Tractor size.
 

hey guys. i am not new to food plots but i am new to tractors so here is my dilemma. there is a field on my property hidden way back in the woods that is perfect for a nice kill plot. no more than 1/2 acre in size. only problem is it would be nearly impossible to get to with any decent size tractor. now this field hasn't been plowed or maintained in 20 years. my thought is to get a small sears suburban 12hp tractor that i know i can get in there with and start maintaining this field. i just don't know if it will have the power needed to not only mow the overgrown weeds and plow roughly a half acre of pretty hard soil. what do you guys think? will a 12hp sears suburban be enough?

thanks,
matt

You should kill all vegetation well ahead of time, like a month plus. It will make it much easier.

Before you go out and spend $ on a traactor why dont you try just to kill the plot with roundup then overseed with brassica and ground hog radish and wheat oats rye combo. Im gonnagive it a try next year. Worked to keep my clover plot in shape but just didnt work out so well.

Probably a 30HP tractor would be best. Something to run a five foot brush hog and pull a small disc. I think this kind of work on a Sears 12HP Suburban would tear it up pretty quickly. A big ATV with attachments works well also. Big ATV's and the attachments for them are off the chart on prices.

Aint no belly mower yard tractor gonna cut head high weeds and/or an overgrown field in the woods!

I agree, spray it first & rent or pay a bud with a bush hog to go in & cut it all up good for you.

If it's been a dormant field/opening for years then whatever you can pull with a mower or even an ATC aint gonna be heavy enough to properly cut that ground under. If you arent going to rent/borrow the appropriate equipment then you might be $ & time ahead to consider some no-till plot mixtures.

The 1st food plot that I established was using a yamaha Terro pro atv that I bought used 10 years ago for $1800.

This ATV came with a brush hog and finish mower, that is a two point hitch with a pto.

Using the brush cutter I took down 1 1/2 inch sapplings.

Try googleing them to chck the atv out. You can find these on e-bay every now and then.

If you can get a compact tractor in there then maybe you should think about a used four wheeler. They make almost every implement for a four wheeler as they do for a real tractor. Look on craigslist for a four wheeler and find one within your budget. Do you think you could get a four wheeler back there, or is it too dense?

you shold be able to do pretty well by spraying a herbacide to kill the grass', then come back with a plug aerator and go to town. It will churn up the top 4'' of soil. Add lots of lime and fertilizer to get soil to growing potential, wait a few months and aerate again prior to slinging seed. this has worked on some remote plots I have got.

On a small plot of land
 

I've used roundup, weed killer and spread seed, all by hand.

Ugh, hunters becoming farmers. I think I'll take two aspirins and lay down for a half hour.

Weed Eater,Hand Pruners,ATV with small disc....plant seeds cover lightly wipe sweat off repeatively,Hunt when Season opens! :D

A small tractor is a lot stouter than you think! I have a 20hp kabota that takes care of all my plots...bush hoggin, disking. It takes a little longer to cut because of width but not lack of power. I just sold an old 12hp kabota, real tractor, that fit anywhere a 4wheeler would.

hello mat I dont think the guys on here know what a suburban is its plenty of tractor you can find plows and harrows for them I have a couple of alis chalmers A 716 and 916 and they work just fine I have a single plow that I use first and then I hook up the rototiller to the back and till I have put in a few food plots it just takes time

Get a 30HP tractor or use ATV implements..... tractors have tons of uses that im sure once you have it you'll wonder how you did it without it.... Look for like an older John deere 955 they are cheap and will do what your needing.
I wouldn't want to plow land with a 12hp lawn mower at 3 feet across at a time.

Spray everything will round up first as stated, once dead mow it off then disk or till it under....

Spray it then burn it and it will be much easier to work that ground . Then use a harrow or small drag to break up the top inch of soil and let the weeds start to grow again then nuke them again.Wait a week or so and now drag lightly and plant.This is if you uses the small tractor.You will also need to ad lime ASAP as the lime needs time to help the soil.Buy pelletized lime for 2.50 a bag and put down like 20 bags.If you can take a soil sample ,but i know you will need lots of lime..

I've done what you are talking about.

First I spray, then go in with chain saw & cut down all saplings. FLAG all such stumps if you are going to use a small yard tractor.

I used a 26hp. all terrain John Deere yard tractor with only a 48" deck, rather than the 54-60" normal for this size tractor. That way it has more power to cut up weeds ect.

After going over it x2 with the mower, I switched to a 42" rototiller I bought for this tractor. I've done 2 acre plantings with this set up with very good results.

Does a good job, slow going the first time you do the plot I know, but does do a good job.

I rather doubt I'd care to try to do this sort of thing with a mower of only 1/2 the power however.