicas (turnips)	15-25% (bulb higher in sugar)	1 season	Fall-winter	Poor
Cereal grains (oats, wheat)	15-20%	1 season	Fall-early winter	Poor	Those protein ranges are typical figures cited across university forage guides rather than one single study; actual values swing with soil fertility, maturity, and moisture.

Yes. Clover is one of the most preferred and most studied forages in whitetail nutrition research, and it shows up in nearly every food plot recommendation from state wildlife agencies and land-grant universities. It's palatable, high in protein, and available for a long grazing window compared to most alternatives. "Favorite" is situational, though. Deer preference studies and field observation generally rank clover, soybeans, and cowpeas near the top of the summer preference list, with clover having the advantage of surviving grazing pressure that would wipe out a soybean plot planted at the same acreage. In fall and winter, brassicas (turnips, radishes) and cereal grains often pull deer harder once a hard frost sweetens them up. That's a seasonal shift, not a knock on clover's value across the rest of the year. Here's a rough side-by-side for planning purposes: | Forage | Typical crude protein | Stand life | Best season | Shade tolerance |

What's the best clover variety for a deer food plot: ladino, white, or red?

For most food plot situations, ladino white clover (a large-leaf variety of Trifolium repens) is the best all-around choice. It's more drought tolerant than standard white clover, handles moderate shade under a timber edge better than red clover, and its stand life of several years beats red clover's typical 2 to 3 year run. Red clover (Trifolium pratense) grows faster the first year and tolerates wetter, more acidic soil a little better, so it's a good pick if you need quick tonnage in year one or you're planting into ground you haven't limed yet. Many food plot blends actually combine ladino white with red clover as a nurse crop. The red comes on fast and gets grazed hard while the ladino fills in underneath and takes over as the longer-term stand. Alsike clover and crimson clover show up in some blends too. Alsike tolerates wet, acidic soils better than either ladino or red, which makes it worth considering on low ground that floods. Crimson clover is an annual, reseeds somewhat unreliably in northern climates, and is better thought of as a quick fall cover or nurse crop than a stand-alone perennial plot. If you want a single recommendation: plant a ladino white clover blended with a small percentage of red clover, and treat it as your multi-year perennial plot while you rotate annuals like brassicas or cereal grains elsewhere on the property. See our breakdown of food plot whitetail strategy for how clover fits into a full-property rotation.

How much clover seed do I need per acre, and what does it cost?

Ladino and white clover blends are typically seeded at 6 to 8 lbs per acre when drilled, or up to 10-12 lbs per acre if broadcast, since broadcast seeding has lower seed-to-soil contact and higher loss. Red clover is usually seeded a bit heavier, in the 8 to 12 lbs per acre range for pure stands. These rates are consistent with seeding guidance in the USDA NRCS plant guides for red and white clover ^{[2] [3]}. On cost, clover seed generally runs somewhere in the range of $4 to $10 per pound depending on variety, coating (some seed is sold pre-inoculated and coated), and whether you buy a proprietary food-plot blend versus generic ag seed. At an 8 lb/acre rate and $6/lb, that's roughly $48 per acre for seed, which is cheap compared to most annual food plot seed once you spread the cost over a 3 to 5 year stand life. Budget separately for lime and fertilizer based on your soil test. On low-pH ground, lime can end up costing more than the seed itself. Inoculant matters and it's often overlooked. Clover needs the right Rhizobium bacteria strain to fix nitrogen from the air, and most quality clover seed comes pre-inoculated, but if you're buying raw seed or it's been sitting in a warehouse a while, adding fresh inoculant at planting is cheap insurance against a weak stand.

When should I plant clover for a deer food plot?

Northern (upper Midwest, Northeast)	Late April-May	Early-mid August
Transition (mid-Midwest, mid-Atlantic)	Mid-March-April	Mid-August-September
Southern	February-March	September-early October	These windows are generalized from land-grant extension planting calendars and will shift with your specific frost dates; a local county extension office or your state wildlife agency's food plot guidance is the better source for exact dates in your county.

