Food Plots Mixing Seed Blends?

[DoubleRidge]

Curious what methods people use to mix their own blends? For example...this year we are blending our own barasica blend of tilliage radish, turnip and rape....in the past we've bought store blends or name brand blends...this year we are blending our own...so just curious what method you use?
In another thread Popcorn suggested mixing in pelletized lime when spreading smaller seeds to help with distribution..so we will use that suggestion for sure... appreciate any input on mixing or blending seed.

 

[megalomaniac]

If my ground is tilled and ready to seed, I run over it twice with the cone spreader... once with the large seeds, then again with the tiny seeds (millet, radishes, clover, etc) mixed in with the fertilizer.

While drilling, sometimes I just mix it all together, but only drill a couple acres at a time before adding fresh mixed seed to the drill. That minimizes all the tiny seeds from migrating to the bottom all at once and getting drilled in before the larger seeds. For the large plot, I have small and large seed boxes on the drill and use those.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I bought this yesterday. We just mix by hand. The one I had was a little too small.

As far as the blends themselves, it's all in the math. You'll benefit from a kitchen scale and that will be your best friend when mixing small seeds!! I can't stress that enough! Most only go to 11 pound max, but you don't need more than that.

As you know, we use a drill, so you have to be almost exact for the number of acres we plant. Same concept when broadcasting, however. Here's an example: our blend this year for the big seed bin:
25 lbs / acre cereal rye
25 lbs / acre wheat
1 lb / acre radishes
3.5 lbs / acre buckwheat
***pour half a 50 lb bag of wheat and half 50 lb bag of rye into Rubbermaid tub. Weigh 1 lb radishes and pour in. Weigh 3.5 lbs buckwheat and put in / mix**

For the small seed bin:
2 lbs / acre rape
7.2 lbs / acre crimson clover
***I have three 50 lb bags of crimson clover and a 50 lb bag of rape. So, roughy 15 lbs of rape need to be blended with each 50 lb bag of crimson clover. Mix in tub.**

Once everything is mixed, it's poured into the drill / spreader

Hope this makes sense

 

[DoubleRidge]

If my ground is tilled and ready to seed, I run over it twice with the cone spreader... once with the large seeds, then again with the tiny seeds (millet, radishes, clover, etc) mixed in with the fertilizer.

While drilling, sometimes I just mix it all together, but only drill a couple acres at a time before adding fresh mixed seed to the drill. That minimizes all the tiny seeds from migrating to the bottom all at once and getting drilled in before the larger seeds. For the large plot, I have small and large seed boxes on the drill and use those.

Thanks....makes sense and I wish I had a drill with a large and small seed boxes....but this will be on a smaller scale.... multiple smaller plots in different locations on the property that will total 4.5 acres....some plots may be 1/4 acre...some 1/2 acre.
And we have 50 lb bag of coated tilliage radish (25 lb actual seed) 11 lb Turnip and 10 lb of rape. And some other non- coated tilliage radish.
So the coated radish is larger than the rape and the turnip is tiny....being multiple smaller plots we will be using hand spreaders....was thinking of premixing the blend in a plastic tub? Or 5 gallon buckets? Or?....was curious how others pre mixed there own blends and got a or maintained a good distribution....should I pre mix it all? Or mix it plot by plot as we go to prevent separation?
I just dont want to get to the last plot and have majority turnip.

On some of the larger plots 1 acre or 2 acre we can use the 3pt cone spreader for the cereal rye, winter wheat, etc.....but for the smaller plots...and smaller seed...want to have better control with hand seeder.... appreciate the input.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

while mine is more "big scale", it's the same concept. Simply thinking for most folks, just put a 50 lb bag of wheat in a tub, weigh however much of each variety of brassicas and clovers and just throw in the tub and mix. I'll mention the kitchen scale again

 

[JCDEERMAN]

should I pre mix it all? Or mix it plot by plot as we go to prevent separation?
I just dont want to get to the last plot and have majority turnip.

On some of the larger plots 1 acre or 2 acre we can use the 3pt cone spreader for the cereal rye, winter wheat, etc.....but for the smaller plots...and smaller seed...want to have better control with hand seeder.... appreciate the input.

I would pre mix it all, personally. Once mixed in the tub, pour back in a bag, so you know for a fact that one bag does 1 acre.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I bought this yesterday. We just mix by hand. The one I had was a little too small.

View attachment 146102

As far as the blends themselves, it's all in the math. You'll benefit from a kitchen scale and that will be your best friend when mixing small seeds!! I can't stress that enough! Most only go to 11 pound max, but you don't need more than that.

