Biennial Yellow Sweet Clover - Nitrocoated Seed (lb)

Melilotus officinalis yellow sweet clover is a cool-season biennial legume with a strong taproot that penetrates compacted soil and recovers nutrients from deeper layers. First-year growth is generally vegetative; tall flowering stems develop in the second season, providing biomass and abundant bloom for pollinators.

Yellow sweet clover is adapted to neutral or alkaline loams and comparatively dry sites, but it does not perform well in acidic soil. Sow in fall or spring, cover shallowly, and maintain moisture through establishment. Its mature height and vigorous reseeding potential make termination timing important in crop rotations. Mow before mature seed develops if volunteers are not desired.

Sweet clover may be used in managed forage systems, but moldy or improperly cured sweet-clover hay can create serious livestock risk because coumarin can be converted to dicoumarol. It is not recommended for horses on this page. Consult a veterinarian or forage specialist before grazing or feeding it.

• Application rate: ½–1 lb per 1,000 sq ft or 12–20 lb per acre
• Inoculant: No additional inoculant is normally needed; this Nitrocoated seed includes compatible inoculant.
• Germination: Approximately 5–10 days
• Plant height: Approximately 2–6 feet
• Uses: Soil improvement, green manure, rotation with grain or corn, pollinator forage, and carefully managed livestock forage
• Ordering: Made to order; minimum order quantity is 50 pounds.

Photo of flower by H. Zell.

Note for certified organic growers: Nitrocoated seed is conventionally grown, non-GMO seed with no fungicide or insecticide seed treatment applied before coating. The coating contains certified organic powdered limestone, an organically approved binder, and an OMRI-approved peat-based inoculant, applied through an OMRI-approved process on a dedicated Nitrocoated-seed treatment line.