fertilizer and lime

[crazyhorse]

hey guys, gettin ready to plant my first food plot here in the next few weeks..I did get a soil sample and took it to the co-op and got the results back. it says i do need to put down lime, and i was going to throw down a little fert anyways. so my question is this, can i put down the lime and fert after mowing but before i till up the plot? or wait untill after i till? and also how soon before i put the seeds down do i need to lime and fert? thanks

 

[stirrat]

you can and should put down the lime now. wait to put the fert out at the same time you plant. if you put it down now much of the nutrients will be gone when you plant. don't be shy on the fertilizer or lime use alot. typically i use at least 500 and preferably 1000 pounds an acre of fertilizer. usually about 1 ton per acre of lime is close for a new plot. you can get by with less but it makes a big difference doing it right.

i have been planting my fall plots usually 1st week of september. others plant as late as ocober. make sure you wait till there is good rain in the forecast and your soil is not too dry. i like to plant at begining of september so they are good for opening of bow season.

good luck

 

[crazyhorse]

stirrat,thanks for the advice... the ground on the farm i am putting my plot is about as hard as a rock, hasnt been farmed in many years...i do not have a tractor so that is going to make plowing up the land a tough job. im only doing a 1/4 acre plot though. I do have a tiller though but i got it out and all i can say is WOW that will take forever! is there some sort of heavy duty tiller or something like that i can rent from a tool rental store?

 

[crazyhorse]

anyone??

 

[tellico4x4]

Our local United Rental agency has tractors with landscaping boxes for rent. You can extend the spikes down to their max length and do a pretty good job at breaking up the ground. The one time we rented from them, I believe that we paid about $200 per 8 hr. day for the tractor, box and front end loader.

 

[BSK]

Our local United Rental agency has tractors with landscaping boxes for rent. You can extend the spikes down to their max length and do a pretty good job at breaking up the ground. The one time we rented from them, I believe that we paid about $200 per 8 hr. day for the tractor, box and front end loader.

Be careful doing that. I tried it and one of the box teeth hit a large root and ripped right through the frame of the box-blade.

 

[BSK]

stirrat,thanks for the advice... the ground on the farm i am putting my plot is about as hard as a rock, hasnt been farmed in many years...i do not have a tractor so that is going to make plowing up the land a tough job. im only doing a 1/4 acre plot though. I do have a tiller though but i got it out and all i can say is WOW that will take forever! is there some sort of heavy duty tiller or something like that i can rent from a tool rental store?

Unless you have access to a heavy-duty tractor and implements, turning the ground may be out of the question. But you can produce "adequate" plots without turning the ground. You just have to limit plant choices to small to medium-sized seed species, such as clover, rape and cereal grains. You will also need to over-seed by at least 50%.