Late Planting Advice

[Whitetaildeer13]

Hi Guys-

I was wanting to get some advice on my foodplot situation. I have literally just completed a timber harvest and I will be discing my food plots today because the loggers used these as a road and the soil is compacted. I was planning on planting a cereal grain combo of oats, rye, forage radish, peas, and clover tomorrow. I plan on cultipacking before and after broadcasting the seed. I looked at the forecast and they have issued flash flood warnings sat night through Sunday...calling for 2.5 to 3 inches of rain. Is that too much rain to plant or would it make more sense to plant on wet soil on Monday or Tuesday? I know that neither one of these options is ideal and it is getting very late to get this plot planted in my area. Thanks in advance.

 

[Steven Tolly]

The rye will grow and be perfect in a few weeks. I would skip the radishes and peas, not enough time to make it worth the investment. Clover might be ok. I am not sure. I am throwing rye into all of my bean plots tonight, because I like the green for bow season and the deer hammer it.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Where are you? The advice you receive is going to depend a lot on what zone you're in. In the North on brand new compacted soil that was recently forest I would say forget the radishes and peas...just go with rye to get something down. I suppose you could throw in some clover but I doubt your soil pH is adequate as is. I have no idea what you can still get in at this date if you're down south.

As far as the rain goes, 3 inches of rain and flash floods does will probably wash away your seed if your soil is compacted and you lack a good seed bed. I'd wait.

 

[Tree Spud]

Hi Guys-

I was wanting to get some advice on my foodplot situation. I have literally just completed a timber harvest and I will be discing my food plots today because the loggers used these as a road and the soil is compacted. I was planning on planting a cereal grain combo of oats, rye, forage radish, peas, and clover tomorrow. I plan on cultipacking before and after broadcasting the seed. I looked at the forecast and they have issued flash flood warnings sat night through Sunday...calling for 2.5 to 3 inches of rain. Is that too much rain to plant or would it make more sense to plant on wet soil on Monday or Tuesday? I know that neither one of these options is ideal and it is getting very late to get this plot planted in my area. Thanks in advance.

To be honest, I would not plant a thing. With soil now exposed to sun, whatever dormant plant seeds will be disced up and will probably explode in new growth offering lots of fresh green stuff.

 

[35-acre]

Timing is everything - isn't it (LOL). That sounds like how I've been managing all year. I typically don't have the luxury of changing planting times based on weather as I can only make the trip to my land on weekends. So if you have the ability to plant after the rain, I would wait. However that assumes that you're walking and spreading the seed. I can't imagine what getting heavy equipment into a muddy field would do. Plus I would think compacting a muddy field would really create a hardpan. I've just gone with planting and filling in bare spots later.

As for seed choice, if you don't have to plant all of that, I would just plant Oats and Winter Wheat or Winter Rye. Grows fast, cold tolerant and will be there in the spring. Without knowing your zone, I can't weigh in on the clover. But the first year of clover the plant focuses on getting root structure. The second year it focuses on the tops. So you might be able to squeak b with some clover as well. You won't know how that works out until late spring.

 

[cavey]

Ditto on the where are you ... that is a critical question, and yes that is too much rain... but you are cultipacking the soil and your soil is exposed right now anyways. I would knowing there is some rain in the forecast think heavily about just getting it done. You might not get the heavy rains anyways and the rain for sure will germinate the seed, its a pain to seed in mud... you can never go wrong with WR or WW as a soil cover alone. Not knowing where you are, assuming your up north i would hold off on the more expensive seed like clover, let the rye and weeds come this fall and spray in the spring and go from there. Just one of a bunch of opinions your going to get because the later it gets the more of a crap shoot for seeding it is - apart from the rye and wheat which will grow and give you a nice green carpet of growth regardless.

 

[Whitetaildeer13]

Where are you? The advice you receive is going to depend a lot on what zone you're in. In the North on brand new compacted soil that was recently forest I would say forget the radishes and peas...just go with rye to get something down. I suppose you could throw in some clover but I doubt your soil pH is adequate as is. I have no idea what you can still get in at this date if you're down south.

As far as the rain goes, 3 inches of rain and flash floods does will probably wash away your seed if your soil is compacted and you lack a good seed bed. I'd wait.

 

[Whitetaildeer13]

Thank you for all of that info. I am located in central Illinois.

 

[Scott S]

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

Enter your zip code in the top left. It will tell you which zone you're in. Make sure you put what zone you're planting in in any information seeking post. These guys will be able to give you more detailed answers with that information.

Welcome to the best place on the internet.

 

[FarmerDan]

Me? I wouldn't plant a thing. Don't know your slope, but if it's anything over 3% and you have bare ground and heavy rain you're going to have erosion. Soil moves, so too, does the seed. It's October 1st. At best you have a 50-50 chance of 30-growing days left. Maybe more. Maybe less. If you do anything, as recommended above do rye. The odds of success are terrible before the rain, if it rains. Much better after.

 

[TreeDaddy]

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

Enter your zip code in the top left. It will tell you which zone you're in. Make sure you put what zone you're planting in in any information seeking post. These guys will be able to give you more detailed answers with that information.

Welcome to the best place on the internet.

ditto above

Goes for trees,shrubs,etc as well as food plots

bill