Getting Started
 

I'm planning on starting some food plots this spring. I have three plots on one piece of land that are around a 1/3 of an acre a piece. The other plot on a diff. piece of land is a little over an acre. All 4 spots are tall weeds and briers right now. We're planning on chopping it all down, burning it (weather permitting), give it a good dose of roundup. Spread the suggest lime from the soil test and till it in. I would like to plant a little bit of corn on the three plot piece of property. I don't want to plant it all in it though. Just something to get the deer coming there. With the remaining land we are planning on keeping the weeds off of it over the summer than in early fall we're planning on planting a couple different types of clover, some brassicas, and rape. Does this sound like a good plan? If someone can offer me some tips or advice I would greatly appreciate it since this is my first time planting food plots. Thanks

RE: Getting Started
 

Sounds like you are on the right track. Your clover, brassica, rape idea is good for all the plots but you don't have to wait til fall. You will get the most forage if you plant in the spring. By the time hunting season rolls around the rape and brassica will be nearly 2 foot tall (with idea growing conditions) and enable your deer a year round food source. Plus, you will have a great honey hole! Corn is ok but lacks in nutritional value for the deer. It's a decent attractand but so are the other crops you mentioned. TGK

RE: Getting Started
 

But will the soil be ready to plant the clover, rape, and brassica in the spring? I know we'll have the seed bed prepared but the PH isn't good yet.

RE: Getting Started
 

What is the PH? If it's below 6 you could try using the biologic PHfertalizer as it is a quick acting lime fert. mix (doesna't last a long time but gives a good PH spike). We have had great luck with it when we need a quick PH jump. It should last about 6 months which by that time your ph should be rising from your normal lime application. TGK

RE: Getting Started
 

How much does that stuff run? Most thing with "Biologic" on them are outrageously over priced.

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It's about $8-10 for 40 lbs. There are also some similar products by Scotts and a few others but I have not tried them and don't know the cost. Sorry. TGK

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Forgot to ask again, what is the PH?

RE: Getting Started
 

Between 4.7-5.5 for all three 4 porjected plots.

RE: Getting Started
 

5.5 should be pretty easy to fix but the 4.7 will abviously be a little tough. You could always stagger your plantings til you have the right levels as the 4.7 will obviously take longer to achieve an optimum level. I would still try the PH fertalizer. Another lime option that will work into the soil faster is powdered stuff instead of pelleted. Messy but it works a little faster from what I understand. Good luck. TGK

RE: Getting Started
 

I would say you have a pretty good plan. I think the fall planting is a good idea - lets you get ammendments added and cut/destroy existing plants. When planting in the fall weed competition is the lowest and conditions are usually favorable (not too wet, not too hot, not too dry, etc.). Late summer/early fall is the ideal time for no-till seedings (in NY). Spring is good also, but weed competion is aweful high.

RE: Getting Started
 

titlest -

Welcome to the club.

#1 rule - You'll probably run out of time for all that you hope to plant. Weather, finances, and time usually combine to make me lucky to get in 1/2 of what I would like in the spring - luckily there is fall planting!

I usually try to make sure I get the corn in by the first week in June - this year will be round-up-ready corn for us - No more manual cultivation!!!!
Maybe 2 acres of RR soybeans this spring too.

Then, I try to get in a clover plot or two (4 year rotation). 1-2 acres.

For fall - I always try to get in a rye plot of 2 acres or so - Sometimes I overseed it with clover - for the following 3 years production. But if the soil is too sour for clover - I might just work it as a Rye Plot rather than spend the time and money to get it clover ready.

I'd suggest you look at a cereal grain - fall planting. It really couldn't be easier - and combined with clover - it can be a staple in the deer's diet in October-December - even more-so than clover.

Good luck - Keep us posted.

