What would you do? (another food plot ?)

[The_Utility_Dude]

I've got a one acre river bottom plot. In the fall of 2006 I did a "test run" with 1/2 acre (Ladino, Redland Max, chicory, DER and wheat) just to see how it would do. It took off like gangbusters. Late last spring while we were mowing the 1st cutting of hay on the farm I mowed it off since the wheat had matured and the clover blooms were dying. Well, with all the heat and lack of rain last summer it didn't fare very well.

Last fall I worked up the other 1/2 acre and planted the same stuff. Lack of rain last fall contributed to a very low germination rate on everything in this section.

Saturday I mowed the entire acre. In the oldest section I'd say I have about 70% goodies and 30% weeds. In the newest section I'd say it's just the opposite.

I'm thinking about doing the following:

Leave the oldest section alone to see how the clover fares this summer.(if it doesn't look good, re-do it this fall) Work up the second section and plant buckwheat this summer, then re-do that section this fall.

BTW I can't access this ground once the lake reaches full pool. It's surrounded by water from late May until Late August so keeping it mowed for weed control during the summer isn't an option.

Any thoughts or suggestions? If it matters, the ground is fairly sandy.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[The_Utility_Dude]

C'mon you food plot gurus, help a brother out.

I forgot to mention that this field has been nothing but a weed field for years and years prior to my experiment.

 

[hard county]

Does the thiry percent weeds seem to consist more of broadleafs or more of grasses?

 

[Boone 58]

K-rob, i am also studying really hard on the subject matter myself. Bsk has really good info and on this website there is basic food plots where the author divides clover by where it grows best....wet bottomland or dry loamy hilltops with poor soil etc.......
Over the last 6 years i have been trying with poor results to grow white branded clovers in wayne county along with crimson which came in the food plot mixes....I have tried durana, advantage and any other white clover i could get my hands on but with only fair results. The crimson clover on other hand has seemed to really do well but must be planted every year which is what we do with the wheat anyway so it really is no big deal to have to do that. Crimson, yucchi annd arrowleaf fall under tha categories of liking well drained soils and tops rather that bottomland according to what i have read lately and that is something i had never really thought of before because i kept reading about the wonderful world of white clover.......
I really need clover for supplying the wheat we plant with nitrogen because that is the really greatest benefit we get form it besides the march and april period just before green up of green briar and blackberry and honeysuckle....after these things green up there is absolutely no use and i mean no use of the greenfields at all in my area. Therefore i am really only thinking of using fall food plots with the exception of a few summer test plots of soybean and clay peas or possibly Alyceclover which is specifically a "warm" season clover and can be planted in spring for summer use which is something i did not know until i read the aforemenioned article on this website which was rated "excellent" by moi! Anyway, there are alot of variables but i have decided that "fall" food plots will constitute much of ours and with prices of planting going ever higher i have to conserve as much as i can for the late ones. I know this is lengthy but i really get into this and am learning yearly. As of now i know one thing for sure. Wheat is the best major crop for us for winter and i have found that the austrian winter peas, DER and crimson clover are probably the best for our money.....Learning more as i go!!!

 

[hard county]

Alyceclover is not actually a clover and while clover will add nitrogen to the soil to help your grains, those annual winter peas will afix nitrogen to the small grains as well as the clovers will. You are right though concerning arrowleaf and crimson clover, as a matter of generalization, all annuals will do better in dry conditions than perennials. The advantage of course to the perrenials is that they provide year round forage. Try this, plant the perrenials in about a ten-fifteen foot strip in the shady areas around the plot, this area will not only be more condusive to the perrenials, the deer will have to walk through it to access the annuals in the center of the plot, which are more prone to overgrazing.

 

[The_Utility_Dude]

Does the thiry percent weeds seem to consist more of broadleafs or more of grasses?

Mostly grasses with a few broadleaf weeds.

 

[The_Utility_Dude]

Camo

I'm thinking I will have to adopt a similar approach as what you described. This field was weeds for so long I doubt I'll ever get them under control with a perennial crop.

 

[hard county]

Does the thiry percent weeds seem to consist more of broadleafs or more of grasses?

Mostly grasses with a few broadleaf weeds.

If you have a lot of chicory left I would spray slay only and mow. If you dont mind losing your chicroy, spray arrest and slay for a virtually weed free plot.
Also, if planted last fall now is the time to fertilize.
Be sure to always have adequate PH levels as well as plenty of fertilizer. In your case without a soil test, 0-20-20 should suffice.

 

[Quiver]

Probably need to give up on foodplots and stick to your flower garden :grin:

 

[hard county]

What do you mean?

 

[The_Utility_Dude]

Probably need to give up on foodplots and stick to your flower garden :grin:

Quiver was aiming that at me. He'll pay for it in time.

 

[UPSman]

As long as you get okra in it, you should be fine :grin:

Sorry, couldn't help but to hijack