Food Plots Soil Samples

[Shooter77]

I Just got my Whitetail Institution soil samples back from my 5 plots from the lab in Memphis. All of my plots where created out of the woods. Smallest is 0.12 to the largest being 0.53. This is the 3rd year I done soil samples. First time was Feb 2020, I only had 2 plots. Both came back with pH of low 6's. Last August, I added the others and expanded the first 2. I did the 3 additional right after creating them. The pH for these were around 6. I put down 1,480 lbs of lime by push spreader on all 5 plots per recommendations from the samples. How accurate is these samples? Reason I ask, all my plots came back this year at 6.8-7.1 range. Most jumped 0.6-1.0 on pH. Recommendation was 0 lime for all 5 plots. Fertilizer came in like 30-60lbs per acre on a couple of plots. An area I'm concerned about, the CEC and Organic Matter %. 3 of my plots the CEC was below 10 and 1 had the organic matter drop from 9.3% on the other sample to 5.8%. What can I do to improve the CEC and Organic Matter in those plots that are low?

 

[megalomaniac]

Soil samples are only as good as the guy that pulled them

If you pulled good samples (at least 4 or 5 spots per plot down to 4in or so, then mixed all together), the samples are accurate.

To add organic matter, id suggest you plant them this summer with plants that produce a ton of biomass... like sorgham, millet, buckwheat, and a legume. Bushhog the plants in the fall, spray and drill fall plantings (or disc and spread). The more stuff you grow on the summer, the more organic matter you add to the soil (small fall plots don't add much due to heavy browse pressure)

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I just pulled mine yesterday and will be sending them off tomorrow. I did as mega mentioned….3-5 samples in each plot.

@megalomaniac - if you plant buckwheat early after last frost, bushhog right before it matures, will it keep growing? I've heard it will and get bushier. If that's the case, we may try that method to get 2 layers of organic matter in one growing season before planting our fall crop. @Popcorn do you know?

 

[megalomaniac]

I dont think so... when we cut our summer blend for haylage, the buckwheat didn't regrow... but part of that may have been due to competition from the sorgham which regrew so quickly to choke out everything else.

i've always heard folks mow buckwheat after it goes to seed, thereby reseeding the buckwheat for a 2nd crop 8-10w after planting.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

i've always heard folks mow buckwheat after it goes to seed, thereby reseeding the buckwheat for a 2nd crop 8-10w after planting.

That may have been where I had misunderstood. Thanks for the info. The method you described may serve the same purpose - 2 growings within the summer before fall crops are planted. We just completed dozing 20-21 new acres of plots this morning. Plan now is to create a lot of organic matter in the soil. We will be liming as soon as possible.

Shooter77 - didn't mean to get recommendations for myself in your thread, just that I too got multiple random samples from each of our 13 plots and also am needing organic matter. Buckwheat is an option. I've planted most everything under the sun, but never buckwheat. So I needed a little info and that may have helped you as well. Best of luck!

 

[Popcorn]

I just pulled mine yesterday and will be sending them off tomorrow. I did as mega mentioned….3-5 samples in each plot.

@megalomaniac - if you plant buckwheat early after last frost, bushhog right before it matures, will it keep growing? I've heard it will and get bushier. If that's the case, we may try that method to get 2 layers of organic matter in one growing season before planting our fall crop. @Popcorn do you know?

There are a couple factors to consider. 1st is the response to browse as a young plant and up till pollination. If the plant is bitten or cut off above the first node or above any stem node it will continue to set buds and branch out. If at any time it is cut below that 1st node it is most usually terminated and will not continue to grow. 2nd is the point in the plants productive life when due to stress, age, nutrients, weather, disease or browse it abandons node development / bud set for the greater need of seed production. It is similar to final seed set which is the point when the developing seed become viable the plant ceases to need energy from the leaves therefore stops producing leaf stems and leaves. Either way the plant is done and will cease production but may to exist for a period of time but is no longer productive. Not all plants terminate as quickly as soybeans but they are a good example of stopping node development as seeds mature and terminating as soon as seeds are viable. I have never attempted what you mention but would suggest that if you do mow it high and before the first seed set matures. Im not sure you would acheive a net gain from this practice.
If you wish I can suggest some blends of summer plot food and soil building crops that will produce tons of matter per acre while producing some food and lots of cover rather than the few pounds of matter from buckwheat

 

[Popcorn]

Species lbs / acre % by weight carbon / nitrogen population

Sun Hemp 6 9% 30:1 15,000

Sun Flower 4 6% leaves 15:1 8,000
Stalk 45:1

Grain Sorghum 2 3% 50:1 18,000

Cow Pea 8 13% 20:1 4,000

Buckwheat 8 13% 35:1 18,000

Eagle forage Bean 20 32% 30:1 3,000
Tall type

Balansia Clover 2 3% 15:1 500,000

Spring Oats 10 18% 70:1 16,000




Species 8 62 100%

 

[Shooter77]

Soil samples are only as good as the guy that pulled them

If you pulled good samples (at least 4 or 5 spots per plot down to 4in or so, then mixed all together), the samples are accurate.

To add organic matter, id suggest you plant them this summer with plants that produce a ton of biomass... like sorgham, millet, buckwheat, and a legume. Bushhog the plants in the fall, spray and drill fall plantings (or disc and spread). The more stuff you grow on the summer, the more organic matter you add to the soil (small fall plots don't add much due to heavy browse pressure)

actually every plot i pulled between 7 and 15 samples with my soil test probe. I did the throw a hat, go to that spot for a sample and throw it again. mixed them all together into fine dirt then put it in a bag. i guess putting out 1480lbs of lime last year really helped my stuff. I was looking at doing sorgham and buckwheat this summer on all of them. Thanks for the info.