How to Kill Grass in Clover Food Plots

Kill the Grass First, Or the Clover Never Gets a Fair Shot

If your clover plot is turning into a grassy mess, kill the grass with a clover-safe grass herbicide like clethodim, spray it with the right adjuvants, then come back 10 to 14 days later and hit any green-up again.

I do not try to “fertilize my way out” of grass pressure, and I do not mow first unless the grass is already tall enough to shade the clover.

I have fought this battle on my 65-acre lease in Pike County, Illinois, and on public land plots I have scratched out in the Missouri Ozarks.

Grass wins fast because it grows faster, steals moisture, and makes your clover look thin even when the clover is still alive.

The First Decision: Is This a Clover Plot That Needs Saving, Or a Do-Over?

Here is what I do before I spray a single ounce of anything.

I walk the plot and ask one question, “Is there enough clover left to justify spraying grass, or am I trying to save a lost cause.”

If I see at least 30% clover coverage, I try to save it with clethodim and mowing timing.

If it is 80% grass and the clover is just a few sad plants, I usually plan a reset in late summer with glyphosate and reseeding.

I learned the hard way that “hoping” doesn’t work.

Back in 2013 in the Missouri Ozarks, I kept telling myself my clover would “catch up” after rain, and all I did was grow knee-high fescue that fed exactly zero deer in daylight.

When I am thinking about why deer are even hitting a plot, I check feeding times first because a plot that gets hammered at night still has value, even if it looks ugly in the day.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If the grass is green and actively growing, spray clethodim at the labeled rate with crop oil and AMS, and do not mow for 5 to 7 days before or after.

If you see seedheads popping up above the clover, expect the grass to explode again in the next 2 weeks unless you spray it.

If conditions change to a hot, dry stretch over 85 degrees for a week, switch to early-morning spraying and wait for the next rain before you re-spray.

The Tradeoff: Mow It Down Or Spray It First?

This is where guys argue at the tailgate.

My buddy swears by mowing first every time because he likes the plot “clean” before he sprays.

I have found mowing first can make you lose because you remove leaf surface, and herbicide needs leaf surface to work.

Here is what I do.

If the grass is taller than the clover by more than 6 inches and it is shading the clover, I mow high at 6 to 8 inches and wait 5 to 7 days for fresh regrowth, then I spray.

If the plot is short and mixed, I spray first, then mow 10 to 14 days later if I need to knock dead stems down.

If you are hunting a small plot in Kentucky-size property layouts where every square yard matters, forget about “pretty” and focus on keeping clover leaves in the sun.

What I Actually Spray To Kill Grass Without Smoking the Clover

I am not a fan of mystery jug mixes.

I keep it simple because simple is repeatable.

For most clover plots, I use clethodim because it targets grasses and leaves broadleaves like clover alone when used right.

The product I have used the most is Select Max.

I buy it even though it is not cheap because it works, and I am tired of re-spraying weak stuff.

On my Pike County lease, I sprayed Select Max in May 2021 on a 1.1-acre clover plot that was getting taken over by orchard grass.

Ten days later the grass was yellowing hard, and by day 17 it looked like someone lit it with a torch, but the clover stayed green.

I wasted money on $400 ozone scent control that made zero difference in the deer woods, so I do not mind spending on herbicide that actually fixes a plot problem.

Here is what I do for a common, clover-safe grass kill mix for 1 acre with a 15 to 20 gallon spray volume.

I run clethodim at the labeled rate for the grass I have, I add crop oil concentrate, and I add AMS if I am on hard water.

If you only remember one thing, remember this.

Clethodim without the right oil is like broadheads without sharp blades.

Mistake to Avoid: Spraying the Wrong Thing and Nuking Your Clover

I have watched guys smoke a whole clover plot because they grabbed the wrong jug at the farm store.

I learned the hard way that “grass killer” on the front label does not mean “clover safe.”

If the active ingredient is glyphosate, you are killing green stuff, clover included.

Glyphosate is for a reset, not for maintenance.

If the active ingredient is 2,4-D, you might knock back some weeds, but you can also hurt clover depending on rate, timing, and clover maturity.

