1st plot..Have a 1/2 acre limed and ready..what to plant

[driven2tri24]

Disking/tilling/dragging.. Method of working in the soil doesn't matter, you just don't want it sitting on the surface. Leaving on the surface will just take longer to take effect, that's all.

Late winter is when my Rye gets the most use. They dig through the snow to eat it for me. By march it's almost mud.

Your frost date is similar to mine, mid October. I'm in central MO, I typically plant my fall cereal plots around Sept 1.

Thats what I had planned(9/1)... I will go with that for the un-limed 1/2 acre I plan to TnM now. I was planning on layering rye over the Oats/Peas/Radish/Clover limed 1/4 acre when the peas/Oats were browsed down around 10/1... If I plant the other limed 1/4 acre in Brassicas, How would I plant Rye there if they fail??

 

[Bassattackr]

Why layer the Rye? Sounds like a bad Youtube scheme..

As Dan said, don't overthink it. I'd plant Rye with your other cereal mix on Sept. 1. Even Paul did this for a reason.

If you want to do the half cereals, half brassica plot method - Then I would plant your brassica portion just before a rain in early August. This is better timing (where you and I are at) for a brassica only plot. Then you will know if it is a fail by September 1st, and you can add rye accordingly.

 

[jsasker007]

With the rye/clover I'd throw in some chicory(clover and chicory do great together).

 

[Derek Reese 29]

With the rye/clover I'd throw in some chicory(clover and chicory do great together).

my only concern with chicory would be that in my experience it needs a soil pH of around 6.0 to do well and if the OP is starting at ~4.9 it might not thrive...just my opinion...

 

[jsasker007]

Valid point. Maybe not thrive but still contribute and add a little more diversity. It will only get better from here. Ultimately it's just my .02 cents and may not make the cover of food plot nation. With numbers that low buckwheat sounds like a good option too.

 

[driven2tri24]

Why layer the Rye? Sounds like a bad Youtube scheme..

As Dan said, don't overthink it. I'd plant Rye with your other cereal mix on Sept. 1. Even Paul did this for a reason.

If you want to do the half cereals, half brassica plot method - Then I would plant your brassica portion just before a rain in early August. This is better timing (where you and I are at) for a brassica only plot. Then you will know if it is a fail by September 1st, and you can add rye accordingly.

I thought layering it later would keep fresh younger rye coming in, but if that isn't of value then I 'll just skip layering and add the Rye to the BFO/AWP/DER/Clover like the LC Mix calls for. I can plant it it the same time I TnM the unlimed 1/2 acre of Rye (and whatever clover/chicory I can throw in with it that has a chance to survive 4.9). The Brassicas I'll plant as suggested around beginning of August as soon as rainfall is imminent..

 

[FarmerDan]

I thought layering it later would keep fresh younger rye coming in, but if that isn't of value then I might just plant everything right before imminent rainfall 1st week of Sept??

schemes like that sound good in conversation but rarely work when Mother Nature is in control. For the effort involved I seriously doubt you'll see any benefit. Do one or the other or both - but varying planting times in such a short window, well I've already said it...

I've hijacked Bassattackr! Sorry, friend!

 

[driven2tri24]

And plant the Brassicas alone

schemes like that sound good in conversation but rarely work when Mother Nature is in control. For the effort involved I seriously doubt you'll see any benefit. Do one or the other or both - but varying planting times in such a short window, well I've already said it...

I've hijacked Bassattackr! Sorry, friend!

Bassattack was right...I happened across that on you-tube..but it made sense to me for a contingency plan and to maximize output of such a small plot..

 

[Bassattackr]

schemes like that sound good in conversation but rarely work when Mother Nature is in control. For the effort involved I seriously doubt you'll see any benefit. Do one or the other or both - but varying planting times in such a short window, well I've already said it...

I've hijacked Bassattackr! Sorry, friend!

LOL, we're on the same page Dan.

driven - This may help, no need to layer. See post #43 in Cereal Grains for Whitetails curated post under Lickreek.

We use a mix because each forage species has different attributes, oats grow fast and provide high forage while the slower growing rye catches up. As colder weather sets in the oats freeze out, but the winter rye thrives all winter continuing to grow down to 34 degrees. -Dbltree

 

[driven2tri24]

LOL, we're on the same page Dan.

driven - This may help, no need to layer. See post #43 in Cereal Grains for Whitetails curated post under Lickreek.

We use a mix because each forage species has different attributes, oats grow fast and provide high forage while the slower growing rye catches up. As colder weather sets in the oats freeze out, but the winter rye thrives all winter continuing to grow down to 34 degrees. -Dbltree

Males perfect sense. No Layering for me.

