I think you will see a larger increase in om by killing the clover with roundup or similar and leave the top of the plant where it is. Turning it over, as I did on some ground that had been in sod for many years, introduces to much air into the mix and the microbes burn up the rich initial om very, very quickly. Killing it early in the spring or maybe even late fall leaves a tremendous mass of roots in the soil and a lot of tops on the surface the same way nature built our soils in the first place.

Corn planted into this killed red clover and wheat stubble can be absolutely fabulous. The problem is usually trying to plant into this mass of om. Depending on where you are you might no till (with a properly equipped planter - pls don't try this with a $50. planter from a farm sale tree line!) directly into the killed wheat/clover mix (Russ/SC PA please help us out here) or farther north use our strip till system in the fall or spring. I prefer spring where it is feasible. Choice also depends on how much wheat stubble was left, etc, etc.....

However I have to agree with Matt Hagny - I would not plow it under or you are going to be wasting much of the potential OM and releasing CO2 into the atmosphere rather than saving it for a time when there is a canopy over the top to use it in slow release. jmho.

Jim at Dawn