[trado]

I have the option of putting a food plot at inlaws camp. It is about an acre area that is overgrown with weeds. I have access to a 4 wheeler and a disc. Is that enough to put a plot in or do I need more. What would be the best route starting when weather breaks?

 

[Guest]

You need to kill the existing vegetation or you'll be fighting weed and grass infestation.

An atv mounted sprayer will do a great job for smaller plots like you are trying to make.

 

[RB]

That Equipment will work + sprayer...might be nice to find an old bed spring or chain link to drag over after seeding. Or if you want to spend a little to have a great peice of equipment get a chain harrow , a couple hundred bucks, I use mine more than anything else.

I do most of my new plot clearing right after the snow melts, you will not find a better time as everything is matted down to the ground and all your unmowable woody stems and stumps are highly visible for removal. I go after them first.

Obviously you will have a strong weed problem without spraying, if you are planning this to be an annual fall hunting plot you won't need seed in til early August, so I would mow this area after green-up, then wait a few weeks but before it grows back to height and spray it...

Then disc ALOT...you should be ready for fall.

If you plan to do a clover plot, takes a little different approach. I am finding that clover and chicory is a hard mix to beat and worth the time.

WHere is your camp? If close, i would be more than happy to share equipment and even a days work. I enjoy it, and am just plain out of blank canvas up here.

Just don't get discouraged as, It is possible to go from this to this in a short period of time…even if the spraying step is missed the first year , if you time it right. If you go with an annual it is easier in year 1.

Every year the soil gets better...personally I like to wait a year or two before making it a Perennial plot of clover,etc..

STAY AWAY from the bagged annual mixes with ryegrass, they will cause problems later.

 

[jim stemler]

burn it off now

 

[Guest]

burn it off now

Burning is nice, but, risky.

I'd wait until greenup and spray it. The dead material that is there now will slowly rot up over summer and can be disced into the soil, in preperation for a fall annual planting.

 

[Guest]

Thats a nice bunch of goldenrod you are growing in that one pic.

 

[turkey4life]

I just was wondering. what is wrong with rye grass.

 

[RB]

I just was wondering. what is wrong with rye grass.

Nothing the first year...it is tender, greens up great and the deer dig for it well into the winter. In that picture I show above that is a mix of "shot Plot" brassicas and " throw and grow" which has a large ryegrass component. That pics was taken in 2007 and 2008 I planted straight brassicas and it still looked simialr to that, and now that I changed plans for that plot all together , that ryegrass from 2007 still gives me trouble, even though I have sprayed it twice. It does not come back tender like year 1 either...it comes back a bit course which i do not think deer like and with a one track mind of reseeding itself. I have another picture to self explain that..but can;t get it from here.

Turkeys love to pick thru it, but I don;t think anything wants to eat it now. If i could do one thing over....

This is all just from my experience...you may get 10 guys disagreeing with me on that, but i will NEVER plant it intentionally again, killing golden rod is ALOT easier.

 

[Guest]

I just was wondering. what is wrong with rye grass.

Ryegrass is almost invasive and sometimes hard to kill out.

Winter rye, on the other hand is a great wildlife food plot planting.

Be sure you know the difference when planting a plot.

 

[turkey4life]

winter rye is what is in my plot.

 

[Guest]

Excellent choice!

 

[trado]

Rooster the camp is between coudersport and austin.

Thanks for the advice guys. So it would be best to just take spring and summer to prep for fall or is there something to make green over summer after prepping during spring?