Night Crawler

I have several places where they made a road to remove pine timber bout 5 years ago. they are roughly 15-20ft wide, and in mid day they see good sun at least 4-5 or a little more. for the past 5 yrs I have been working on them with a back hoe and keeping them moved down and such so basically I have gotten them pretty clear of leftover timber. Next spring I would like to plane these roads (all added up could be 4-5acres of hunting plots. my plan is
#1 disc after this hunting season
#2 Lime the crap out of them
#3 fertalize and redisc and poss. more lime after the last frost or there about.

but my question is what would be the best to plant in such an area. I live in N.E. NC so it's pretty hot humid summer, can be dry or could be wet.

or should I just wait till next fall and do some oats and clover? I am at a loss as to what will work here, give me a field and I'll grow some groceries, but I am getting tired of the countless trips to corn up stands.

hossdaniels

Clover is an old standby for a reason but can be tricky on sand. Durana is the toughest perennial white. I prefer to stick with annuals on sandy soil. A mix of oats and crimson clover is hard to beat for an annual blend, and by the time you figure in your maintenance, perennials do not really save much if any money. For real cheap attraction just oats, or wheat. For easy try cereal rye.

Liming a season ahead is good and pretty much required for clover, rye is less picky.

timbercruiser

I agree with the oats and clover, look at Yuccci Arrowleaf clover also. It was developed for sandy type soils and will reseed. I have some that has reseeded for 6 years without having to replant. Just disc over the area in the fall and plant the oats, the clover will start coming up in Dec in our area.

Night Crawler

so, clover then disc in some oats for winter. that sounds like a plan.

the soil around my farm is a sandy loam, some places have alot of clay, but actually back in the woods looks like good dirt but I am sure with the pines I am gonna need to bring the PH up.


1 more question. I am going to have to use lawn lime pellets just cause I cant get the spreader truck back to these areas. any downside to this? other than cost?.

hossdaniels

Disc in your oats first, then spread your clover. Use 50lbs oats and 5-8 lbs of white clover per acre. The oats will give you something for this year, the clover should come on pretty strong next year. The pelleted lime actually works faster and is slightly more effective. You might even save 5% on your required lime weight with pelleted vs. ag lime, but you will be shelling out much more $$$.

syrupman

there is this mix called LABLAB it is the bomb it works like corn but better just plant like oats or anyother mix, harrow first seed then just put a tiny dirt on it

hossdaniels

Lablab is a warm season annual bean, like soybeans or iron clay cowpeas. Works good, but it's the wrong season to be planting them. Expensive too. I think it was $80/50lbs last year. They are vulnerable to overgrazing like most beans, but do better than ag soybeans or IC cowpeas. Check out the eagle forage soybeans for annual warm season protein. They take an incredible amount of grazing pressure, and are roundup ready. They are also around $80/50 lbs

ryndisher

I say try tecomate monstermix it is mostly clover but the deer love it.

Night Crawler

I won't be doing any thing till spring, actually as soon as season is over I am going to disc, lime and get my head right on the deal. I don't have the cash for seed right now. I like the idea of clover and oats to start with, see how they grow b-4 I shell out major dough for beans or other stuff.

skillet01

Did the same thing on my old logging roads the last 3 years. Get the lime to it as soon as poss. at least 6 months before planting. The first year i would plant buckwheat in the spring then disc it under once it is about mature. That will add some structure to the soil from the green manure. Then plant winter rye grain in the fall of the first year. Then rotate wheat and brassicas each year.
The first year will be the worst as all the decaying leaves pine needles ect. need broke down into soil hence the early lime. Lime it and work it in with a disc. Stick to the annuals such as rye wheat buckwheat and let them bring the nutuients up from deep in the soil the first year. Then once your soil is correct i would go with clover or brassicas which ever is more preffered in your area.