Food Plots Food Plot Help (1st Timer)

[Specializedjon]

Got a wild hair on Saturday while I was mowing and headed out back. Cut about a 1/2 acres of "weeds"/pasture grass and I'm gonna do a food plot on it. We've got horses so I'm going to put up some of that electric rope stuff to keep them out (best I can). To be on the safe side, I'd like to plant something that'll be safe for them IF they do end up getting in to it. I don't own a tiller so I'm hoping I can just "throw & grow" something. No clue.

What do y'all think my best chances are for a early fall and winter plot is?

 

[DoubleRidge]

You can let it green up a little then spray it with glysophate then sow it heavy in cereal rye (not rye grass) and/or winter wheat just before a good rain and it will green up nice....might mix in some crimson clover too...but I'd wait till closer to fall....might mow it every so often between now and then to keep it under control...and no harm if the horses were to get in it.

 

[Specializedjon]

You can let it green up a little then spray it with glysophate then sow it heavy in cereal rye (not rye grass) and/or winter wheat just before a good rain and it will green up nice....might mix in some crimson clover too...but I'd wait till closer to fall....might mow it every so often between now and then to keep it under control...and no harm if the horses were to get in it.

Thank you sir. I'm gonna try this exact receipt and see what happens. Can't hurt.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Shorter answer....closer to fall let area grow up 6" to 8" tall....spray with glysophate then sow heavy in cereal rye, winter wheat and crimson clover....brown thatch will lay over your seed, mat and hold moisture.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Shorter answer....closer to fall let area grow up 6" to 8" tall....spray with glysophate then sow heavy in cereal rye, winter wheat and crimson clover....brown thatch will lay over your seed, mat and hold moisture.

I think this is a good strategy with no equipment. Glad you had the answer to the horses, I didn't have a clue, so I didn't know how to respond.

Jon, is that a 1/2 acre or between 1-2 acres? I'm assuming the former. Just was going to try and help with the seed rates per variety. It'll need to be heavy

 

[Ski]

DR nailed it. That's exactly what I'd do given the same scenario. You'll be surprised how well it does, especially if rain participates.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Agree with DoubleRidge on going with rye grain and clovers for a fall planting. If you have a Pennington dealer near you, their wintergrazer rye is great.

 

[BSK]

Can't go wrong with rye, wheat and crimson clover. All do quite well with throw and mowing planting techniques.

 

[Specializedjon]

I think this is a good strategy with no equipment. Glad you had the answer to the horses, I didn't have a clue, so I didn't know how to respond.

Jon, is that a 1/2 acre or between 1-2 acres? I'm assuming the former. Just was going to try and help with the seed rates per variety. It'll need to be heavy

Might be an acre. I'm thinking a 1/2 to 3/4 though. Stupid question, by "sow in heavy" you mean broadcast heavily and let the cut grass lay on top?

 

[DoubleRidge]

Might be an acre. I'm thinking a 1/2 to 3/4 though. Stupid question, by "sow in heavy" you mean broadcast heavily and let the cut grass lay on top?

Yes sow heavy and if you have a way to spray glysophate...spray it...then the standing grass will brown and lay down on its own and mat over your seed as a mulch...especially following a good rain....if you dont spray....then sow heavy then mow low...but without spraying you will likely have more competition from grass and weeds...but you'll still have a green fall plot....and when you get your seed...remember not rye grass....but cereal rye....and again winter wheat and crimson clover with the cereal rye will make a nice fall blend.

 

[Specializedjon]

Thanks DR

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Yes sow heavy and if you have a way to spray glysophate...spray it...then the standing grass will brown and lay down on its own and mat over your seed as a mulch...especially following a good rain....if you dont spray....then sow heavy then mow low...but without spraying you will likely have more competition from grass and weeds...but you'll still have a green fall plot....and when you get your seed...remember not rye grass....but cereal rye....and again winter wheat and crimson clover with the cereal rye will make a nice fall blend.

Spot on. Yeah, 1/2-3/4 acre, I'd spread 100 lbs cereal rye, 50 lbs wheat and 10-15 lbs of crimson clover. That's excessive, even for broadcasting, but should do the trick.

If you know a rain is coming for sure, you could spray a few days before….and right before the rain, broadcast the seed. Then wait less than a week and drag a log to lay everything down. Hopefully the stuff you sprayed will start to die by then and will lay over (like a mat) and your newly planted stuff is just popping out of the soil. The timing for that process is crucial.

"Dragging a log" is basically a chain pulling a log parallel with your tractor/4-wheeler Where it's just smoothing things out. Don't get excited about the word "drag" Jon…this is just farming, not pride BS

 

[Specializedjon]

Can I drag a big fat pink unicorn behind the 4-wheeler? Should do the same thing and bring me more joy

 

[BSK]

For throw-and-mow planting techniques, you really want to go pretty heavy on the seeding rates, much higher than recommended seeding rates. The most common recommendations are 50% above standard seeding rates. For example, standard seeding rates for a single species cereal grain is usually 100-110 lbs per acre. Throw-and-mow broadcasting would be 150-165 lbs per acre.

 

[Specializedjon]

Not to beat a dead horse....what brand seed do y'all recommend and where do I get said seed?

 

[DoubleRidge]

Not to beat a dead horse....what brand seed do y'all recommend and where do I get said seed?

Most of the time we get our seed directly from our local coop....try to avoid big name brand seed and the additional cost....normally you can get cereal rye and winter wheat in 50lb bags and you can get the crimson clover by the pound....or they will have it in smaller 2 or 3 lb bags.

