[MX9799]

Does anyone know what happened to the thread on here about the guy that did the food plots without tilling? I think the SN was "bywayofthearrow" or something along those lines. That thread doesn't show up on my computer anymore. Only three threads come up in this forum section now for me for some reason.

I'd like to know step-by-step how he did them, if he or someone else doesn't mind sharing. I have a lot of area to put in food plots, but I'm mostly limited to about an acre due to time spend tilling and prepping the ground.
Right now, I let a lot of area grow up in weeds/sapplings for deer cover, but I'd like to try maybe planting another acre of food plots without tilling and compare that plot next fall with how my tilled and prepped plot does.

Thanks.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Does anyone know what happened to the thread on here about the guy that did the food plots without tilling? I think the SN was "bywayofthearrow" or something along those lines. That thread doesn't show up on my computer anymore. Only three threads come up in this forum section now for me for some reason.

I'd like to know step-by-step how he did them, if he or someone else doesn't mind sharing. I have a lot of area to put in food plots, but I'm mostly limited to about an acre due to time spend tilling and prepping the ground.
Right now, I let a lot of area grow up in weeds/sapplings for deer cover, but I'd like to try maybe planting another acre of food plots without tilling and compare that plot next fall with how my tilled and prepped plot does.

Thanks.

I don't know what happened to the thread but I do remember the basics. I believe you terminate the entire area (using glyphosate). Then within a few days after spraying the chemicals, you broadcast your seed (you will want to broadcast like an extra 25%). You can also broadcast your fertilizer at this stage as well. Then you are done. In theory the dead weeds will provide a thatch kind of layer to help hold in moisture for your stuff to grow. Some recommend that you can mow/brush hog or use a roller/cultipacker if the dead weeds are tall to help sunlight reach the seedlings. I have never done any of this as an FYI but I am thinking about doing it this spring for some white clover.

 

[Bigeclipse]

turning an overgrown dead oats plot into a clover plot in the spring?

I planted oats with clover this fall. Problem was the oats grew so tall and seeded out that the clover never really had a chance to take hold and I think died from lack of light. I am in NY and when I went out there last weekend (before it snowed) I looked for clover in the dead dried up oats and couldn't really find much. The dried up oats are about 3 feet tall but I can see bare dirt in between the stalks of the dead oats so it is not over grown with dead oats. Some weeds had started growing before the snow. Come spring what should I do in order to get the clover going? Should I start over. Chemical spray the field and till it up when the soil is no longer frozen? Should I leave everything as is and just frost seed and hope that works? Any tips or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[MX9799]

I planted oats with clover this fall. Problem was the oats grew so tall and seeded out that the clover never really had a chance to take hold and I think died from lack of light. I am in NY and when I went out there last weekend (before it snowed) I looked for clover in the dead dried up oats and couldn't really find much. The dried up oats are about 3 feet tall but I can see bare dirt in between the stalks of the dead oats so it is not over grown with dead oats. Some weeds had started growing before the snow. Come spring what should I do in order to get the clover going? Should I start over. Chemical spray the field and till it up when the soil is no longer frozen? Should I leave everything as is and just frost seed and hope that works? Any tips or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

Thanks Bigeclipse. I'm going to try some no-till fall plots next year in my field where some grown up weeds are. Will likely just do something like winter rye, crimson clover, and winter brassicas or something that grows easily with little prep. I have a cultipacker, so I think running it over the seed and dead weeds/thatch will help the seeds grow even better. It'll be interesting to see how that plot grows compared to the plot I plant with the ground tilled and prepped.

As far as the oats and clover you planted this year goes, I had the same problem. My oats didn't quite completely turn brown, but they're about 2' tall, seeded out, and the tops have turned brown. I don't know how well my clover did, but I have walked through it and can see areas where the clover did well. I'm going to mow down the oats as soon as deer season is over with so the clover gets a good head start next spring. I don't think I'm going to terminate the plot. I'm just going to keep it sprayed with POAST to keep the grasses at bay and see how the clover does. I have heard that clover seed can remain dormant for quite some time and still grow once the conditions are favorable, so who knows what might happen next spring.

