Food Plots New food plot

[drake799]

Ok i have a place I'd like to establish a food plot. Only problem is I have no access to any equipment other than my lawnmower The spot I'm wanting to plant is about 1 acre and was bush hogged late in the year so the weeds didn't start to grow before it got cold.

What would you guys recommend doin. My plan was to mow with my mower. Spray and broadcast some clover and possibly a few other type of seeds. Would this work?! Sorry im not a food plot guy and I need help lol

 

[TnKen]

Depending on how thick the thatch is, you might be able to frost seed some clover. The seed needs to be in contact with the ground to take advantage of the freeze/thaw cycle.

 

[huvrman]

Pretty hard to put in a quality plot of that size with just a mower. If you can afford it, get a soil test, spread Pelletized Lime 6 months prior using a hand spreader (yes, I've done it and it will take some time), then when planting time comes, cut as low as possible, spray if you'd like, figure out a way to break up the soil, and plant and fertilize. All can be done by hand except the breaking up of the compacted soil. You really need to figure out a way to break up the soil prior to seeding. Will make a world of difference. Spraying will help, but I've found if you plant grasses and clovers every year, spraying gets expensive, so I don't spray and they do just fine. Likewise, if you intend to fertilize, and don't lime, you run the risk of wasting your fertilizer if your soil ph isn't right. So, I don't lime either…. Or fertilize. I just cut, disk or till, and plant.

 

[Omega]

I have small plots, paid for individual seed types, seed mixes etc and while they did well, I finally just went to rural king and bought the cheapest grass seed they had and spread that out. I mulched the area as much as I could before broadcasting the seed, then raked it in a bit. It had a bunch of clover in it, so the plot drew in a bunch of deer. So after that I do the same, though I do broadcast any seed mixes I find on sale after the season using the same method. I am looking for a rock rake to help get the soil/seed contact I want but it has been working this way for a bit.

 

[BSK]

As long as you stick with small-seeded plants like clover, rape and cereal grains, you don't HAVE TO break the ground (although as huvrman pointed out, breaking the ground makes a big difference). But I successfully created lots of small 1/4 to 1/3 acre plots for years with just a pull-behind mower, glysophate and a seed spreader.

Spray the area, give it a week to die, broadcast the seed, and then mow the dead plant material down on top the seed.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Echoing what BSK said.....but will add.... let whatever is there grow up about a foot tall in the spring...this gives a nice manageable amount of thatch... spray it....wait a week... then broadcast seed and mow.... Plan to broadcast and mow just before a good soaking rain....this method will work....but you do need to up the recommended seed rates when doing throw and mow...good luck with your project....food plotting can be very rewarding...and very frustrating....or somewhere in-between.... enjoy the process.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Spray the area, give it a week to die, broadcast the seed, and then mow the dead plant material down on top the seed.

This. And time it to where it's directly ahead of a good rain as DR mentioned. Small seed works best (rape, purple top turnips, crimson clover and wheat). Throw some lime out as soon as you can and fertilize when you get the chance

 

[BSK]

Back when we were seriously into spray/broadcast/mow planting techniques, I would get serious about the process. Fearing the herbicide wouldn't get down through the tall weeds and grasses, I would mow the plots a few weeks before planting, then let the weeds/grasses get a couple weeks of regrowth before spraying. Then we would broadcast seed and mow the dead residue down on top the seed. This produced less mulch to cover the seed, but we got a more complete kill of the competing weeds and grasses. Not the best food plot planting technique by any means but it works. Below are a couple of pics of old log-loading decks turned into small food plots. Worst soil you could ever imagine. And before we got the ATV and pull behind mower, we cut these plots with weed-eaters (we were young, stupid and full of energy).

 

[megalomaniac]

Get a pull behind spreader ($100 or so). Pull soil sample now. Put out pelletized lime as soon as soil sample back...

Spray in late April. Broadcast dwarf sorgham, millet, and buckwheat and fertilizer mid May, then mow dead thatch down to cover the seed.

Let it grow all summer, then kill again early August. More lime, broadcast wheat, annual clover, radishes, fertilizer end of Aug to mid Sept just before a rain. Mow thatch down to cover seed.

Repeat for 4 or 5 years, and you will end up with an awesome plot with excellent topsoil.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Get a pull behind spreader ($100 or so). Pull soil sample now. Put out pelletized lime as soon as soil sample back...

Spray in late April. Broadcast dwarf sorgham, millet, and buckwheat and fertilizer mid May, then mow dead thatch down to cover the seed.

Let it grow all summer, then kill again early August. More lime, broadcast wheat, annual clover, radishes, fertilizer end of Aug to mid Sept just before a rain. Mow thatch down to cover seed.

Repeat for 4 or 5 years, and you will end up with an awesome plot with excellent topsoil.

Very good cliff notes mega. Agreed!

 

[BSK]

Great advice Mega.

 

[megalomaniac]

Killing may be a problem next spring... my local farm supply guy says to expect gly concentrate to be $100 per gal

 

[Specializedjon]

I'm taking notes too......

 

[Specializedjon]

Where are you located drake?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Killing may be a problem next spring... my local farm supply guy says to expect gly concentrate to be $100 per gal

Jesus help us all!

 

[redblood]

I have small plots, paid for individual seed types, seed mixes etc and while they did well, I finally just went to rural king and bought the cheapest grass seed they had and spread that out. I mulched the area as much as I could before broadcasting the seed, then raked it in a bit. It had a bunch of clover in it, so the plot drew in a bunch of deer. So after that I do the same, though I do broadcast any seed mixes I find on sale after the season using the same method. I am looking for a rock rake to help get the soil/seed contact I want but it has been working this way for a bit.

Pretty spot

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Killing may be a problem next spring... my local farm supply guy says to expect gly concentrate to be $100 per gal

I actually saw it for $100 in Rural King last weekend in Clarksville. It's already here! I used to get the same jug for $40. Insane! Glad I stocked up last summer.