Clover can go in spring or late summer/early fall, and both windows work; the right one depends on your weed pressure and your soil moisture pattern. Spring seeding, roughly March through May depending on zone, lets the clover establish through a full growing season before winter, but it competes hard with spring weeds and often needs a mowing or two to keep weeds from shading it out. Late summer to early fall seeding, generally August into early September in the North and pushing into October in the South, tends to have less weed competition and gives the clover a full spring flush the following year without a slow first summer. This is the window a lot of experienced plotters prefer for clover specifically, because fall-seeded clover often outcompetes weeds better than spring-seeded stands. As a rough national framework: | Zone | Spring window | Late summer/fall window |

When is the best time to plant food plots for deer?

There's no single best date because it depends on what you're planting. Perennials like clover and chicory go in spring or late summer. Warm-season annuals like soybeans, cowpeas, and forage sorghum go in after your last frost, typically May into June depending on latitude. Cool-season annuals like brassicas, cereal grains, and annual clovers go in roughly 60 to 90 days before your first fall frost so they mature into the hunting season. A practical rule many extension programs and state agencies repeat: plant fall annuals so they hit peak palatability right as bow season opens, which usually means seeding in late July through early September across most of the whitetail range. Spring plots (clover, soybeans) are more about season-long nutrition and summer antler/fawn support than a specific hunting-season target. If you're planning a whole property, it's worth mapping plot types against zones rather than picking one calendar date. Our deer food plots guide breaks down how to sequence perennial and annual plantings across a season.

When should I plant oats for deer, and how does that fit with clover?

Oats are a cool-season annual, so they're planted in late summer to early fall for a fall/winter deer plot, generally 6 to 10 weeks before your first killing frost. In most of the whitetail range that lands somewhere between mid-August and mid-September, similar timing to fall clover seeding. Oats are often planted right alongside or into an existing clover stand as a fast-growing companion. The oats shoot up quickly, give deer green forage while the clover is still filling in (if fall-seeded) or recovering from summer stress (if it's an established stand), and then winterkill in colder zones, leaving the clover to carry the plot into next spring. This oats-and-clover combination is a common, low-cost way to extend a plot's attraction window into the early season without hurting the perennial stand underneath. One caution: oats can get thick enough to shade out young clover seedlings if you overseed them too heavy into a brand-new clover planting. Keep oat rates modest (30-60 lbs/acre as a companion, versus 80-110 lbs/acre for a pure oat plot) when they're going in with fresh clover.

When should I plant turnips for deer, and should they go with clover?

Turnips are a fall brassica, planted roughly 60 to 90 days before your first expected frost so the bulbs and greens mature right as hunting season opens. That generally means late July through August in northern zones and into early September further south. Turnips get sweeter after a hard frost converts starches to sugars, which is why deer often ignore a turnip plot in September and hammer it in November. Turnips don't mix well long-term with clover in the same planting because brassicas need fairly aggressive tillage and bare soil to establish, which would wreck an existing clover stand. The better approach is to keep them in separate plots or rotate a field: brassicas one year, then clover the next once the ground's been reset. Many hunters run a two-field system, a perennial clover plot as the season-long anchor and a separate brassica or cereal grain plot timed to peak in late fall. If you're deciding between forage types for a given field, our food plot seed comparison covers how brassicas, clover, and grains stack up for different goals.

Do deer eat sorghum, and does it belong near a clover plot?

