Why I Love Planting Clover in the Fall: The 1-2 Clover Punch

September 8, 2026

Clover is one of the best food plot species you can establish, and fall is one of my favorite times to get it started.

Why? Because fall gives us a chance to establish quick-growing forage now while building the foundation for a perennial stand that can last for years.

That is exactly what our 1-2 Clover planting system is designed to do.

Step 1: Plant Clover, Chicory, and Oats in the Fall

The first step is our Clover/Chicory + Oats blend.

Plant the oats as a nurse crop. They germinate quickly, provide early forage, help suppress weeds, and give the slower-establishing clovers and chicory time to establish beneath them.

The blend includes both annual and perennial clovers, giving you quick growth and attraction while the longer-term stand establishes.

For a fall start, we recommend planting 6 to 9 pounds per acre. In higher deer pressure situations, you can lean toward the heavier end of that range.

This gives you the best of both worlds.

You get fall attraction from the oats and annual clovers, while the perennial species begin building the root system that will carry the plot forward.

Step 2: Come Back With Premium Clover+ in Late Winter or Spring

This is where the second punch comes in.

In late winter, typically February through March, depending on your location, frost-seed Premium Clover+ over the existing plot at around 6 pounds per acre.

You can also overseed in spring if frost seeding isn't an option.

Premium Clover+ adds a strong perennial base of clovers and chicory.

As the oats and annual species begin to fade, those perennial clovers and chicory are ready to take over.

Instead of starting from scratch in spring, you are building on a stand that already has roots in the ground.

Why I Like This Approach So Much

The purpose is not just to have a green food plot for a few months.

The goal is to build a stand that can provide high-quality forage for years.

Oats establish quickly and attract fall wildlife.

Annual clovers provide fast growth.

The perennial clovers and chicory begin establishing underneath.

Then add Premium Clover+ through frost seeding or spring overseeding to thicken and strengthen the perennial stand.

That is the 1-2 punch.

The system is designed to transition from fast annual production into a durable perennial plot that can provide forage for years with proper management and occasional overseeding.

Fall Gives Clover a Head Start

One of the biggest reasons I like fall planting is that clover can establish before the heat and heavier weed pressure of summer.

You give those young plants time to establish roots, then let winter and early spring moisture drive the next stage of growth.

By the time spring arrives, you are not starting over.

You are strengthening what is already there.

Great for Small Hunting Plots

This system really shines in small food plots, logging roads, transition areas, and other locations where you want dependable perennial forage without having to replant every year.

Clover also fixes nitrogen, supports soil biology, provides highly attractive forage, and can tolerate significant browse pressure once established.

That makes it a great foundation for a long-term hunting plot.

The Simple Plan

Plant Clover/Chicory + Oats in the fall.

Let the oats and annual clovers provide quick growth and attraction.

Frost-seed or overseed Premium Clover+ the following spring.

Then manage the stand and lightly overseed as needed in future seasons.

The result is a plot that starts producing quickly but is built for the long haul.

That is why I love planting clover in the fall.

Learn more about the 1-2 Clover Planting Bundle.

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