An article that goes against my thoughts on diverse mix.

[omicron1792]

For one I don’t think about it.And two this plot will be over seeded with blansa clover and buckwheat then crimped in early June.

That 100# of rye and 100# of winter peas will create a nice mat to keep the weeds at bay (not to mention the alleopatic effects in the soil) while the quick growing anual clover and buckwheat does the rest until fall planting.

If plotting in the south I may think (and do things differently)

Maybe the doing things differently would be to not plant in the spring, mow a few times in the summer, spray and drill my fall plots?


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That is what Crimson n camo has been preaching for years on this site. I’m just hardheaded. He even threw fertilizer and lime out during the summer to encourage the weeds. Then he would throw in mow in the fall and it would look like a picturesque plot. All without planting a thing in the summer.

I also wonder if I should plant my summer crop one time with a good herbicide with a lot of reseeding things. Dear vetch, Alyce clover, teosinte. Then for a couple years, just let it go natural, knowing there will be some of that good stuff in there as well as the weeds.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I’m with swampcat. I just can’t keep the weeds and grasses out of any diverse summer planting. It’s a fools errand for me. I tried again this summer. Vetch, iron and clay peas and lab lab. By July I was so ate up with grasses, boneset and other nondesirables that I had to spray with cleth and 2-4db and at least salvage the vetch. If I’m concerned with diversity, and I am to a degree, I prefer to get it out of forest and wildlife opening management. I’ll leave my summer plantings to a controllable planting.

 

[omicron1792]

I’m with swampcat. I just can’t keep the weeds and grasses out of any diverse summer planting. It’s a fools errand for me. I tried again this summer. Vetch, iron and clay peas and lab lab. By July I was so ate up with grasses, boneset and other nondesirables that I had to spray with cleth and 2-4db and at least salvage the vetch. If I’m concerned with diversity, and I am to a degree, I prefer to get it out of forest and wildlife opening management. I’ll leave my summer plantings to a controllable planting.

Have you tried pursuit or imox at planting? I crimped the rye then sprayed imox in May when I planted the deer vetch and Alyce clover and it was a pure stand. Both of those take about 6 weeks to get going so If you don’t spray a herbicide with residual it will fail. At least my experience.

Also planted some igrowth sorghum in there at planting. It acted as the grass. I have found you either plant the grass you want, or you will get the grass you don’t want. Too much nitrogen for a grass not to come In

 

[SwampCat]

It is amazing to me how

Where you love the rye and clover is full and lush for fall planting. In south my rye and clover peak in May. If left alone it will look like a weed jungle by October planting time.

I’m wondering more and more if I wouldn’t do better to just let it grow up and weeds naturally repair the soil been doing my summer plantings. There’s something in me that just likes a pretty plot. Maybe I need to get over that.

there are so many little things that can make a big difference. I dont typically plant rye because it gets tall quicker and the turkeys wont use my plots during spring turkey season - but, the deer, hogs, and coons dont seem to eat the mature rye heads. I prefer wheat, because it is not as tall and the turkeys will use my plots in spring - but, the deer, coons, and hogs will eat every last wheat head, stomping the food plot flat, leaving it much more vulnerable to weed encroachment.

With a wheat/perennial clover mix in most of my plots - from fall planting through early summer is no problem. My clover will usually barely survive in more shaded areas through the summer - in full sun will be burnt to a crisp by mid august. It will persist longer if there is a little weed cover - but it is hard to have a little weed cover without it developing into a lot of weed cover.

I normally spray 24db or mow my summer clover plots mid summer, and then I will usually need to mow again at planting time - right now - and there will be very little weed residue to deal with when planting.

I am getting old and lazy and did not spray or mow this summer. I did it all in the last two weeks. It did not work out for me. I sprayed 24db - but then with a big rain event in the forecast, I decided to get planting, and I had to bush hog only a few days after planting. Not sure if the spraying accomplished anything. And, since I had not mowed previously, there was a LOT of weed residue - but it wasnt too much to work through. I planted 15 acres Tuesday and we have gotten five inches of rain in the last 24 hours - so I should be in great shape.

But, some of weeds were so tall and thick it appeared there was no deer use even though there was some clover on the ground. I didnt really like my process this year, and plan to go back to a mowing or spraying mid to late july and then mow right before planting - if need be.

I would imagine weeds are a much bigger problem in the south where our growing season is so long.

 

[omicron1792]

It is amazing to me how

there are so many little things that can make a big difference. I dont typically plant rye because it gets tall quicker and the turkeys wont use my plots during spring turkey season - but, the deer, hogs, and coons dont seem to eat the mature rye heads. I prefer wheat, because it is not as tall and the turkeys will use my plots in spring - but, the deer, coons, and hogs will eat every last wheat head, stomping the food plot flat, leaving it much more vulnerable to weed encroachment.

With a wheat/perennial clover mix in most of my plots - from fall planting through early summer is no problem. My clover will usually barely survive in more shaded areas through the summer - in full sun will be burnt to a crisp by mid august. It will persist longer if there is a little weed cover - but it is hard to have a little weed cover without it developing into a lot of weed cover.

I normally spray 24db or mow my summer clover plots mid summer, and then I will usually need to mow again at planting time - right now - and there will be very little weed residue to deal with when planting.

I am getting old and lazy and did not spray or mow this summer. I did it all in the last two weeks. It did not work out for me. I sprayed 24db - but then with a big rain event in the forecast, I decided to get planting, and I had to bush hog only a few days after planting. Not sure if the spraying accomplished anything. And, since I had not mowed previously, there was a LOT of weed residue - but it wasnt too much to work through. I planted 15 acres Tuesday and we have gotten five inches of rain in the last 24 hours - so I should be in great shape.

But, some of weeds were so tall and thick it appeared there was no deer use even though there was some clover on the ground. I didnt really like my process this year, and plan to go back to a mowing or spraying mid to late july and then mow right before planting - if need be.

I would imagine weeds are a much bigger problem in the south where our growing season is so long.

I hear you. My summer plots got so thick the deer wouldn’t go out in it. So I mowed some lanes. through the plot. A couple of weeks later I checked, every plant along the sides of those lanes had been nipped

 

[SD51555]

I read the summary but not the whole study. Seems like the study is pretty heavy on weed prevention which isn’t always the primary focus for a lot of us.

Does more biomass also = more nutrient tie up?

That was my thinking as well. Too many other concerns to just focus on that. Lately my biggest concern is succeeding when there is no rain or moisture of any kind. It's getting pretty sparse in the northland. I'm in this little splatter of red in northern MN, and I think it's quite under-reported in severity. I think we're years behind in moisture now, and I'm worried it's not going to get any better. I'm also worried the Chippewa National Forest is gonna get Lahaina'd next summer.

 

[SwampCat]

Annual rye grass, has infested my plots in the last few years. Fortunately, the deer do eat it - but it is so thick in the late spring, it suppresses my wheat and clover. It isnt a ruination of the plots - but doesnt help them, either