Yes, deer eat sorghum, mainly the grain heads in fall and winter, though it's generally a lower preference item than clover, soybeans, or brassicas when those are available. Forage sorghum and grain sorghum are more commonly planted as a warm-season screening or standing-grain crop than as a primary deer attractant, and they're also popular with turkey and other wildlife. Sorghum's real value in a plot plan is structure, more than nutrition. Tall sorghum stands (often 6 to 10 feet) make excellent visual screens along plot edges or access trails, and standing grain heads hold through winter as an emergency food source after softer forages get grazed out or buried in snow. It's not something to plant instead of clover; it's something to plant around or near a clover field if you want cover and a late-winter backup food source. Because sorghum is a warm-season crop, it goes in after your last spring frost, same general window as corn and soybeans, and it has no real planting-date overlap with fall clover seeding.

Do deer like honey, and does that affect food plot planning at all?

Deer don't have any documented meaningful interest in honey itself; it's not part of natural whitetail forage and there's no research or extension guidance recommending it as an attractant. Where this question usually comes from is confusion with mineral licks, molasses-based supplement tubs, or "honey hole" as slang for a great hunting spot, none of which involve actual honey. If you're trying to boost early-season attraction on a new clover plot, the better-supported approach is a mineral or protein supplement placed according to your state's baiting and feeding regulations, or simply letting a well-fertilized clover stand do the work. Clover's own sugar and protein content at vegetative growth stages already makes it one of the most attractive natural forages available, no additives needed.

How do I get clover established well: soil prep, pH, and fertility?

Clover is unusually sensitive to soil pH for a food plot crop. University extension guidance generally recommends a target pH of 6.0 to 7.0 for good nodulation and nitrogen fixation ^[1]. Below pH 6.0, the Rhizobium bacteria that clover depends on to fix its own nitrogen struggle, and you'll see a thin, yellowish stand no matter how much fertilizer you throw at it. A soil test is the only real way to know where you stand, and it's the cheapest input in the whole project, usually $10 to $20 through a university or state ag lab. Your soil test report, not a blog post or seed bag, is the authority on how much lime and fertilizer your specific field needs, since recommendations depend on your existing pH, phosphorus, and potassium levels. Because lime takes months to fully react with acidic soil, the ideal approach is testing and liming 6 months to a year before you plant. Most hunters realistically test in late summer and lime right before a fall clover planting, and just accept a slower first year. Once established, clover generally needs 0-20-20 style fertilizer (low nitrogen, since the plant fixes its own) rather than a high-nitrogen blend; excess nitrogen actually favors grass weed competition over the clover itself. A firm, well-packed seedbed matters more for clover than for larger-seeded crops like beans or corn, because clover seed is tiny and needs to sit no deeper than 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Drilling with a no-till drill set shallow, or broadcasting onto a cultipacked seedbed and rolling again after seeding, both work. If you want a plan built around your actual soil test numbers and zone rather than general ranges like these, a $99 one-time Custom Food Plot Plan will translate your specific test results into a seed, lime, and fertilizer plan instead of you guessing at rates.

How do I keep a clover plot going year after year?

Mowing is the main maintenance tool. Clipping a clover stand to 4-6 inches whenever weeds start to get above the clover canopy, roughly every 3-4 weeks in the growing season, keeps weeds from shading it out and pushes the clover to put out fresh, tender growth that deer prefer over older, tougher leaves. Annual soil testing (or at least every 2 years) tracks whether pH is drifting back down, which it will, especially in high-rainfall regions where lime leaches out over time. Reapplying lime and a maintenance dose of phosphorus and potassium based on that test keeps an established stand productive into year 3, 4, and beyond instead of it thinning out and getting taken over by grass and broadleaf weeds. Spot-spraying grass with a grass-selective herbicide (clethodim-based products are common) is standard practice in clover maintenance since clover has no natural grass competition tool of its own. Broadleaf weeds are trickier since most broadleaf herbicides will also kill the clover; this is usually managed through mowing timing rather than spray. When a stand finally does thin out past the point mowing and spot treatment can fix, usually year 4 or 5, that's the signal to till it in, rotate a brassica or grain crop through for a season, and reseed clover behind it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best clover for deer food plots?