 

[burdog]

I planted oats with clover this fall. Problem was the oats grew so tall and seeded out that the clover never really had a chance to take hold and I think died from lack of light. I am in NY and when I went out there last weekend (before it snowed) I looked for clover in the dead dried up oats and couldn't really find much. The dried up oats are about 3 feet tall but I can see bare dirt in between the stalks of the dead oats so it is not over grown with dead oats. Some weeds had started growing before the snow. Come spring what should I do in order to get the clover going? Should I start over. Chemical spray the field and till it up when the soil is no longer frozen? Should I leave everything as is and just frost seed and hope that works? Any tips or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

I would frost seed

 

[LarryM]

Does anyone know what happened to the thread on here about the guy that did the food plots without tilling? I think the SN was "bywayofthearrow" or something along those lines. That thread doesn't show up on my computer anymore. Only three threads come up in this forum section now for me for some reason.

I'd like to know step-by-step how he did them, if he or someone else doesn't mind sharing. I have a lot of area to put in food plots, but I'm mostly limited to about an acre due to time spend tilling and prepping the ground.
Right now, I let a lot of area grow up in weeds/sapplings for deer cover, but I'd like to try maybe planting another acre of food plots without tilling and compare that plot next fall with how my tilled and prepped plot does.

Thanks.

Scroll down below the thread listings and you'll see thread display options. It's probably set on last 30 days. You can pull down and increase that to say, in the past year, and everything will pop back up. This forum doesn't get much action late in the year.

 

[chuckalope]

go to www.habitat-talk.com and check out the food plot section. Look for the throw and mow thread.

 

[featherfreak303]

Tagged

 

[Bywayofthearrow]

Hey there glad my thread helped. I’ll answer any questions I can on the topic. Biggest things is making a good no till seed mix, getting a good kill on the vegetation ahead of time, and of course seeding right before rain. To up my germination rate I seed on two rain events. I do brassicas and clover Aug 1 with a small amount of winter wheat, then come back with a heavier cereal grain blend closer to Sept. 1. I have a high deer density so I try to get my cereal grains well on their way and nice and tall without going to seed. Lime and ferts just get broadcast as well before a rain. If you never disturb your soil it soaks in no problem. The biggest thing is don’t disturb the soil only manage the vegetation and build organic matter. The deer have taken over fertilizing duties at this point but I add some when broadcasting.

Here’s one of my favorites plots that’s never been tilled, dragged or had any equipment used on it besides a backpack sprayer, weedwacker and hand broadcast spreader.

https://youtu.be/5x1lAvmw8ak

 

[Bywayofthearrow]

The above is the same plot this summer and fall. Brassicas are a bad idea alone but in a mix with cereal grains and clover they are a cheap way to add variety and tonnage to your plots and deer around me love them. If you look close you can see how quick the brassicas took off in the beginning. It looks like pure brassicas. Actually there is winter wheat there and I came in with a second seeding of grains knowing every single brassica would be eaten. They were, and I got a nice cereal grain plot after the deer kept on hammering into December. I think diversity is crucial in any wildlife planting. I planted 3 brassicas and 2 cereal grains in that plot. I’m going to do the same mix next year except add cheap clovers in. I let these go in the spring untouched and the deer hammer them till June.

 

[MX9799]

Thanks arrow. Do you not let the dead weeds and vegetation you spray fall down and cover your seed? I can see not needing to do that if it rains on the seed soon after broadcasting, but where i live depending on the weather man and the rain to do the work for you is risky at best.

 

[FarmerDan]

This thread?
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2073349&p=1067957391

 

[MX9799]

This thread?
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2073349&p=1067957391

No, not that one.

 

[jk918]

Going to try this in the spring with a re-seed of different items in the fall

 

[Bywayofthearrow]

Thanks arrow. Do you not let the dead weeds and vegetation you spray fall down and cover your seed? I can see not needing to do that if it rains on the seed soon after broadcasting, but where i live depending on the weather man and the rain to do the work for you is risky at best.

Having the vegetation about 2 feet tall seems to be a good height for me. On this past seeding I was managing some clover and keeping it short as a result for weed control. Killed it and reseeded before the rain and was in good shape. If your working with a really poor soil quality sight more vegetation equals more organic matter. Let it get taller. Or just new plots in general. Bigger plant height = bigger root mass usually. If you have low moisture letting the vegetation get taller would be a good idea.