 

[Specializedjon]

Most of the time we get our seed directly from our local coop....try to avoid big name brand seed and the additional cost....normally you can get cereal rye and winter wheat in 50lb bags and you can get the crimson clover by the pound....or they will have it in smaller 2 or 3 lb bags.

Perfect. Thanks. I'm assuming I can mix all these and broadcast at once?

 

[DoubleRidge]

Perfect. Thanks. I'm assuming I can mix all these and broadcast at once?

You can....but with the smaller clover seed I like to use a smaller hand seeder where i can turn the rate down and get a good even coverage....but if your pressed for time you can blend everything and spread it all together.....but broadcasting any seed I like to start with the seed rate set low so I know I'll cover the entire plot evenly.....go north to south then east to west and go over it multiple times for good even coverage....verses opening up the seed rate and running out before the entire plot is covered.

 

[BSK]

You can....but with the smaller clover seed I like to use a smaller hand seeder where i can turn the rate down and get a good even coverage....but if your pressed for time you can blend everything and spread it all together.....but broadcasting any seed I like to start with the seed rate set low so I know I'll cover the entire plot evenly.....go north to south then east to west and go over it multiple times for good even coverage....verses opening up the seed rate and running out before the entire plot is covered.

THIS is great advice!

 

[Specializedjon]

You can....but with the smaller clover seed I like to use a smaller hand seeder where i can turn the rate down and get a good even coverage....but if your pressed for time you can blend everything and spread it all together.....but broadcasting any seed I like to start with the seed rate set low so I know I'll cover the entire plot evenly.....go north to south then east to west and go over it multiple times for good even coverage....verses opening up the seed rate and running out before the entire plot is covered.

I'm going to hand seed all of it (bag spreader) so I'll make sure to do that. Good for the soul to walk around on our dirt....dreaming of bucks.

Appreciate the information and tips.


I'll have some pics to post when fall hits

 

[DoubleRidge]

I'm going to hand seed all of it (bag spreader) so I'll make sure to do that. Good for the soul to walk around on our dirt....dreaming of bucks.

Appreciate the information and tips.


I'll have some pics to post when fall hits

Agree....working on food plots and various other habitat projects can be very rewarding...good luck...and enjoy the process.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

@DoubleRidge is spot on!

 

[TNTreeman]

All solid info given above. I'd add some brassica to the mixture as well. Do you have anything to scratch up the ground before seeding?

 

[348Winchester]

Check out Merit Seed in Ohio. They have a clover blend consisting of crimson, berseem, and balansa. They call it the "Essential Clover Blend". In my rye plots, I plant this and it does very well. I mow the plot in late May or early June. The rye stalks will eventually melt into the clover and create a nice stand. The berseem and balansa clovers last well into summer and extend the life of the plot. In early August I mow the plot again. This time I mow it very close to the ground. Then over seed buckwheat directly into the short cut and dying clover. The buckwheat grows quickly and offers deer a nice, young, tender source of food when most other plants are becoming less palatable. Then when the buckwheat goes to seed I sow the cereal rye and clover mix into the standing buckwheat and mow it again. Much of the buckwheat will sprout again but the first frost will kill it. If your rye is a little thin you can over seed it again at this time. Here on the northern plateau I have seeded rye as late as mid-November. This has been my basic food plot scheme for over twenty years. It works very well. You can frost seed red and white clovers and chicory into it in late February if you like. I often do. That will help fill in any bare spots or thin areas for the upcoming warm season. Always remember to lime the plots heavily the first year and moderately after that.

 

[tellico4x4]

Great advice right there ^^^!

 

[BSK]

Check out Merit Seed in Ohio. They have a clover blend consisting of crimson, berseem, and balansa. They call it the "Essential Clover Blend". In my rye plots, I plant this and it does very well. I mow the plot in late May or early June. The rye stalks will eventually melt into the clover and create a nice stand. The berseem and balansa clovers last well into summer and extend the life of the plot. In early August I mow the plot again. This time I mow it very close to the ground. Then over seed buckwheat directly into the short cut and dying clover. The buckwheat grows quickly and offers deer a nice, young, tender source of food when most other plants are becoming less palatable. Then when the buckwheat goes to seed I sow the cereal rye and clover mix into the standing buckwheat and mow it again. Much of the buckwheat will sprout again but the first frost will kill it. If your rye is a little thin you can over seed it again at this time. Here on the northern plateau I have seeded rye as late as mid-November. This has been my basic food plot scheme for over twenty years. It works very well. You can frost seed red and white clovers and chicory into it in late February if you like. I often do. That will help fill in any bare spots or thin areas for the upcoming warm season. Always remember to lime the plots heavily the first year and moderately after that.

Very cool system!

 

[348Winchester]

Very cool system!

Thanks! It works very well. Only once did it fail during a horrible drought but I was able to coax some meager growth by seeding cereal rye in early November. It grew and was something green for the deer to eat.

I've used the buckwheat in the years where the clover was fading more than average. That time of year, Aug-Sep, it seems to be a bit of candy for the herd.

 

[BSK]

Thanks! It works very well. Only once did it fail during a horrible drought but I was able to coax some meager growth by seeding cereal rye in early November. It grew and was something green for the deer to eat.

I've used the buckwheat in the years where the clover was fading more than average. That time of year, Aug-Sep, it seems to be a bit of candy for the herd.

I don't know what it is about Buckwheat, but it sees very different seasonal usage in my area. Deer eat it in summer, but not like it's candy. However, in a fall planting - and I always add it to my fall mix - deer go crazy over it. Don't know why the difference.