I do not mess with 2,4-D in clover unless I have a very specific weed problem and I am willing to lose some clover.

If you want more on where deer actually live around plots, this connects to what I wrote about deer habitat because a clover plot without nearby cover turns into a nighttime salad bar.

Timing: Spray Grass While It Is Growing, Not While It Is Sulking

Most plot failures are timing failures.

Grass herbicides work best when the grass is actively growing and not stressed.

Here is what I do.

I spray on a day with temps between 55 and 80 degrees, and I want at least 4 hours before rain.

I aim for wind under 10 mph because drift onto beans, gardens, or someone else’s plot is a fast way to make enemies.

If I am hunting pressured ground like Buffalo County, Wisconsin public edges, I also care about noise and disturbance, so I spray midday and stay out of there for a few days.

That might sound silly, but I have watched deer shift travel routes after repeated ATV trips, even in farm country.

When I am trying to predict that shift, I check how deer behave in wind because a windy week plus human pressure changes daylight movement fast.

Mixing and Spraying: The Boring Part That Decides If It Works

This is where most guys mess it up.

They eyeball ounces, skip the adjuvant, spray too fast, and then blame the chemical.

Here is what I do in my garage before I ever go to the plot.

I calibrate my sprayer with plain water, I measure how far I go in one minute, and I figure my gallons per acre.

I want even coverage, not puddles.

I run flat fan nozzles because they lay down a consistent pattern.

I do not spray through a nozzle that is half plugged because that makes stripes, and stripes turn into grass lanes all summer.

Back in 2018 in Pike County, Illinois, I got lazy and sprayed with a half-clogged tip on my ATV sprayer.

Two weeks later I had perfect grass-kill bands next to perfect living grass bands, and I felt like an idiot walking that plot in July.

Second Pass: The Tradeoff Between Patience and Getting It Done

Clethodim is not instant.

You will not see a plot change the next morning.

I give it 10 to 14 days, then I scout the plot again.

Here is what I do if I still see green grass.

If it is scattered survivors, I spot spray.

If it is widespread, I do a full second pass at the labeled interval.

I learned the hard way that spraying once and walking away is how you end up with a “clover plot” that is really a grass field by August.

If conditions are dry and the grass looks stressed, I wait for a rain and 3 to 4 days of green-up before I spray again.

Don’t Ignore Soil and Fertility, But Don’t Use It as an Excuse

Bad soil can make clover weak, and weak clover loses to grass.

But soil talk becomes an excuse real quick.

Here is what I do.

I pull a soil test every couple years, and I fix pH first because clover hates acidic dirt.

I keep nitrogen off clover plots because nitrogen feeds grass like crazy.

If you are hunting the Missouri Ozarks where soils can be thin and acidic, forget about dumping nitrogen and focus on lime and grass control.

When I am planning what to plant or how to renovate, I connect it to what I wrote on best food plot choices because clover is not always the right answer for every soil and every season.

Mowing Strategy After Spraying: A Mistake I See Every Summer

Guys mow because it “looks better.”

Then they mow again because it still looks messy.

Then they wonder why the plot turned to grass.

Here is what I do.

I mow clover 2 to 3 times per growing season, and only when weeds or grass are getting taller than the clover.

I keep the deck high, usually 6 inches, because scalping clover sets it back hard.

I do not mow within a week before spraying clethodim, and I do not mow within a week after.

I want that herbicide moving through the plant, not chopped off on the ground.

Pressure and Deer Use: Killing Grass Helps Hunting, Not Just Farming

A thin clover plot covered in grass does not pull deer the same.

Deer will still feed in it, but it turns into quick bites instead of relaxed feeding.

Back in November 2019 after that cold front in Pike County, Illinois, I shot my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, the morning after the weather snapped and the deer hit the plot edge earlier than normal.

That plot stayed attractive because it was clover-dominant and easy for deer to feed in.

If your plot is grass-choked, deer feed with their head up more because they are working through stems.

That matters on small plots where you need them calm and predictable.

If you are trying to understand why deer do what they do around food, I link it back to how smart deer are because they pattern people faster than people pattern them.

