ATV Implement for New Food Plot

[Barker]

I have some pasture fields that I need to work up to get planted. I recently sprayed the field to kill off the existing vegetation so now I need to work up the ground to plant my screening. I only have an atv at the moment so I'm looking for something affordable to break up the ground so I can get the seed covered. The two options I'm looking at are:

and

I don't have any experience with either of these but they appear like they would be able to at least work up an inch of soil or so to get the seed in. I've also seen the groundhog max but I'm afraid it will break off my hitch on the atv (aluminum cast differential housing). Any suggestions on either of these?

 

[yoderjac]

Tillage can cause more problems as it destroys soil tilth and introduce O2 speeding consumption of OM. For most of the fall crops we plant, throw and grow is sufficient. Tillage of 1" or less is sufficient for most everything we plant. Google "Ray the Soil Guy" and watch his infiltration video as a start. Once you decide on an approach (no-till/min-till verses traditional tillage) it will help you chose equipment.

When I do min-till, I use a tiller behind a tractor but raise it so high it is hardly hitting the top inch. My fields look more green than brown from a distance when I'm done.

If you decide to go the no-till/min-till route, you might want to consider a small ATV cultpacker and Sprayer as your first implements and then add a light tillage device if you find it necessary.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[dsinwi]

No experience with either of those. Just looking at them you're going to need to add a fair amount of weight. I have a 4' King Kutter. I have to add a lot of weight for new ground. Once its worked I can run without and it does a decent job.

 

[Tree Spud]

The first implement looks like it will collect grass and weeds making almost ineffective.

You could try tillage radishes to help break up the soil.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

How much acreage are you talking about planting and what type of plants are you hoping to plant? Planting large sized seeds with an ATV can be difficult because those seeds need to be buried in a couple inches of soil and that's not easy to do with just an ATV. The disk option might work with a lot of weight and a bunch of passes, but that digger option looks like it will give you problems.

I think you could skip the tillage step this year and just overseed the freshly sprayed area with brassicas and run it over with the ATV tires a bunch of times to pack in the seeds. Fertilize as necessary and you should be good to go with a little timely rain.

 

[Nova]

Agreed, the first one with do nothing for you as far as breaking any ground. It would be very helpful to know what you are planting and how big of an area. Also knowing your location and how hard the soil is would help. No till is a great option but not always practical.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

If you have any local sportsman shops, ask them if they have a disc you can rent. It will be much more heavy duty then those you have pictured.

 

[Barker]

Agreed, the first one with do nothing for you as far as breaking any ground. It would be very helpful to know what you are planting and how big of an area. Also knowing your location and how hard the soil is would help. No till is a great option but not always practical.

I'm planting a screen using Hybrid Sorghum and my concern I won't be able to get it deep enough if I broadcast the seed without working the soil and culti-packing it. I'll have about 1/2 acre of screen and 2 1/2 acres of plot. Other than that, broadcasting clover, rye, and brassica should be fine in an old pasture field with the vegetation killed off. The ground is somewhat workable when dry (not hardpan).

 

[Tree Spud]

I'm planting a screen using Hybrid Sorghum and my concern I won't be able to get it deep enough if I broadcast the seed without working the soil and culti-packing it. I'll have about 1/2 acre of screen and 2 1/2 acres of plot. Other than that, broadcasting clover, rye, and brassica should be fine in an old pasture field with the vegetation killed off. The ground is somewhat workable when dry (not hardpan).

If you till a field that has been pasture, weeds & grass for many years, you will be opening up an old seed bank. Whatever you plant, weeds and grass will smoother if you don't spray with herbicide. You probably have a couple of years with killing weeds and grasses to reduce competition.

I would spray the existing vegetation, let it die, then broadcast directly into it. You can then buy an inexpensive roller to help pack things down. See link below.

Lawn Roller

 

[Barker]

If you till a field that has been pasture, weeds & grass for many years, you will be opening up an old seed bank. Whatever you plant, weeds and grass will smoother if you don't spray with herbicide. You probably have a couple of years with killing weeds and grasses to reduce competition.

I would spray the existing vegetation, let it die, then broadcast directly into it. You can then buy an inexpensive roller to help pack things down. See link below.

Lawn Roller

Will hybrid sorghum germinate by broadcasting and rolling? I figure for the food plot, I will be fine with broadcasting into the dead vegetation then mowing over top

 

[Tree Spud]

Will hybrid sorghum germinate by broadcasting and rolling? I figure for the food plot, I will be fine with broadcasting into the dead vegetation then mowing over top

Without knowing more about your soil target areas, history, and condition, it is hard to say. I think at this stage of the year, anything you do needs to be considered with growing cycle.

1st ... you have not identified your USDA hardiness zone in your profile. Hard to comment on potential without knowing your growing region.

