Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Hey yall, if you read my first post where I started discing the food plot you'll know I went back in today after yesterdays heavy rain. I figured it would be wet and that the ground would be much softer. I also added the box I built to hold weight to add to the disc to see if it makes a difference. I used some plastic "burlap" bags with about 50-70 lbs of dirt in them.

Wet is an understatement when I got there. The water table is high in the area and I got a chance to do a little muddin with the ATV...lol seen here after I was done.


I don't know if it was the wet/softer dirt or the added weight to the disc or both but I did a fantastic job. I even got myself stuck a little after discing enough to mud it up. I figured now that I have it broken up real nice, when it dries out I'll be able to go in and smooth it down and turn it up some more.

Here's a couple pics looking back into the plot and then some looking from my the base of my treestand out into the field. If you look at the first post you can see what it used to look like at this link here: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1512800

And here's the pics.







From the tree looking out.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Rob,

Pictures look good. I hope you keep us updated after planting and continue with pictures of your plot, as growth starts. In a few weeks a couple pics from your stand would be cool.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Rob, dont ever disk ground when it is wet, it will never work right, just end up being little clay balls, when it dries and just be clods when it is time to plant something... Always wait until it dries out....

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Ron, I had to. It was so hard and I really needed to get in and break it up. I'll go back once everything dries up and really work it over to smooth it out as well as rack, drag etc....I actually think it did a great job. The first time (thread) I worked at it for 2 hours and barely worked the perimeter, in this 2 hours I pretty much had it all done, now I need to smooth it out, lime the hell out of it and then work the lime in etc.....am I on the right track?

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Rob; you'll make a great farmer.

Now;
- soil test
You don't want to overlime the soil so the least you need is a pH. The N, P & K will give you ratings for the other elements depending on what you're going to grow.

If you're land is clay you may have a very big brick when it dries out. With clay you should be able to break a clod of soil in your hand when it's ready to work. If it balls up it in your hand it will dry in large, very hard clumps. Hopefullyyou havea good dose of sand.

I would have already soil tested and worked the lime into the soil as it needs contact time to change the pH.

Don't overwork the soil. It doesn't have to look like a lawn when you plant it.

Smile; it may not come out perfect but to you it'll seem that way.

Dan O.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Dan, thanks and great advice. Your probably right, knowing me the way I do, I'll try too hard.;) I have an hunch it's pretty good soil and I've purchased 5, 40lb bags of pelletized lime. I also have to 2, 2.5 gallon jugs of Aggrene liquid lime which says 1-3 oz per gallon of water and for field use, 1-4 gallons per 70-100 gallons of water. Without a ph soil test, what would you surmise on how much I actually use. I know the pelletized lime will take time to work in and I read that for spring planting, it should have been limed in the fall....I was thinking I would spread the lime now when it's moist there and then work it into the soil and then spray the liquid lime on the surface.

What is the results of over liming? The feed mill said I probably couldn't over lime...that I'm concerned with.

The mill guy recommended 2 40 lb bags for the 1/4 acre however a coworker who went to college for landscaping and hordiculture(sp) recommended at least 5 lbs....thusly I'm thinking the extra liquid lime as well.

Again guys, you can't imagine how much I appreciate the advice for a newbie like me. I know bows, this I'm a rookie.

And I'll remember to smile, especially behind a big buck with the bow across his chest. ;) :D

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

you don't want to overdisk the ground. you don't want to leave it powdery, but you want to leave little clumps and clods. if it's powdery, the next time it rains and then it dries, it'll leave a thick crust on the surface of your soil. my sunflowers had a hard time poking through the crust. i imagine clovers would have a real tough time.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

A quarter acre is about 100 x 100 and you probably need at least 500 lbs of lime, Lime is applied in tons per acre, usually a ton will get you started,

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Thanks Ron,

I took my lunch hour and spread the 5 bags, 200 lbs of pelletized lime with a hand spreader...I'm doubting this plot is a full 1/4 acre. I went over most if not all of it but 3 times and coated the ground pretty well. I broke the lot of in 5's for the 5 bags and used the whole bag on the 5th it was in. Seemed like a lot....I'll disc it in as instructed.

I'm kinda excited about his whole venture....keep those suggestions coming guys, I'm like a lost puppy...;)

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Rob; from the pictures it looks like you have about 150' on each side (about 1/2 acre). For rough numbers a 1/4 acre would be 100' square and an acre 200' feet square. Pace it and you shouldn't be too far off.

You should let it dry out a bit before you dig back into it. Otherwise you really will break down the texture of the soil. For the same reason I like fall plowing. The frost breaks up the furrows over winter. They dry quick in the spring and only next a good discing to make a decent seed bed.

Dan O.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Dan O, When I spread the lime it was still quite wet and I figured I better let it dry out some and I'll heed your advice, I appreciate it.

By your numbers I'm probably roughly just shy a 1/2 acre or more accurately, just over a 1/4 acre....I know the plot is roughly 50 yards by 40 yards or 150 ft X 120 ft. You have a good eye and I'm terrible with acreage. I kept wanting to go bigger and bigger..lol next thing you know I'll want to plant all of it including the soy/corn fields.;) But I better stick with this for my first trial.

I've wanted to plant this for a long time and kept saying I was going to and always put it off. I finally broke down and just did it. Reading everything I've been reading I totally agree with you and wish I would have disc'd it and limed it last fall but at the same time I hate disrupting the natural flow of the deer here. I've always left it alone until the day I hunt it for the first time and it's always done well for me. I've taken/seen alot of animals out of this particular treestand. SO far I'm amazed at the number of deer tracks in this plot...I know deer are drawn to dirt....I'm really getting excited about this. I may even make a fall plant here as well, OR extend it by discing and liming another section....thanks again.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

You could send a little of that weather down here. I'd be glad to trade some dry weather out with ya!

Have you been looking at little tractors yet?[8D]

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

What kind of disc are you using on your ATV? I'm thinking of getting one.

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

looks nice
i might trim those bushes and set up a mock scrape under one of them...the tallest would be the best i guess
good luck this year hope you killa slob:D

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Looks great. Gotta love a little mud too!

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Rob you can figure the acreage 43560 sq ft to an acre. Measurements are 208.7x 208.7 for lot size..

RE: Good Start on Food Plot, update (pics)
 

Lol Texan, I hope by now you've gotten the rain you need and tractors are a ways off for now.

robinhood80, it's a King Kutter and I bought it at Tractor Supply for just over $500.

jimmy, I left those bushes for that exact reason. Last year several times I watched multiple bucks rub and scrape next to those, especially the larger as you said. Excellent observation. Here's a link to the start and what it looked like before I disc'd it. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v499/Poorguy/2005_1001openingday0054.jpg
And here it was late last fall.



titleist, RonM, thanks guys.

ALL, I walked in last Friday to look it over for the first time in weeks since I spread the seed. With the rain, sun etc....it's greening up quite nicely. Mostly it's the rye grass but the clovers are coming on. I'll walk back in and take some new pictures to post which I'll do in a new thread and link this one. Thanks again everyone for the great advice. I'm having a ball with this so far and can't wait to hunt over it.

The next question which I'm reading a couple threads as well is when to mow, and if and when to fertilize.