ReClaimed strip land and food plots

[cweinste]

Next year i'll be moving back to my home state of Pennsylvania, there I have 385 acres of old strip land... 25 yrs reclaimed now. It has plenty of fields with scattered black locust patches and good hardwoods over the high walls. Now the fields are covered in some type of sharp edged grass and mostly crown vetch. We have been managing the land with what we shoot and what not, but have not done much as far as food. So that being said has anyone had any experience with planting food plots on such land?

I know i need a soil test but I'm pretty sure they put down alot of lime stone then covered it with some 2-6 inches of top soil (not much). Lots of rocks to. We have a tiller to get the soil turned over. We have both fields that would get alot of sun and some that would be a sun/shade mix.

So the questions?

1.) What type of plants do you think would work well?

2.) Should I plant something to till under the next year for nutrients?

3.) Fall vs Spring plants?

4.) Go with food plot brands or with your basics (alfalfa, beans?)

5.) you get the idea i'm new to this...

Yep can't find much on QDMA sights about "reclaimed" land. Any help would be great!!

Thanks, CJW

[AaronS]

Reclaimed or not, I would treat it like any other soil. Get a soil test for each plot and them lime and fertilize accordingly.

If you want to plant something that you can turn under as green fertilizer, I've read good things about planting buckwheat in the summer, or a combo or winter rye and clover in the fall.

As far as what to plant, they say variety is the spice of life. If you have several areas that you can plant, try different things. I'd put a lot in clover, but I'd also plant a little chicory, some brassicas in the fall, and soybeans in the spring.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress. We love pics.

[dogdoc]

I would also go ahead and get some soil samples done just to find out where your soil stands.

first year i would concentrate on annuals then start a plan to get some perennials planted.

Rye grain is a great soil builder. it will provide some good winter nutrition and then next spring you can till it back into the soil to build up your soil. Another good plant to throw in this fall is the Ground Hog Radish. It shoots out a large deep taproot that will aerate the ground soil and help loosen the soil (hardpan). It is also very palatable for deer.

In the spring i would choose a round up ready soybean such as the Eagle Brand Soybeans. you can plant these in the spring and spray with glyphosate (round up) to create a really nice clean plot that can be turned into a perennial plot (ladino clover, chicory) the following fall.

good luck

todd

[hunter109]

well we have done alittle of that kind of work but we planted tobbaco on the land that is what we farmed we had over 35 acres at one point but now we are out of it well i think it would be about the same but tobbacco has a shollow root system

[cweinste]

Thanks guys! I'll take all into consideration. Still a lot to learn!! Hunter not a farmer!!

[hunter109]

i know i do both though so i have the best of both worlds get to grow alt of stuff and then i get to hunt over alot of it