Food Plots Seeding roadbeds

[david k.]

We just completed a select cut (20" and up) on a piece of family property a few miles east of Hornsby, TN. This particular tract is about 150 acres and the property had not been cut in 50+ years. Two year round creeks cut across the property so the soil is good...we had the logger cut some access roads, put in log bridges over both creeks and clear cut a several small spots for plots.

The logger just finished last week and our first priority will be to seed the roads to prevent erosion and then we will seed the plots when we can.

We do not have access to tractors, etc. but have access to a smaller, pull behind an ATV, disc. My hope is to be disc minimally and then broadcast seed and work it in with just a chain link drag on the roadbeds but I am open to suggestions.

I'd like to know what seed you guys would recommend for the roads and then any other tips that you can offer a first time plotter.

What seed, how, when, etc?

Thanks in advance and also since the job may be bigger than we can handle, we might be interested in trading deer / turkey hunting access to this tract for assistance in getting some of this of work done.

David K.

 

[woodsman87]

I would use rye grass for this fall planting, comes up easy with little soil prep and maintenance. It dies off in summer. If the roads do not get much traffic, I think any native summer grasses would work for summer. If it gets lots of traffic, then not much of anything will grow.

 

[david k.]

Thanks, these roads will get little, to no, traffic except maybe to retrieve deer and for planting, etc.

 

[DaveB]

Rye does not like heat, wait for cooler weather. Keep an eye on the weather forcast and when rain is expected then you can plant. I think early to mid October would be okay, but heat will cause it to sprout and die really quick. once it is rooted, it'll grow until it get too hot.
Here's a link to look at

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/CCA/2006/PDF ... eeding.pdf