I think you are overly optimistic with a screen at this point in the year. I plant mine in late May and with good soil prep, weed control, and fertilizer, will get 8' - 10' by end of Aug with hybrid sudan grass. Keep in mind with my soil I have worked for 5-7 years to minimize weed competition. The growth you want for a screen requires lots of moisture and minimal competition.

At this point, if you have not done herbicide applications to controls weeds, you will be wasting money on most seed. i would start to spray herbicides. Broadcast PTT seed as soon as you can. Then overseed with with red clover in Aug, and WR in late Aug. Run the roller over ebry time you seed to try and get the seed to soil contact.

The above just my quick thoughts for dealing with your situation immediately, you really need a longer term plan to get the results you want.

 

[Tree Spud]

Will hybrid sorghum germinate by broadcasting and rolling? I figure for the food plot, I will be fine with broadcasting into the dead vegetation then mowing over top

I resurfaced these threads in other questions about food plotting and seed choice/soil mgmt ... worth a read ... Proper use of weeds can help with soil health and moisture retention ... preping your screens areas for Mincanthus planting next spring could be very beneficial ...

Dipper Rotation

Cereal grains for Whitetails

Micanhtus for screens

 

[Nova]

I'm planting a screen using Hybrid Sorghum and my concern I won't be able to get it deep enough if I broadcast the seed without working the soil and culti-packing it. I'll have about 1/2 acre of screen and 2 1/2 acres of plot. Other than that, broadcasting clover, rye, and brassica should be fine in an old pasture field with the vegetation killed off. The ground is somewhat workable when dry (not hardpan).

I think you have to break ground for your screen and then have a plan for weed control in that. The plot itself with a good burn down on weeds prior to planting should be fine if you have some way to pack the soil after sewing the seed.

That being said in an old pasture situation, I would prefer to spray the weeds, then break up the ground to bring up more weed seed, then spray again, but you don't have time for that this year.

 

[SwampCat]

You have already sprayed - that is a good first step. I dont know about pasture where you live - but pasture where I live is largely fescue and even after spraying, there will be the root collar and a tough wad of dead grass that is difficult to till with ATV implements. I would burn if I could - after the sprayed vegetation dries up pretty good. Burning will make it much easier to do with whatever you are doing. I would till the first year to level the bed and loosen the soil that may be hard packed - especially if cattle have been on the soil. The atv disk would be the better of the to implements. I wouldnt worry about destroying my soil structure with that disk - it is t going down but and in h or two, anyway. For the larger seeded sorghum, I might spread my fertilizer and seed on top of bare, untilled ground, and go to disking. I have an 8 ft, 1900 lb disk - and even with that, it would take two or three passes in untilled pasture to get down three inches. For my smaller seeded stuff, I would till to level and loosen the soil, spread my seed on the tilled soil, and drag the area with chain link fence, cattle panel, or the like. Thats what worked on my soil when I was using atv implements. After the first year - do what ever you want as far as tillage or min tillage.

 

[mikmaze]

sorry, but unless you have micro plots, and loose soil, those things will just be a source of utter frustration to use. many throw and mow guys here, and if it makes sense for a lot of them, it may be a great idea to start and try that method, saving money for bigger equipment/ and or rentals down the road if it doesn't work.

 

[TreeDaddy]

sorry, but unless you have micro plots, and loose soil, those things will just be a source of utter frustration to use. many throw and mow guys here, and if it makes sense for a lot of them, it may be a great idea to start and try that method, saving money for bigger equipment/ and or rentals down the road if it doesn't work.

this gets my vote for your described situation

spray with gly , follow with rye,arrow leaf , and crimson for fall planting

i have proven it to be idiot proof..............

bill

 

[TreeDaddy]

I resurfaced these threads in other questions about food plotting and seed choice/soil mgmt ... worth a read ... Proper use of weeds can help with soil health and moisture retention ... preping your screens areas for Mincanthus planting next spring could be very beneficial ...

Dipper Rotation

Cereal grains for Whitetails

Micanhtus for screens

.......great threads

useful and germane to OP's described situation

bill

 

[TreeDaddy]

Will hybrid sorghum germinate by broadcasting and rolling? I figure for the food plot, I will be fine with broadcasting into the dead vegetation then mowing over top

yes

it will quickly out pace everything if given a headstart

bill

 

[Barker]

Thanks for all the feedback. I was back out there today, a week after spraying with Gly and the fields are looking great. Give it a few more days is this nasty heat and the pasture should be ready to work.

I'm in 6a and should still be able to get a screen in. My other plans are a three strip method (Rye, Brassica, Clover). This seems like a good start for me. I should have soil test results early next week and it's game on. Thank you all for the feedback and help. I'll report back of my progress.

 

[Telemark]

I have a disk like that. I works well with a bunch of weight on top. It takes several passes if there is grass and thatch on the ground.