As you know, we use a drill, so you have to be almost exact for the number of acres we plant. Same concept when broadcasting, however. Here's an example: our blend this year for the big seed bin:
25 lbs / acre cereal rye
25 lbs / acre wheat
1 lb / acre radishes
3.5 lbs / acre buckwheat
***pour half a 50 lb bag of wheat and half 50 lb bag of rye into Rubbermaid tub. Weigh 1 lb radishes and pour in. Weigh 3.5 lbs buckwheat and put in / mix**

For the small seed bin:
2 lbs / acre rape
7.2 lbs / acre crimson clover
***I have three 50 lb bags of crimson clover and a 50 lb bag of rape. So, roughy 15 lbs of rape need to be blended with each 50 lb bag of crimson clover. Mix in tub.**

Once everything is mixed, it's poured into the drill / spreader

Hope this makes sense

Yes makes perfect sense....I have a couple of the smaller galvanized feed cans I could mix and transport in.....but I really like that plastic 20 gal feed and seed storage can...mix by hand and you could even roll can on it's side a little to mix...thanks.

 

[DoubleRidge]

while mine is more "big scale", it's the same concept. Simply thinking for most folks, just put a 50 lb bag of wheat in a tub, weigh however much of each variety of brassicas and clovers and just throw in the tub and mix. I'll mention the kitchen scale again

I already have developed a covert operation to "borrow" my wife's kitchen scale to weigh the various seeds in the blend.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I would pre mix it all, personally. Once mixed in the tub, pour back in a bag, so you know for a fact that one bag does 1 acre.

Pre mixing at home saves time...and pouring back into individual bags per plot (or per acre) should make it more likely for us to get an even distribution....I like the idea of bagging it back up.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Yes makes perfect sense....I have a couple of the smaller galvanized feed cans I could mix and transport in.....but I really like that plastic 20 gal feed and seed storage can...mix by hand and you could even roll can on it's side a little to mix...thanks.

We roll as well, just be careful on those smaller seeds coming out. But I've found by mixing one acre blends at a time (roughly 65 lbs) together by hand is quite easy.

Just think of it like this - whatever I put in that bin, it will equal 1 acre, then pour back into an empty bag. 1/4 acre plot, use 1/4 of the bag, 3/4 acre plot, 3/4 of bag and so on.

If you can't tell, I've really had to dumb this down to get it through my head!!! But I've found by doing it this way, you can't mess it up.

 

[DoubleRidge]

We roll as well, just be careful on those smaller seeds coming out. But I've found by mixing one acre blends at a time (roughly 65 lbs) together by hand is quite easy.

Just think of it like this - whatever I put in that bin, it will equal 1 acre, then pour back into an empty bag. 1/4 acre plot, use 1/4 of the bag, 3/4 acre plot, 3/4 of bag and so on.

If you can't tell, I've really had to dumb this down to get it through my head!!! But I've found by doing it this way, you can't mess it up.

I appreciate the explanation....and trust me...I've been accused of overthinking this stuff....but I'd rather figure it out now than standing in the plot doing the math....and calculating seed blend rates by the acre makes it much easier for me to wrap my mind around.

 

[Popcorn]

Wow! Y'all really do a great job! I on the other hand guesstimate! Lol
Whether in the cyclone spreader or the Great Plains drill I estimate approximate volumes and layer as I pour from this bag then that one then toss in a handful of turnips as I go. Both the drill and the spreader pull from the center down so I spread my layers well to help with distribution and know that the tossing action from some of the rough ground I run over will contribute as well. I don't worry about seed separation unless there is a great disparity between them.
After the first 100 feet you can't tell my plot from one planted with a premix blend. I will not run pelletized lime thru my drill, too many plastic parts. So if I use that method I use the hand seeder or the cyclone spreader or a ATV spreader.
Large seed companies use a rolling mixer much like a concrete truck to mix, clean and sometimes treat seed.

 

[tellico4x4]

I pay $3.50 a bag to have it custom blended for me at my seed guys. For small quantities they use a small cement mixer like you'd pull behind your truck. For large amounts they have what Popcorn described. They tell me the seeding rate depending on what I'm having mixed. This year it is Triticale, Balansa Clover, Jackpot Turnips & Diakon Radish, picking up Wed. My qtys for each plot are all derived from an excel sheet that I just have to plug in the seeding rate of mix. Used it over & over for years.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Update to the conversation that started earlier

I pay $3.50 a bag to have it custom blended for me at my seed guys. For small quantities they use a small cement mixer.

