I'm sure it's posted on some thread but I can't find it, but I have a couple questions. I know it's getting late for some things but my guess is that I'm still good for at least a month to put out some wheat and oats using this method? I have yet to spray, how long do I need to wait before throwing and mowing? How tall/short does the grass need to be or does it matter? What else can I put out say a month from now? I have done one plot before which was a ShotPlot mix of oats peas and rye I think, and it started just fine but the deer ate it down to nothing before bow season even came in. I got pictures of quite a few deer that year, much more than before or since so I'm hopeful to see the same. This was in a small 1/4 acre plot in the middle of the woods on top of a ridge. I'm also wanting to do the same on maybe an acre of my pasture/hay field that I do nothing with at the moment. This will be just to keep them around as much as possible and also for a late season spot to fill any freezer space still empty.
Food Plots Spray, throw and mow question
- Thread starter poorhunter
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I am no expert for sure but the s,t,m method is all I have done. It has been successful for me with Crimson Clover, wheat, and rye. From what I have read your thatch cant be too tall for it to work as long as it is good and dead. I only bush hog my plots once in the fall. I think this is true because you knock the weeds down some when you spray, some more when you broadcast and some more when mowing with the tractor. The last two years I couldn't hardly tell there was ever any thatch by the time the plots got going good. The time you wait after spraying depends on what you sprayed. With round up I think 3-5 days is ok as long as you have a good kill going. I have not broadcast and mowed until after Oct. 1 the last two years but it is because I am retired and can take care of it before a rain. A lot of fall plot seed doesnt even arrive at the feed stores until about aug 15 so you are good as far as time goes. I only posted because no one else had yet. The people who have helped me most with my plots have been JCdeerman, Megalomaniac, and BSK. They are dead on with their advice.
AM84
Well-Known Member
Following. I was planning to wait until next year and make some plots but in the last couple days started getting interested in trying this for this fall/winter. I thought I might be too late too, but might spray on Friday.
wildlifefarmer
Well-Known Member
IMO, when you are using gly you can spray, let dry(important: gly kills on contact and rain fast in about an hour) then broadcast. Spray in morning and sow in the afternoon. Dead plants will give you a good mulch layer when they melt down
BSK
Well-Known Member
As wildlife farmer posted, you can broadcast your seed right after spraying. You don't need to wait to seed after spraying. You only have to wait to mow. I usually wait a week to make sure I've got a good kill going. I always mowed as tight to the ground as conditions would allow (sometimes you need to keep the mower up a bit to miss rocks).
The spray/seed/mow technique does not work well for large-seeded plants like peas. I've had so-so results with slightly smaller seeded plants like buckwheat, but the best results come from using smaller seeded plants like cereal grains (wheat, oats, rye), clovers, and brassicas (which includes kale, turnips, radishes, etc.). Large-seeded plants need to be buried in the ground to get good germination.
I've had success with spray/seed/mow from mid-August through late October.
The spray/seed/mow technique does not work well for large-seeded plants like peas. I've had so-so results with slightly smaller seeded plants like buckwheat, but the best results come from using smaller seeded plants like cereal grains (wheat, oats, rye), clovers, and brassicas (which includes kale, turnips, radishes, etc.). Large-seeded plants need to be buried in the ground to get good germination.
I've had success with spray/seed/mow from mid-August through late October.
I usually spread seed and then spray right over it. I don't even add the mowing part.
No doubt about the rocks at my place!
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Agreed with the above. I plan on spraying tomorrow morning once the dew dries off, then start drilling around lunch time and will do so until dark. Will wake up and continue drilling Saturday morning at daylight and go until I get done. After spraying and giving things some time Friday morning, I will check some cameras and determine if there is a buck to go after for a Friday afternoon hunt. The probability of that being the case is unlikely, so I'll be on the tractor.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Not allot to add....allot of great advice already given....I've tried throw and mow with soybeans as an experiment this past spring.....they did ok but I don't believe the germination rate was acceptable.....but for our fall blend....week ago we sprayed around 7 acres of food plots...few days later we sowed our fall blend of wheat, winter peas, rape, radishes and turnip...that night and the next day we got several inches of rain on the seed... I'm on the mowing step now......not to go too far off topic but 3 of the plots we are working with were sowed in buckwheat as a summer crop and it did very good...allot less weeds in the plots that had buckwheat verses the plots that did not... Our first year with buckwheat and I'm very impressed with it's ability to smother weeds out....I suspect the fall plots that had buckwheat will be cleaner than the plots than didn't.....also the buckwheat mows nicely and makes a nice thatch to cover the fall blend seed.... turkey and dove are hammering it as well..... anyway, we've had success with spray, sow and mow.... especially with cool season fall blends....good luck.
Thanks guys, great info again!
I cultipack mine after mowing just to make sure I get best soil contact possible. Also seed a bit heavier too.
BSK
Well-Known Member
That's one thing I forgot to mention - overseeding. Although it is becoming more common knowledge these days, and is being mentioned in seeding rate documents, most recommended seeding rates are for drilled seed. When broadcasting seed, increase the drilled seeding rate by 50%. For example, if a cereal grain alone is recommend for 100 lbs per acre, broadcast at 150 lbs per acre.
Of course, if two varieties of seed are mixed, cut each broadcast seeding rate by 1/3. If three or more seed varieties are used, cut the single species seeding rate by 1/2.
This year due to some travel and timing, I didn't get to spray or till this year. Going to try to just seed and mow. Results pending, but I figure its better than nothing. At least I got some rain after seeding.
