AvonLKHunter Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Hello, I am wanting to put a food plot in this year and want somthing that will not be that hard to put in. I have a Ford tractor and a 4-wheeler to use. This will be my first plot and I am not sure which seed to use. So many on the market wonder if you have any advice on what to put down and when. Can I just go to local feed store and buy the different seeds instead of buying something that is on the market? Thanks for any help. JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! Jim--give me a little info. First where are you from? Second--Are you wanting to plant an annual plot or a long standing perennial plot? Third--How large (acres) is your plot going to be? If I get that info I can help you our a little more! todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvonLKHunter Posted February 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! Thanks Todd, I have property in south east Ohio, around 35 acres. I want to put a few in that are about 1/4 to 1/2 acre. Would like something that is perennial. I put some clover down as a sample last year and it came up but not more than about a inch. Would like somthing to grow all summer and be ready for bow season here in October and last thru January. Would like somthing that is not to difficult to get growing. Thanks again JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! Another question that will help.....besides the tractor and wheeler, what other equipment do you have available for planting and maintenance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckNrut Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! There is a lot of good food plot information at: tecomate.com That does not necessarily mean you should buy THEIR products though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvonLKHunter Posted February 22, 2005 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! I have a small set of discs and a drag to use behind the 4-wheeler. No special equipment. Maybe I am asking for a miracle. Thanks JIM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted February 22, 2005 Report Share Posted February 22, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! Tominator might be the one that can give you the best advise for that area. When did you plant your clover last year--spring or fall. In Oklahoma that makes a huge difference---spring plantings don't do near as well as fall planting b/c of weed invasion and dry summers. But when planted in the fall the perennials have a a longer time to develop a root system before the next summer. Perennial clovers like ladino are slower to get established compared to annuals like wheat or cowpeas. They don't really start putting out a lot of forage until they get the root system more established--roots sustain their long life! Another reason for your possible clover failure is soil pH--the perennials are a lot pickier than most annuals when it comes to soil acidity. Did you do a soil pH test? That is where I would start--you can have it done at your local county extension office for around 10 to 15 bucks--well worth it. If not I would go ahead and broadcast and disc in 250# of pelleted lime for each 1/4 acre plot. That will at least get you started. Personally I would concentrate on getting the lime in and weed control over the spring and summer then around the middle or end of August plant your clover along with chicory, wheat, and rye grain. You should be able to get these seeds at your local feed/seed store (except the chicory) or if you want to mix a fall blend check out Hamann Farms Fall Mix--my absolute favorite! Let me know if you have any more questions about specifics (liming, weed control, fertilization). todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! [ QUOTE ] Maybe I am asking for a miracle. JIM [/ QUOTE ] Not at all. That is how I've planted 4 acres of current food plots. It's more work than using a tractor and larger equipment, but it gets the job done. Another piece of equipment that you might consider is an atv sprayer with boom. You'll want to Round-up your plots a couple of times before planting. As usual, dogdoc did a good job of covering the bases for you. If you haven't already, you might also read mdgc's post on his food plot plan as there is some great tips in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYBUCK Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! This is a great post. I want to do something at the camp this year in NY also. Question, I have heard alot about round-up and I am sure that this is pretty critical, but isn't that stuff really expensive??? And how much do you apply a s ageneral rule of thumb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! [ QUOTE ] Tominator might be the one that can give you the best advise for that area. [/ QUOTE ] JIMM and I have been PM'ing each other for a few days, and I hope to get down to his property and help him out this spring. His property is about 50 to 70 miles from me I think. I'm sure we can get something going, and I suggested to him to use Martin's seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! [ QUOTE ] Tominator might be the one that can give you the best advise for that area. When did you plant your clover last year--spring or fall. In Oklahoma that makes a huge difference---spring plantings don't do near as well as fall planting b/c of weed invasion and dry summers. But when planted in the fall the perennials have a a longer time to develop a root system before the next summer. Perennial clovers like ladino are slower to get established compared to annuals like wheat or cowpeas. They don't really start putting out a lot of forage until they get the root system more established--roots sustain their long life! Another reason for your possible clover failure is soil pH--the perennials are a lot pickier than most annuals when it comes to soil acidity. Did you do a soil pH test? That is where I would start--you can have it done at your local county extension office for around 10 to 15 bucks--well worth it. If not I would go ahead and broadcast and disc in 250# of pelleted lime for each 1/4 acre plot. That will at least get you started. Personally I would concentrate on getting the lime in and weed control over the spring and summer then around the middle or end of August plant your clover along with chicory, wheat, and rye grain. You should be able to get these seeds at your local feed/seed store (except the chicory) or if you want to mix a fall blend check out Hamann Farms Fall Mix--my absolute favorite! Let me know if you have any more questions about specifics (liming, weed control, fertilization). todd [/ QUOTE ] Atta boy Todd. Good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! [ QUOTE ] This is a great post. I want to do something at the camp this year in NY also. Question, I have heard alot about round-up and I am sure that this is pretty critical, but isn't that stuff really expensive??? And how much do you apply a s ageneral rule of thumb? [/ QUOTE ] Roundup is a bit pricey, but you can get knock off brands now that are the exact same thing as the name brand Roundup. The ingredient you are looking for is called Glysophate. Here's a good source for chemicals: http://www.xsag.com Your local Co-op is a good source too. Be forewarned, some of these chemicals require a farming license so either make friends with a farmer, or buy your stuff at Lowes Typical application rates for established weeds is 6 oz to the gallon. If you have freshly tilled ground and spray little weeds 4 ozs. to the gallon works pretty good--depending on the weed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! JIMM---before I bought my tractor I planted my plots with an my ATV and a small flip over ATV disc--it did a good job just took about 10 times as long--but if you have the time it will do the job! todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! Well, I use an old jd wheel disc behind my tractor to work up the ground, dont have a tiller for the tractor. Wish I did. The disc works fine for breaking up the soil, just have to redisc it several times. An 8N is a very handy size tractor and will do all you need to do. For weeds I use an eliminator brand that is about half the cost of roundup and is the exact same thing. I prefer to plant perrenials in the fall. They do better here, less weed competition. As others mentioned getting a soil analysis is a good start, and would not think of planting without first knowing what you need. Like Todd mentioned the hamanfarms mixes are great. We havea hamannfarms grower mix and it has done pretty good. Another good perrenial that is really easy to get growing is the pennington brand rackmaster clover and rye supreme. I had awesome results from that plot almost immediately after planting it. I would steer clear of any biologic food plot blends. I have tried a few and had absolutely no luck with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted February 23, 2005 Report Share Posted February 23, 2005 Re: NEW FOOD PLOT INFO NEEDED!!! [ QUOTE ] Question, I have heard alot about round-up and I am sure that this is pretty critical, but isn't that stuff really expensive??? And how much do you apply a s ageneral rule of thumb? [/ QUOTE ] I use "Clear Out" which is a generic form of Round Up. It runs about $67 for a 2.5 gallon jug and that size jug lasts a long time. Mix it 1 to 2 ounces of herbicide to one gallon water. If there is a lot of woody stemmed vegetation to kill (like saplings and briars) I'll also mix one ounce of Crossbow (brush killer) per gallon of water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.