I actually thought about a small cheap cement mixer!!! Even looked at them online...but talked myself out if it....if you can find all of the seed you want in one location.. $3.50 per bag to mix isn't bad.

 

[tellico4x4]

Update to the conversation that started earlier

I actually thought about a small cheap cement mixer!!! Even looked at them online...but talked myself out if it....if you can find all of the seed you want in one location.. $3.50 per bag to mix isn't bad.

Guys I use are local and do alot of Biologics, TSC & Co-OPs. Never have an issue getting what I want unless it's not available nationwide. Plus they grow thousands of acres of their own seed. 4 miles from house too!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Update: Mixed barrasica seed this afternoon to create our blend of radish, turnip and rape...mixed seed in a plastic tub by hand and bagged it....plots we are doing in barasica are smaller plots 1/4 acre to 1/2 acre in size...8 barasica plots total.....using kitchen scale I weighed a one gallon ziploc bag full of the blend and it weighed 6.75lb.....so I filled 11 bags....nice size package for a hand spreader ...and it comes out to one bag per 1/4 acre plot...2 bag for 1/2 acre plots.
Note: 50lb tilliage radish was coated so it's actually 25lb of radish seed in the blend....which brings it to 4.5lb of actual seed per 1/4 acre....so 18lb per acre is still on the high side...but we are doing these plots using the spray, sow and mow method. Then factoring in germination rates, etc....hoping it's ok...Also mid to late September we will layer or fill in any thin areas with wheat and/or cereal rye.

Speaking of cereal rye....hoping it's delivered next Tuesday...on the larger 1 to 2.5 acre plots we are going with cereal rye thick...all of the above in an effort to have green plots this fall into winter.

 

[megalomaniac]

On my smaller plots... same thing as JC... mix the seed in 1ac aloquots in a large tub, then dump that bag in the drill.

As an aside.. if you get in goods with your local co-op agronomist, he will premix your blend for free. Mine did that for me when I did a homemade 7 way summer blend last year.

This summer, I went for soil-building-sheer tonnage... dwarf sorgham and millet... no need for mixing.

This fall... im going with awnless wheat (save a few pennies over rye), radishes, balansa clover, winter peas, and buckwheat. Easy enough to mix myself and drill. After a few years of experimenting... ive found this to be the best blend on my ground to maximize food for wildlife from Sept till the following planting season for the $$$ invested.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Update: Mixed barrasica seed this afternoon to create our blend of radish, turnip and rape...mixed seed in a plastic tub by hand and bagged it....plots we are doing in barasica are smaller plots 1/4 acre to 1/2 acre in size...8 barasica plots total.....using kitchen scale I weighed a one gallon ziploc bag full of the blend and it weighed 6.75lb.....so I filled 11 bags....nice size package for a hand spreader ...and it comes out to one bag per 1/4 acre plot...2 bag for 1/2 acre plots.
Note: 50lb tilliage radish was coated so it's actually 25lb of radish seed in the blend....which brings it to 4.5lb of actual seed per 1/4 acre....so 18lb per acre is still on the high side...but we are doing these plots using the spray, sow and mow method. Then factoring in germination rates, etc....hoping it's ok...Also mid to late September we will layer or fill in any thin areas with wheat and/or cereal rye.

Speaking of cereal rye....hoping it's delivered next Tuesday...on the larger 1 to 2.5 acre plots we are going with cereal rye thick...all of the above in an effort to have green plots this fall into winter.

Awesome! Can't wait to see the updates! We are getting fertilizer spread tomorrow and will drill whenever appropriate. Keep us posted. I'll do the same

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I didn't used to be this OCD about it. Trust me. Our first food plot back in the late 80's in Coble, I was around 6 years old - my cousin and I were on our hands and knees "tilling" up our ground with hammers until the soil was showing….wayyyy before we could afford a tractor. And then just spread wheat. Boy, have we come a long way!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Awesome! Can't wait to see the updates! We are getting fertilizer spread tomorrow and will drill whenever appropriate. Keep us posted. I'll do the same

Will do....we had some barasicas in our fall blend last year and they did pretty good and the deer used them...but I'm curious to see how a higher percentage does.....this is the first time we've ever done several of the smaller plots in all barasicas.....we will probably sow the smaller plots this weekend.....but for the larger plots, that will be cereal rye, we will wait until mid September.....then as mentioned in previous post....any thin areas will be filled in with winter wheat.