Food Plots Any downside to lime, fertilizer, planting 9 days, vs 24/48 hours, before rain

[tug]

My schedule is very tight early next week. There is no possible way I can work in the field next Monday. (30th wedding anniversary)

I have time this week. My plots are dirt plots right now. My time math says it will take a little over a day (moving equipment/changing implements/walking a seeder, etc) to complete lime, fertilizer, seeding, covering.

I could work like a demon on Tuesday with rain forecast Wed afternoon. If my equipment breaks, or if I break, the job does not get done. Or I could take a more reasonable pace and do it this week with 100% chance of completion.

School me on the trade offs.

 

[megalomaniac]

Downside to planting 9 days before a rain... much more seed loss due to birds before the rain causes germination. Need to increase seeding rate.

BUT, what if you don't get rain in 9 days... then you potentially wasted all that seed and prob around 10-15% of the potency of the fertilizer. That's the biggest downside.

 

[hitek7]

Trusting a weather forecast that far is out is not good planning. I would not bank on that forecast.

 

[BSK]

Trusting a weather forecast that far is out is not good planning. I would not bank on that forecast.

Agree! That's why I'm waiting. Although I do have the luxury of running out there last minute if the forecast holds.

 

[Jcalder]

My planting came down to time constraints. I pretty well double what I should anyway but this may be my worst food plot I've done. Need rain bad

 

[tug]

Trusting a weather forecast that far is out is not good planning. I would not bank on that forecast.

I agree with discounting a forecast. We saw that 2 weeks ago. Which is why I, and others, are this position.

A forecast 75% chance got whittled down to 0% in a ten day span. But I don't ignore forecasts either.

If I loose 10% of my fertilizer, I can make that up later. My rye and oats will be covered 1 to 1.5 inches, mitigates bird loss. Clover barely covered if at all, don't know how much clover gets eaten. I can increase seed rate a little.

Oct is the driest month. The next rain is forecast in late Oct. If that does not come, then I won't get planted till November, which is getting very late.

I am thinking now on planting Sat, Sun. If I get lucky, then I can get a start and hope for another shower in couple of weeks. If I don't get lucky, then I will just reseed before the next rain, whenever that comes. I may change the plant selection, and I am out $300 and time for seeding only.

I would make a horrible professional farmer.

 

[BSK]

I would make a horrible professional farmer.

After the complete loss of both my summer and fall plots this year due to drought, I've realized I'm so glad I'm not farmer.

 

[BSK]

I am thinking now on planting Sat, Sun. If I get lucky, then I can get a start and hope for another shower in couple of weeks. If I don't get lucky, then I will just reseed before the next rain, whenever that comes. I may change the plant selection, and I am out $300 and time for seeding only.

As others have said, I don't count on lang-range forecasts, but I don't discount them either. Often they show an upcoming "trend" in patterns. From what I'm seeing out of the American Model (GFS), which goes out 16 days, I'm starting to see a trend towards a move back to weekly rains in our area after this predicted Thursday rain. Let's hope that becomes reality.

 

[muddyboots]

I planted mine with the thought of sowing again if rain don't come anytime soon.

 

[Popcorn]

I finished planting 9/21 just ahead of our last rain on 9/22. Reviewed plots today and found everything where it was 7 days after planting. I'm just glad I had a high cereal rye content, that may be all that makes anything at this point if any of it makes. I'm thru with planting in 2022 it's been a disaster

 

[tug]

I listened to podcasts today when I spread lime from an ATV.

At the end of the process, I was smarter on the subject matter and I had my lime down. And I discovered that my spreader is about to fall apart.

Fert and seed on Sat or Sun.

 

[BSK]

Models are back to little or no rain Thursday. The Fall has just been the worst.

My prediction: no rain until the first 5 days of MZ season. Then it pours. Forcing us to hunt from our condo stands overlooking mud fields with nothing growing in them. That's the kind of 2022 I'm having.

 

[tug]

Done.

 

[tug]

I am going to get a nice rain Wed. Then again ten days after that. And there will be great rejoicing.

 

[tellico4x4]

Hope you get it

 

[BSK]

I am going to get a nice rain Wed. Then again ten days after that. And there will be great rejoicing.

Think positive! I'll be out there tomorrow.

 

[redblood]

Im torn as well. I have about 3 of 10 plots that are salvage able if rains do in fact come. The others are basically dirt. Overseeding with cereal rye my best option this late? I have both wheat and rye and a 500 pound seeder hooked uo to little tractor ready to go. Looks like sunday is our best bet in middle tn now.

 

[tug]

Im torn as well. I have about 3 of 10 plots that are salvage able if rains do in fact come. The others are basically dirt. Overseeding with cereal rye my best option this late? I have both wheat and rye and a 500 pound seeder hooked uo to little tractor ready to go. Looks like sunday is our best bet in middle tn now.

I am showing an 80% chance on Wed night. May not be much volume, but it might be enough to wet the soil down to half an inch. Then Sunday comes.

 

[wildlifefarmer]

the weather folks are all over the board!! one has taken the rain out, another has 30% and another is predicting 50%. i'd overseed today if they were close together but i will wait on a rain or spread the first of next week. i think the weather guys just have too many toys to look at. come on rain!!!!!!

 

[BSK]

I'm rolling the dice. Over-seeding today and tomorrow (well, as much as my back will allow).