Ridge top food plot

[TRIGGER]

I went out yesterday and cleared some areas for food plots. I still need to bush hog all of the briars down (or do I). I used my skid steer to remove all deadfalls out of the way. I started pushing through the briars but was loosing a lot of topsoil doing it so I stopped. Will bush hogging them down before I break the ground up cause me problems in the future with them growing back?

 

[Football Hunter]

They probably will grow back,but you can spray em with brush killer from co op.

 

[Football Hunter]

Oh yeah,save your dirt!

 

[treefarmer]

Save your top soil! I have ridge top plots and the only thing that grows there are the annual winter grain crops of oats/wheat/grain rye and crimson clover/rape/tunip. It grows from late August to May and dies till we replant in late August. It is too dry to grow anything during the summer. The brush will go dormant in the fall when you plant so don't worry about the brush for now if you can bush hog it in the fall.

 

[TRIGGER]

Seems to me to be good topsoil in these areas. I plan on taking a sample of soil to co op for analysis. No since in planting a spring plot?

Save your top soil! I have ridge top plots and the only thing that grows there are the annual winter grain crops of oats/wheat/grain rye and crimson clover/rape/tunip. It grows from late August to May and dies till we replant in late August. It is too dry to grow anything during the summer. The brush will go dormant in the fall when you plant so don't worry about the brush for now if you can bush hog it in the fall.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

What FH said with the herbicide. I would plant something like Buckwheat this Spring.

 

[Football Hunter]

What FH said with the herbicide. I would plant something like Buckwheat this Spring.

I agree,buckwheat

 

[treefarmer]

If you have water holding soils, and get regular rains you might be able to have a summer crop. I'd try it once and see what happens. My soils are cherty well drained which means water goes right through it and becomes dried out quickly. If your crop burns up in June/July/August and weeds take over even though there were normal rains you know to plant fall annual crops in the future. Either way you are ok, as a fall crop is inexpensive, easier to be sucessful and is a benefit to wildlife. Let us know how your test turns out.

 

[BSK]

Seems to me to be good topsoil in these areas. I plan on taking a sample of soil to co op for analysis. No since in planting a spring plot?

Save your top soil! I have ridge top plots and the only thing that grows there are the annual winter grain crops of oats/wheat/grain rye and crimson clover/rape/tunip. It grows from late August to May and dies till we replant in late August. It is too dry to grow anything during the summer. The brush will go dormant in the fall when you plant so don't worry about the brush for now if you can bush hog it in the fall.

I would have the soil tested. You never know. But my experiences with ridge-top plots is exactly the same as treefarmer's. I limit my ridge-top plots to fall mixtures of cereal grains, annual clovers, and brassicas. However, I do add arrowleaf clover to my fall mix. Arrowleaf clover is a large "bush-like" clover (can grow 3-4 feet tall) that grows into early July. That leaves just mid-July to replanting in late August or early September with nothing productive in the plots.

 

[TheLBLman]

However, I do add arrowleaf clover to my fall mix. Arrowleaf clover is a large "bush-like" clover (can grow 3-4 feet tall) that grows into early July. That leaves just mid-July to replanting in late August or early September with nothing productive in the plots.

Am curious as to why you don't add chicory for similar reasoning?
I put a little chicory in all my mixes mainly because of its drought tolerance compared to most clovers.

 

[landman]

I'd be glad to show up my place, most of the
food plots are on ridge tops that were mature
hardwoods at one time.
just let me know

 

[BSK]

However, I do add arrowleaf clover to my fall mix. Arrowleaf clover is a large "bush-like" clover (can grow 3-4 feet tall) that grows into early July. That leaves just mid-July to replanting in late August or early September with nothing productive in the plots.

Am curious as to why you don't add chicory for similar reasoning?
I put a little chicory in all my mixes mainly because of its drought tolerance compared to most clovers.

Because it is a perennial, that if not heavily eaten by the deer, can actually be darn hard to get rid of.

 

[TheLBLman]

. . . . . if not heavily eaten by the deer, can actually be darn hard to get rid of.

I was kinda looking at that as a "plus"! :D

One of the "lowest holes" in my forage bucket is in that late summer period when most plants are dead.
Any chicory that survives from one year to the next is welcome anytime on my place. :)

 

[treefarmer]

I have heard good things about arrowleaf clover but have not been able to find less than 50# bags. Does anyone know where to buy smaller amounts? The Williamson County Co-op will sell red/crimson clover by the pound but not Arrowleaf.

 

[BSK]

. . . . . if not heavily eaten by the deer, can actually be darn hard to get rid of.

I was kinda looking at that as a "plus"! :D

One of the "lowest holes" in my forage bucket is in that late summer period when most plants are dead.
Any chicory that survives from one year to the next is welcome anytime on my place. :)

But if the deer aren't eating it, is it of any value?

 

[TheLBLman]

But if the deer aren't eating it, is it of any value?

Excellent point.
No, if the deer weren't eating it, it would be of little value.
Just been my experience that they do, although I'd like to have the problem of so much other quality forage during the summer that my deer found chicory unattractive. I don't have any large soybean fields near me.

 

[BSK]

But if the deer aren't eating it, is it of any value?

Excellent point.
No, if the deer weren't eating it, it would be of little value.
Just been my experience that they do, although I'd like to have the problem of so much other quality forage during the summer that my deer found chicory unattractive. I don't have any large soybean fields near me.

The deer in my area find the pokeweed and other natural foods more attractive during August. They will eat some chikory, but not enough to keep planting it (and fighting with it).