Ladino white clover is the best all-around choice for most food plots. It handles shade and drought better than red clover, lasts 3-5 years per seeding, and consistently ranks among the most preferred forages in whitetail nutrition studies. Many blends pair it with a bit of red clover as a fast-establishing nurse crop.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer eat sorghum, mainly the grain heads in fall and winter, but it's generally a lower preference food than clover, soybeans, or brassicas. Sorghum is more valuable as tall screening cover and a late-winter emergency food source than as a primary attractant crop.

Do deer like clover?

Yes. Clover ranks among the most preferred whitetail forages in university and state wildlife agency guidance, with crude protein typically in the 25-30% range at vegetative growth stages. It's especially attractive in spring and summer when protein demand for antler growth and lactation is highest.

When should I plant deer food plots?

It depends on the crop. Perennial clover goes in spring or late summer/early fall. Warm-season annuals like soybeans go in after your last spring frost. Cool-season annuals like brassicas, oats, and wheat go in roughly 60-90 days before your area's first fall frost so they mature into hunting season.

When should I plant oats for deer?

Plant oats 6 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost, generally mid-August to mid-September across most of the whitetail range. Oats grow fast and are often planted as a companion with fall clover seedings to give deer quick forage while the clover fills in underneath.

When should I plant food plots for deer, spring or fall?

Both matter for different reasons. Spring plantings (clover, soybeans) support summer nutrition, antler growth, and fawn rearing. Fall plantings (brassicas, cereal grains, annual clovers) are timed to peak right as hunting season opens. A full property plan usually includes both.

When should I plant turnips for deer?

Plant turnips 60 to 90 days before your first expected fall frost, typically late July through August in the north and into early September further south. Turnips get noticeably sweeter after a hard frost, so deer use often spikes in November rather than at planting.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually a quarter acre to several acres, seeded specifically to feed deer and other wildlife and to give hunters a predictable place to observe or hunt animals. Plots range from small hidden kill plots in timber to large destination fields.

What are deer's favorite foods?

Preference shifts by season, but clover, soybeans, and cowpeas rank consistently high in spring and summer, while brassicas (turnips, radishes) and cereal grains often become more attractive after fall frosts sweeten them. Acorns are a major natural food source competing with any plot in years of a good mast crop.

Do deer like honey?

There's no research or extension guidance suggesting deer have any real interest in honey. It's not part of natural whitetail diet. The question usually stems from confusion with mineral supplement tubs or slang like "honey hole" for a good hunting spot, not actual honey.

How much clover seed do I need per acre?

Drilled ladino white clover blends generally run 6-8 lbs per acre; broadcast seeding needs more, often 10-12 lbs per acre, because seed-to-soil contact is worse. Pure red clover stands are usually seeded a bit heavier, in the 8-12 lb per acre range.

What pH does clover need to grow well in a food plot?

University extension guidance generally targets a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 for clover. Below pH 6.0, the nitrogen-fixing bacteria clover depends on struggle to function, producing thin, yellowish stands even with good fertilizer inputs. A soil test is the only reliable way to know your starting point.

How long does a clover food plot last before I need to replant?

A well-managed ladino white clover stand typically produces good forage for 3 to 5 years off one seeding, according to university extension guidance on clover establishment. Regular mowing, grass-selective herbicide use, and maintenance lime/fertilizer applications based on soil retests extend productive stand life.

Sources

1. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, "Clover and Trefoil" (Forage establishment guidance): Clover stand life of 3-5 years and target pH of 6.0-7.0 for establishment
2. USDA NRCS Plant Guide, White Clover (Trifolium repens): White/ladino clover growth habit, soil, and seeding characteristics
3. USDA NRCS Plant Guide, Red Clover (Trifolium pratense): Red clover seeding rate range and shorter stand life compared to white clover
4. USDA NRCS Plant Guide, Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum): Alsike clover tolerance of wet, acidic soils compared to white and red clover
5. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, AGR-26, "Growing Oats": Oat seeding rates and fall planting window ahead of frost