Food Plots Just waiting on rain

[DoubleRidge]

For that mix, 50 lbs per acre would be an EXTREMELY low seeding rate.

Oh I agree....that just always seems to be the standard answer when I ask....we always seed heavy... especially when broadcasting.

What I don't know how to estimate is the amount of buckwheat seed I have on the plots now?....first year doing a summer crop in buckwheat and everyone says if I let it go to seed I'll get a second crop.....so as mentioned the plan is to broadcast the fall blend into the buckwheat and bushog it ....just curious to see how the buckwheat does with the fall blend.

 

[BSK]

I've not seen acceptable second crops of buckwheat, but then on my place, deer eat it all before it seeds out!

 

[DoubleRidge]

I've not seen acceptable second crops of buckwheat, but then on my place, deer eat it all before it seeds out!

The deer have eaten some of buckwheat around the edge of the plots....but there is plenty of seed left....just curious to see how it does in addition to the fall blend....the buckwheat seed is turning a dark color and is falling off now....it's around 10 or 11 weeks old and starting to lay over.

 

[tellico4x4]

I've not seen acceptable second crops of buckwheat, but then on my place, deer eat it all before it seeds out!

I've had decent second crops before when planted late April or early May. I did bush hog it when first crop went to seed. But then again our deer don't eat it much after 6" tall.

 

[BSK]

I've had decent second crops before when planted late April or early May. I did bush hog it when first crop went to seed. But then again our deer don't eat it much after 6" tall.

Strange thing is, in Fall deer wolf down the Buckwheat like it's the last food on Earth. In Spring/Summer, they only eat it half-heartedly. Go figure. I guess it's a matter of what else is available. In Spring, lots of good natural foods are available. In Fall, not so much.

 

[tnanh]

But it does make me wonder, why in all the years I've been going to Co-ops to buy seed (or be told they don't have any of what I want) has not a single employee EVER said, "Let me check the inventory in the main warehouse. I'll order it and it will be here Friday"? Until yesterday.

The people at the Dickson co-op always call main co-op if I ask them to.

 

[BSK]

The people at the Dickson co-op always call main co-op if I ask them to.

I guess I didn't know they could do that, so never asked. But this was the first time in 25+ years anyone offered.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

The people at the Dickson co-op always call main co-op if I ask them to.

I love dickson coop. Very knowledgeable and helpful compared to the others in my experience.
No bad experience at any coop, but they seem to help out a lot. I've heard great things about the "newer" Columbia coop

 

[BSK]

I love dickson coop. Very knowledgeable and helpful compared to the others in my experience.
No bad experience at any coop, but they seem to help out a lot. I've heard great things about the "newer" Columbia coop

I've been buying most of my seed from the Dickson County Co-ops for years. They usually have the best seed inventory. The have a great hunting section, and I've bought a bunch of treestands from them as well.

The new Co-op in Columbia is 'da BOMB! Gorgeous building. Very helpful staff. That's where I bought my Sportsman's Condo blinds. Best prices around.

 

[tellico4x4]

Strange thing is, in Fall deer wolf down the Buckwheat like it's the last food on Earth. In Spring/Summer, they only eat it half-heartedly. Go figure. I guess it's a matter of what else is available. In Spring, lots of good natural foods are available. In Fall, not so much.

Going to find out how our deer like it in fall this year. Dropped off my seed order at Clemmonds & Hamner yesterday. Having them add buckwheat to my annual mix to use on the 6 new landings we cleared off in spring.

 

[wildlifefarmer]

Forgot to mention....four of the plots we are trying the co-op blend in are currently in buckwheat which is around 10 weeks old currently....so we're going to have buckwheat seed on the ground as well....going to broadcast this fall blend into the thick standing buckwheat and bushhog it to cover seed...then pray for rain....so we'll see how it goes.

That's something that I am trying to do. I have maturing buckwheat that was broadcast into mature pure crimson clover first of June. Going to go back with broadcast ceral rye and oats and hope to have the clover reseed itself. Question is which way to terminate the buckwheat? Gly or bushog?

 

[tellico4x4]

That's something that I am trying to do. I have maturing buckwheat that was broadcast into mature pure crimson clover first of June. Going to go back with broadcast ceral rye and oats and hope to have the clover reseed itself. Question is which way to terminate the buckwheat? Gly or bushog?

Once you bush hog the buckwheat it is terminated from my experience

 

[DoubleRidge]

That's something that I am trying to do. I have maturing buckwheat that was broadcast into mature pure crimson clover first of June. Going to go back with broadcast ceral rye and oats and hope to have the clover reseed itself. Question is which way to terminate the buckwheat? Gly or bushog?

If there isn't allot of weed competition in the buckwheat I will not spray....I will only bush hog.......if I had a crimper like what Dr Grant uses that's what I'd do.....but I do not have a crimper....so I'll bush hog to create mulch layer over seed blend and too spread what buckwheat seed is there from the summer crop.....our buckwheat is nearing end of it's life now...leaves are turning lighter in color ,starting to lean over and the seed is drying and darkening....and it's done well supressing weeds so we'll just bush hog it......not against spraying.....we have two or three other plots heavy with weed competition that are being sprayed this afternoon if weather cooperates....but anytime I can skip spraying I will.

 

[BSK]

I'm old school. Rotary tiller is hooked up and ready to go! Plots will be bare dirt as soon as we get a rain to soften the soil a bit. Otherwise it's concrete.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I'm old school. Rotary tiller is hooked up and ready to go! Plots will be bare dirt as soon as we get a rain to soften the soil a bit. Otherwise it's concrete.

Oh I get it.....I'll drop a disk or tiller on certain plots we have if needed....but on these particular ridge top plots which are new and only in year 2 we are trying to build soil matter as much as possible...and trying to keep some type of root system growing for the majority of the year.....as mentioned before... I'd like to have a crimper and no-till drill someday....but currently the budget won't allow that investment....maybe someday...until then we do the best we can with what we got.... enjoying the process.

 

[BSK]

If I let my new plots go, they would be so hard in a year or two we would never be able to till them. I've got a lot of dead buckwheat and weeds to till into them to improve the soil as fast as possible. They will also be planted in cereal rye this first fall. That will provide a lot of biomass to till in in spring.

 

[DoubleRidge]

If I let my new plots go, they would be so hard in a year or two we would never be able to till them. I've got a lot of dead buckwheat and weeds to till into them to improve the soil as fast as possible. They will also be planted in cereal rye this first fall. That will provide a lot of biomass to till in in spring.

Last year I disk them for a summer crop and planted beans, peas and sunflower....did ok....but the deer hammered it and we ended up with allot of bare dirt and on one sloped portion of one plot we lost some soil from erosion....so we're focusing on soiling building now and having a root system growing the majority of the year also helps with loosening the soil......but I do like the ideas of disking in the dead buckwheat to speed up the process....may try that on a different plot where erosion is less of a concern.....I like experimenting with different techniques to see what works best in our area.

 

[tellico4x4]

I'm doing it! Headed up this afternoon to plant 5 brassica plots tonight. Sprayed them two weeks ago. Lots of rain headed to camp right now from NW & gonna take a chance on next 7 days forecast.... Nothing to lose but some sleep tonight & few dollars in seed....

 

[RobDooley]

I believe the moisture is coming. I do not plant any brassicas until the last of September. I have had really good luck the last five or six years.

 

[tellico4x4]

I believe the moisture is coming. I do not plant any brassicas until the last of September. I have had really good luck the last five or six years.

Right the opposite for me. Only time I can get them knee high before frost is with Aug planting.