#2999952 - 10/26/12 08:55 AM
Ridge top plots
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richmanbarbeque
16 Point
Registered: 07/17/03
Posts: 12771
Loc: Middle, Tn
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Here is two ridge top plots that have taken a few years to get going. This year they are showing better results and have seen deer in both. hopefully they will be even better next year.
What have you done to get good ridge top plots?
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#2999987 - 10/26/12 09:17 AM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: richmanbarbeque]
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eyeseeker
4 Point
Registered: 06/29/10
Posts: 137
Loc: Hickman county
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Mine look very similar to yours. Every year i spray gly in the summer to kill down expansion area and i cut out trees and brush after season ends. I have cut and removed ( for firewood) all of the non oak trees i can adjacent to the plots to get them more sun and reduce the leaf fall onto them. I have tried liming them but spreading lime from the back of a trailer with a shovel....not sure how effective i have been.
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#3000110 - 10/26/12 10:26 AM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: eyeseeker]
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smstone22
16 Point
Registered: 01/11/04
Posts: 16262
Loc: Allardt, TN
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Lime, organic matter buildup, very very limited disking, proper crop rotations, hand rock removal, high biomass summer crops. Thats a few I can think of.
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- Fentress Roots 200 years and growing
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#3000456 - 10/26/12 02:50 PM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: smstone22]
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Quailman
8 Point
Registered: 08/04/03
Posts: 1329
Loc: Winchester, TN
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What Steven said. Try to stay away from annual tillage. You've got to give the soil time to build up an organic layer. It will take a while on those ridgetop plots.
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Why work when you can hunt?
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#3000474 - 10/26/12 03:06 PM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: Quailman]
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richmanbarbeque
16 Point
Registered: 07/17/03
Posts: 12771
Loc: Middle, Tn
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What Steven said. Try to stay away from annual tillage. You've got to give the soil time to build up an organic layer. It will take a while on those ridgetop plots.
Especially when you have rocks for soil.
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#3000855 - 10/26/12 07:31 PM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: richmanbarbeque]
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catman529
spiderboy
16 Point
Registered: 11/10/10
Posts: 10887
Loc: Franklin TN
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I was just gonna say eyeseeker's plots look a lot like yours, even the trees look the same. they are some nice looking plots, turkeys love em too
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A good day in the woods is best finished off with an ice cold Sun Drop.
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#3001110 - 10/26/12 10:05 PM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: catman529]
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eyeseeker
4 Point
Registered: 06/29/10
Posts: 137
Loc: Hickman county
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And i do basically the above except i do disc every year for planting. Hand picking rocks is important...but i dont do summer plantings....deer just eat it before it has a chance so i leave it to natural weeds and forbs.
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#3001284 - 10/27/12 07:19 AM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: eyeseeker]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Much depends on the soil conditions of your particular ridge-tops. But in loamy-clay with a lot of chert, I have to strongly disagree with those who say to limit tillage. Absolutely the very best thing we have ever done for our ridge-top plots is to increase their ability to hold moisture through chisel-plowing as deep as possible, and then removing as much rock as you can. Without the tillage, those soils simply won't absorb or hold moisture. Biomass build-up is also critical to holding moisture.
_________________________
"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#3001386 - 10/27/12 08:36 AM
Re: Ridge top plots
[Re: BSK]
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richmanbarbeque
16 Point
Registered: 07/17/03
Posts: 12771
Loc: Middle, Tn
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Thanks everyone. I think this is a good topic for most of us with rocks for soil. I had Justin run a chisel plow thru it the past couple years and hopefully it's helped
(I think it's starting too). I have winter wheat and clover in there and in march or so I will till the standing wheat in and let the green matter mix with with the dirt.
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