Alternatives to spraying
 

Hi all, Patrick in Indiana here.
I am planning on planting some food plots, and
got some money from the USDA to do this. They are
saying I need to spray the field with Roundup now to
kill everything and then plant wheat.
I really don't want to spray 1) It is kinda expensive
2) I'm not wild about the chemicals
3) I don't have any equipment to do this with.

I asked someone at the local conservation office about
maybe plowing and disking, but he said that wouldn't work.

?? Any other ideas??

Patrick

RE: Alternatives to spraying
 

If you would, post the name of the program from the USDA you are talking about. As for spraying, it would be some work, but a hand held pump sprayer will work and you can get one for less than $20.

RE: Alternatives to spraying
 

One part of the property is in the WHIP program. The part I'm talking about here is a gasline right of way, I'm not sure the name of the program, and I don't have the paperwork with me here. Something like "Right-of-ways for Wildlife" or something like that.

The area is an acre and a half, so I don't think a handheld sprayer is feasible.

Thanks!
POC

RE: Alternatives to spraying
 

You can do an acre and a half with a backpack sprayer. It will take a few hours but I do more than that along my tree rows. Roundup is about as safe as you can get with chemical sprays. On the other hand plowing and disking will produce a good seed bed. The problem is that weed seeds in the soil will germinate and you'll have to cultivate several times to kill them off. In the end it is a lot cheaper to spray than cultivate when equipment and fuel costs are worked out.

Dan O.

RE: Alternatives to spraying
 

I ended up borrowing a nifty little 3pt, pto driven sprayer from a neighbor, he even had some Roundup for me to use. So, I sprayed the area lastnight.
What should be my next step?
Thanks
Patrick

RE: Alternatives to spraying
 

Steps: read, soil test, spray, lime, spray, fertlize, spray, plant.

http://www.qdma.com/articles/detail.asp?ID=121

http://www.qdma.com/articles/detail.asp?ID=119

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forag...ions/ay267.htm

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/forag...ons/ay9-32.htm

http://www.qdma.com/articles/detail.asp?ID=94



Edited by - Sag...again on 10/08/2002 09:44:55