Choosing the right mixture
11-20-2002, 06:25 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Newport News VA USA
Posts: 6
Choosing the right mixture
I own a 300 acre farm in the mountains of WV, actually it's name and location is Pifer Mountain, Tucker County, WV. The growing season is very short and the winter's can get nasty. I need some help in choosing the right mixture in order to produce a good plot. And when should I get it in the ground? Finally how long does it usually take before you see results coming thru the ground? Give me some help guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
11-26-2002, 10:28 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: cazenovia, NY USA
Posts: 2,973
RE: Choosing the right mixture
Welocme to the board, a short growing season isn't always a bad thing (less mowing, less fertilizer). Fall planting (late August for You) a winter hardy annual like winter wheat or rye, is a good place to start. Too many people jump right into clovers, and have limited results. Its a good idea to work a plot one year prior to planting a perenial legume like clover. If there are active fields you might want to give it a try. Some people like buckwheat spring planted the first year, then plow under in August to plant a cereal grain/clover mixture that fall. The buckwheat helps the soil build up organic matter, and loosen the soil.
Annuals like rye, or winter wheat, sprout in 1 week, and have substantial forage by 3-4 weeks of growth. Clover should be spring planted, if you plan to have it attracting deer the following season. Clover takes about 2 weeks to sprout, but 2 months, to have much forage capacity, it gows much slower. A mixture can be beneficial, but mowing will be needed, since most mixtures have both perenial and annual seeds. Also, the soil will be chocked full of native weed seeds, and mowing several times the first year of planting will help alot.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Edited by - farm hunter on 11/26/2002 23:30:25
Annuals like rye, or winter wheat, sprout in 1 week, and have substantial forage by 3-4 weeks of growth. Clover should be spring planted, if you plan to have it attracting deer the following season. Clover takes about 2 weeks to sprout, but 2 months, to have much forage capacity, it gows much slower. A mixture can be beneficial, but mowing will be needed, since most mixtures have both perenial and annual seeds. Also, the soil will be chocked full of native weed seeds, and mowing several times the first year of planting will help alot.
Good luck whatever you decide to do.
Edited by - farm hunter on 11/26/2002 23:30:25
11-27-2002, 09:48 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 2,059
RE: Choosing the right mixture
Sweet clover is also good for helping build up your soil. The roots are extensive, it's cheap, it adds nitrogen and it has a good mass for plowdown. Just get the annual type not the biennial.
Dan O.
Dan O.
11-30-2002, 03:51 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Livonia Mi USA
Posts: 551
RE: Choosing the right mixture
Before you do anything, start doing some soil samples. Dig some holes with a posthole digger in about 3-6 locations. Depending on the size of the plot. Without knowing what type of soil you have and the nutritional make up/needs of the soil and the depth of the top soil, we cannot give much advice that will be really worth anything more then a guess.
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