RE: Getting Started
 

All good ideas... Mow/cut the area to be planted. If you do a burn off you will want to rake the refuse into a pile. If you burn the refuse on site without raking you will kill some of the plants but not most of the roots. If you mow/cut and rake off the area you can go back a few days later after a good rain when the unwanted growth is in a growing spurt and hit it with Round-Up. This will allow the plant to suck the herbicide into the root.
Wait a few weeks and if anything is green hit it again with the Round-Up.
Soil preparation is 95% of the job. If you soil is not prepared properly you will have most likely have hurried to failure.
After Measuring and clearing the soil use the soil sample readout to lime. Many quality plants will do well in a soil with a pH value of 5.5 or better, however it is always best to lime as close to 7.0 as possible. We suggest the lime be applied at a rate of 2-3 tons per acre per point increase... ie. 5.0 to raise to 7.0 would require 4-6 tons per acre minumim. If the soil is well drained we suggest that the lime be doubled. We have used 8-10 tons on an acre and you could'nt see the lime after a hard rain. You will want to look for something that is deep rooted also.
Plant the edges of the plots with a bedding mixture and have 50% of you plots in some type of perennial forage. The rest in Spring/Sumer and Fall/Winter blends that are rotated every planting season. Use a good vit/min mix that has less than 15% salt during the green up period.
And you will have a good start. This may take a year or so... Take your time!!!

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Lunchbucket, can you make some suggestions as far as bedding cover and perennial plots?

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Here is a pic of the proposed plots locations. It doesn't look like it on the map but all three are connected. The fields to the west and south east are in a rotation of corn and soybeans every other year. This year they will be beans.

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There will be a great mix coming on the market shortly. You will want something that is hardy, yet forgiving. Something that has some nutrition so the animals can eat while resting/hideing but will eventually grow above 4 feet.
Something that will last over 30 years once the first few years of growth has become established.
Something that will grow on concrete with a minimum of upkeep for the first few years...

RE: Getting Started
 

we never recommend applying any more than 3 tons of lime per acre unless you are going to be plowing it under, then more is ok. follow your soil recommendations

from most of the sources I've seen, pH for clovers can (should be) a bit lower than 7.0 (high 5s to mid 6s is usually adequate, low to mid 6s being best)

I like an annual for an initial nurse crop planted with the seeding (especially will a fall seeding or late seeding). I think you will get the best bang for the buck with clover - they are persistant (many years [5=] with proper maintenance) and you don't have to worry about replanting every year. Smaller areas of alternate forages might work well.

just some more thoughts

RE: Getting Started
 

Titlest, you email isn't working... If the soil is not at least a good quality sandy loam qith the proper nutritionl value and pH value and a top soil of 8-12 inches the ladion clovers will usually not do well. Lime should never be plowed in, float disked at best. Plowing lime in will situate the lime below the planting level, thereby negating the conditioning value of the lime, and will bring untested soil to the surface.
What type of soil do you have?

RE: Getting Started
 

Silty Loam. I didn't plan on plowing the the lime in. We were going to use a disk mounted on a tractor.

RE: Getting Started
 

From your map, it looks like you'll have plenty of corn/beans in surrounding fields. Your little acre of corn, won't be much of a draw(have tried same with poor results). My area is also surrounded by corn/beans. I went with clovers & rutageggies. Nothing draws like beggies in the fall. Usually they don't hit them hard until everything else is harvested or dead. Which in Minnesota, is usually october...prime bow hunting time. they'll come for miles to dig the soil until freeze up to get at them. Also... have had outstanding results with ladino clover. Did a 5 acre plot of that and another 5 acre plot next to it with white dutch. Rarly see deer in the white dutch,..but they sure herd up in the ladino. It's been 4 years now on the seeding, and it looks good as ever. Steve

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tazimna - I'm not familiar with rutageggies or beggies. Can you give more info? Thanks.

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Me neither what are they?

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I've never heard of them.

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I'm thinking "rutabega" or some type of brassica?

titleist - While its true a couple acres of food will not compare to MANY acres of beans & corn - Its what happens after the farmer Harvests the corn & beans that really matters. Besides - Since you are located in between the large food sources - Its VERY likely that the deer will bed on the plot you posted a picture of.

Standing corn when all else has been harvested - can be a REAL MAGNET - so can a real GREEN fall crop (when everything else is brown) like clover, rape, or rye.

I'd probably try several to see what the best results were.

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With FH on this... Try on of the fall/winter early spring mixes. Contact me and we will work with you on a new blend. We need a trial field in the harsh north.

RE: Getting Started
 

I PM'd you LunchBucket.