My Go-To Equipment That Has Held Up, And Stuff I Regret Buying

I am not sponsored by anybody.

I am just telling you what has survived real use.

For spraying small plots, I like a 15 to 25 gallon ATV sprayer with a boom, not a wand-only setup.

The wand is fine for spot work, but booms give you even coverage.

I have used a Chapin 25-gallon ATV spot sprayer, and it did the job, but I had to replace a hose clamp after a season because it seeped.

That is not a deal breaker, but check your fittings.

I also run a cheap handheld spreader for clover frost seeding, but that is a different topic.

For hunting gear, the best cheap investment I ever made was $35 climbing sticks I have used for 11 seasons.

For plot gear, the best “cheap” move is calibrating and not wasting chemical.

Renovation Option: If Grass Keeps Winning, Decide If You Need a Reset

Some plots get too far gone, or they are loaded with perennial grasses that laugh at one spray.

Here is what I do if I decide to reset.

I plan a late summer kill, I spray glyphosate, I wait 10 to 14 days, I spray again if needed, then I seed clover into a clean bed.

I know that sounds aggressive, but grass seedbanks are real.

If you do a reset, keep your expectations realistic the first year.

You are not “fixing” 10 years of grass problems in one weekend.

If you are also trying to feed deer on a tight budget, this ties into my cheap feeding approach because spending $60 in herbicide to save a plot is often smarter than spending $600 on seed you cannot protect.

One More Hard Lesson: Don’t Let a Plot Chore Make You Rush a Shot

I am going to say this because it is part of my hunting history, and it still stings.

My worst mistake was gut shooting a doe in 2007, pushing her too early, and never finding her.

Food plots can make you feel “behind,” like you have to do everything right now.

I refuse to carry that rushed mindset into the stand.

If you want the quick refresher on shot placement, it connects to where to shoot a deer because a clean kill matters more than any plot looking perfect.

FAQ

What can I spray to kill grass in clover without killing the clover?

I spray clethodim with the correct adjuvant package, and I follow the label for the grass species and growth stage.

If you skip crop oil, you will think clethodim “doesn’t work,” even though it does.

How long does clethodim take to kill grass in a clover plot?

I usually see yellowing in 7 to 10 days and real die-off by 14 to 21 days.

If it is cold, dry, or the grass is stressed, it takes longer and might need a second pass.

Should I mow my clover plot before I spray grass killer?

I only mow first if the grass is shading the clover by more than about 6 inches, and then I wait 5 to 7 days for regrowth before spraying.

If everything is short, I spray first because I want maximum leaf area for the herbicide.

Why does my clover plot turn to grass every summer?

Most of the time it is too much nitrogen, weak soil pH, or you are letting grass go to seed without spraying it.

Once grasses seed out, you are fighting next year’s problem too.

Can I use glyphosate to kill grass in my clover plot?

Not if you want to keep clover alive, because glyphosate kills clover too.

I only use glyphosate for a full reset and reseed plan.

Will deer still use a clover plot that has a lot of grass in it?

Yes, but I see more quick feeding and less relaxed daylight use when the plot gets stemmy and thick.

If you are trying to pattern deer, I look at where deer go when it rains because weather changes can hide plot problems or expose them fast.

I am not chasing “perfect” clover.

I am chasing a plot that stays huntable, pulls deer early, and does not turn into a fescue field by August.

Here is what I do each year on my Pike County, Illinois lease.

I pick two spray windows, one in late April or May, and another in late June if I see the grass trying to come back.

I keep the plot simple, and I keep the pressure low.

I would rather have a slightly ugly plot that deer use than a pretty plot I ruined with bad timing and too much driving around.

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, I killed my first deer, an 8-point buck, with a borrowed rifle.

That hunt taught me something I still lean on today.

Deer do not care what your plot looks like from the truck.

They care if it is easy to eat and close to where they feel safe.

If you want to understand why they show up when they do, I tie it back to deer mating habits because the rut will make a mediocre plot look “hot” for a week, then dead again.

And if you are wondering if a big buck is even going to commit in daylight, it helps to know how fast deer can run

I keep my clover thick, keep the grass knocked back, and then I get out.

That is the whole play.