deep woods micro plot question

[jpe40]

i have a small plot in the woods approx 1/6 of an acre. last year it was ok with clover. this year it is over run with grass. my equipment would be a small disk and sprayer would you?

a. do nothing now-in the fall total kill and start over with rye, oats and clover
b. spray cleth and overseed with oats now and see how the clover recovers.
c. total kill now, plant oats or buckwheat and start over in the fall

thanks in advance
jpe

 

[homerj]

b

 

[yoderjac]

i have a small plot in the woods approx 1/6 of an acre. last year it was ok with clover. this year it is over run with grass. my equipment would be a small disk and sprayer would you?

a. do nothing now-in the fall total kill and start over with rye, oats and clover
b. spray cleth and overseed with oats now and see how the clover recovers.
c. total kill now, plant oats or buckwheat and start over in the fall

thanks in advance
jpe

None of the above. I have a small micro plot about that size in the hardwoods. The biggest problem I have is leaves. When the fall leaves come down they cover the plot. I don't deal with them since it is hunting season. In addition to covering the ground, leaves acidify the soil even more. I've tried a number of crops and none work well.

So, what is the purpose of a microplot? in my case, it is to position deer for a bow shot. My microplot is located between bedding and feeding in a hardwood buffer. Deer meander through the buffer on their way to food. They are munching as they go but in no hurry. They are waiting for dark to venture into the feeding plot. So, I just want to slightly influence their travel to com withing bow range as they come through the buffer.

Acorns that fall into the micro-plot are more visible for them and having some salad to go with the acorns helps, especially in poor mast crop years.

I'm not an advocate of ryegrass for most applications. Deer eat it, but is is not favored. It can be invasive under some conditions. I know some deer managers who know what they are doing who use it in their programs.

I think perennial ryegrass may be a good fit for a microplot. I have not tried it yet but I plan too.

Another thing which might be an alternative to a traditional plant that serves the same purpose as a micro-plot are micro-burns adn mineral stumps. Both are described in MSU deer lab podcasts. They remove the leaves and acidity as problems.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Someday isle]

I’d consider b) And just see what happens. 1/6 of an acre isn’t enough to be too costly or time consuming to try something now if you want to.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

What I typically do is plant something in it to use the extra nitrogen the clover is supplying, such as winter rye, oats, winter wheat, etc. I guess if it were mine, toss something into it, let it ride until fall, kill it all, and replant the clover, and add some winter rye at the same time. Then next spring you will have a stand of clover and winter rye. Come late June the winter rye will be 5 feet tall, and fall by itself, and you will have a decent clover plot. Then in fall add more clover and winter rye. These 2 work great together to help the soil.

 

[BobinCt]

I know what Jack is saying as I been through it before . What I would do, if it’s possible , is cut surrounding trees around the plot to eliminate the leaves coming in. It will also add more sunlight. Don’t know what you have surrounding them , but if there white oaks, obviously it’s not getting cut, but take a look what’s surrounding it and eliminate them using good judgement. Don’t have the trees fall into the plot when you cut, but outside of it if you can. The leaves also cover the plot there the following spring and suffocate growth. I used to take my backpack blower early spring after a few dry days and clean off the plot.

 

[jsasker007]

I had decent luck waiting until leaves were dropping and did minimal clearing followed by broadcasting winter rye.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

A-Frost seed annual clover every spring, Terminate and plant a different annual crop every fall. Small plot, little cost, TNM=little time.

B-Plant fruit trees in the middle of the plot. Mow it once every 3-4 years to keep woody stuff from moving in.

 

[MRBB]

IMO plots in the woods seldom work out or be worth the work, if you do not control l shade and leaves, and correct soil to a decent PH to work with!
a soil test is #1, seeing how much leaf matter in on ground NOW<> showing how much will be there when fall comes and trees shed there leaves!
as too much shade, too many leaves, make poor soil, and poor plot like things, to have poor growing conditions and about all that will grow well will be weeds!
your going to have MUCH better luck maybe with a spring plot than a fall plot too IMO

as pending where your at, and when green up happens, will determine a lot of things

if you can cut tree's back to allow better sun light, then you have a better chance at things, if not?
I wouldn;t invest too much labor and $$ to trying to grow food plot seeds in the WOODS!
unless you are bored and just like to do work! LOL

 

[Someday isle]

All of my plots are clearings I made in the woods. I have three 1/8 acre logging road plot that I’ve spent the last few years turning into clover. I have two 1/4 acre plots and a 1/3 of an acre plot all areas I cleared in the woods. I’m not sure if they qualify as micro plots but they’re not fields either. Leaves can be an issue but you work with what you have. I was out today spraying some weeds and preparing to mow. The Clover trails Look great. Last years rye is almost five feet tall in some places and the medium red clover is underneath. Next week I’ll spread some buckwheat and now the rye. Between the red clover and buckwheat I’ll have a late Spring early summer food Source while my soil improves. It’s not perfect But it’s my plan. Last year I had a busy spring and summer and just left the rye and clover alone. It was pretty weedy but it still worked fine. These pictures are from today

 

[MRBB]

All of my plots are clearings I made in the woods. I have three 1/8 acre logging road plot that I’ve spent the last few years turning into clover. I have two 1/4 acre plots and a 1/3 of an acre plot all areas I cleared in the woods. I’m not sure if they qualify as micro plots but they’re not fields either. Leaves can be an issue but you work with what you have. I was out today spraying some weeds and preparing to mow. The Clover trails Look great. Last years rye is almost five feet tall in some places and the medium red clover is underneath. Next week I’ll spread some buckwheat and now the rye. Between the red clover and buckwheat I’ll have a late Spring early summer food Source while my soil improves. It’s not perfect But it’s my plan. Last year I had a busy spring and summer and just left the rye and clover alone. It was pretty weedy but it still worked fine. These pictures are from today View attachment 29887View attachment 29888

yes but you cut things back a lot to allow for sunlight and you been at it a while to get soils to be able to grow things

for the average person that just wants to scratch open some ground in the middle of the forest, plots do not tend to grow very well, !


put enough work into anything and it can work LOL

but to be honest again, most small food plots in the WOODS/forest, just don;t take due to poor soils, too much shade and leaves in fall, covering things!

 

[jpe40]

All of my plots are clearings I made in the woods. I have three 1/8 acre logging road plot that I’ve spent the last few years turning into clover. I have two 1/4 acre plots and a 1/3 of an acre plot all areas I cleared in the woods. I’m not sure if they qualify as micro plots but they’re not fields either. Leaves can be an issue but you work with what you have. I was out today spraying some weeds and preparing to mow. The Clover trails Look great. Last years rye is almost five feet tall in some places and the medium red clover is underneath. Next week I’ll spread some buckwheat and now the rye. Between the red clover and buckwheat I’ll have a late Spring early summer food Source while my soil improves. It’s not perfect But it’s my plan. Last year I had a busy spring and summer and just left the rye and clover alone. It was pretty weedy but it still worked fine. These pictures are from today View attachment 29887View attachment 29888

The bottom pic looks like mine appearance wise, not growth I've cleared the leaves multiple times. I added 500lbs lime in March. I think for now I'm going to broadcast some oats and spray it cleth. I'll wait until mid August to reevaluate. Most likely throw n mow oats rye and clover. My only issue seems to be is.its two feet yall in September and by mid-october it looks like a putting green

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Openings are always attractive to deer no mater what is/isn’t growing in it.


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