 

[Bassattackr]

Rye planted around Sept 1, a small amount of clover thrown in. Only a couple weeks after planting and they're already using it..



Thru October..



Even the big boys come through it checking for does in November, maybe grabbing a bite along the way..



As the leaves fall, they still filter through them looking for clover and rye into December..



January rolls around and they keep it well "trimmed" to about lip height. Even patches of bare dirt starting to show..



Sometimes even running to it they love it so much.. (Heh heh)



By the end of the month it's surprising there's any left in this 1/4 acre plot.



Despite acres of beans, alfalfa and brassicas nearby, they continue to filter in and out of this little rye patch the entire year.

 

[driven2tri24]

From what I've read about Brassicas..sometimes deer won't touch them the first year sometimes, so the more I think about it the more I think I'll just limit the Brassicas to a small test area(5k sq ft) to see what they do...and plant the remainder of the limed area in the LC Oats/Peas/Rye/Radish/Clover mix. Given the low PH in the un-limed area...what(if anything) should I plant with the Rye when I TnM it??

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Most of my plots I use a winter rye, and clover as a staple. Once my plots get really weedy, I will spray them then plant turnips, radish and rape into them. Then in early September I will overseed clover and winter rye into them again. Very seldom do I not have clover, or winter rye growing in my plots. It’s cheap, and keeps something growing in them at all times, at least during growing season.

 

[driven2tri24]

Another idea I had was to substitute the Radish for Turnips in the Cereal mix and skip the Brassicas until next year. My thoughts are I’d glady trade the earlier draw of the radish for later use of Turnips…
Or is this not a good idea?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

In my experience the deer have to learn to like them. They may not touch them the first year or 2, so a variety is best if you are planting for a draw.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I have plots that I over seed with turnips. Other than that I don't use them much. I have a weedy clover plot that is getting rotated to a "root crop" soon. I am going 95% radishes and only 5% turnips in a blend. I want something a bit more attractive during hunting season and for me that isn't turnips.

I dont plant any of the forage type brassica any more because my deer never touch them.

 

[jsasker007]

Turnips get wiped out quickly here. As soon as we get a frost or two they are gone(the tops anyway). Had 5 acres wiped out in a little over a week BEFORE hunting season started. That's a real gut punch. Learned my lesson with them here in central Minnesota.

 

[PatinPA]

Lot of good points here...
I'm taking these all in and have now definitely committed to TnM the other 1/2 acre in Rye/clover as an insurance plan....I don't know if the original 1/2 acre I limed in June will have any significant rise in PH by planting time but I do have the seed already and a contingency plan. Should either/both fail, I thought I'd layer more rye over it as the season went on.
Seed companies list the brassicas and Oat grain/clover mix will grow in 5.5-7.0....my hope was to gain that .6 of a point by Sept..and hopefully be in the 6.0-7.0 in spring when I re-test.
I'll add more lime if needed when I lime the un-limed 1/2 acre I'm planting in rye/clover.

-Do you guys think the limed soil will be close to 5.5 by August or Sept?
I used pelletized lime in June and we have had lots of rainfall this month. I've also harrowed it about 1/2" deep.

FWIW, I planted some Conceal/Barricade(they recommend 5.5 or better) across one edge of the soil and it's growing nicely.

Rye planted around Sept 1, a small amount of clover thrown in. Only a couple weeks after planting and they're already using it..

View attachment 35812

Thru October..

View attachment 35813

Even the big boys come through it checking for does in November, maybe grabbing a bite along the way..

View attachment 35814

As the leaves fall, they still filter through them looking for clover and rye into December..

View attachment 35815

January rolls around and they keep it well "trimmed" to about lip height. Even patches of bare dirt starting to show..

View attachment 35816

Sometimes even running to it they love it so much.. (Heh heh)

View attachment 35817

By the end of the month it's surprising there's any left in this 1/4 acre plot.

View attachment 35818

Despite acres of beans, alfalfa and brassicas nearby, they continue to filter in and out of this little rye patch the entire year.

Bass,
What do you do with the leaves that accumulate in your woods plots? I rake all my off but seems like a waste of good organics. I can't disc it in or I would have nothing but a field of rocks.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Mine stay right where they fall. The deer will dig under them, and the plants will grow through them.

 

[driven2tri24]

Turnips get wiped out quickly here. As soon as we get a frost or two they are gone(the tops anyway). Had 5 acres wiped out in a little over a week BEFORE hunting season started. That's a real gut punch. Learned my lesson with them here in central Minnesota.

What would you recommend to substitute the Radishes for that will grow well with the Oats/Peas/Rye/Clover and will be of more value in January snow coverage??