Anybody plant an early Spring crop prior to your Ag crops?

[Turkey Creek]

Contemplating putting in some type of early Spring food plot prior to soybeans this year. Right now the one area is just fallow weeds, the other is hay ground. So not a lot if any thing for the deer to browse on until something is planted there. Some people will argue that Spring greenup should provide a lot of natural browse and I am sure that is true, but like I said the areas that will becoming foodplots have nothing to offer the deer currently. Looking at a mix of Spring Peas, Common Vetch, Spring Oats, Rapeseed and Crimson clover. Thought of maybe going in and planting the bigger seeded varieties and subsequently broadcasting the oats and clover over the top on the same day. All those varieties will germinate in the 40 degree area and are quick growers. Letting that mix grow until I plant beans. Going to frost seed a couple small clover plots at the same time so maybe that will help with the pressure on those as they start to germinate and grow. Thoughts on the whole idea or different varieties to consider?

 

[bigboreblr]

The ha area I dont see you having alo of luck trying to get something to grow in that stuff. Likely need to spray that dead, maybe more than once too. Between the grasses and the existing thatch in most hay fields, seeds won't have alot of luck without working it with some discs. Maybe rye would be worthwhile, maybe add the clover too.

Weedy area will likely have better germination and need less work coverting to a good AG crop area. I'd just put oats n clover in there for now. Think you'd be good enough with that.

what equipment are you using? Some medium red clover once the late summer rains come in, that would be a better use of clover in your plan.

 

[Turkey Creek]

The ha area I dont see you having alo of luck trying to get something to grow in that stuff. Likely need to spray that dead, maybe more than once too. Between the grasses and the existing thatch in most hay fields, seeds won't have alot of luck without working it with some discs. Maybe rye would be worthwhile, maybe add the clover too.

Weedy area will likely have better germination and need less work coverting to a good AG crop area. I'd just put oats n clover in there for now. Think you'd be good enough with that.

what equipment are you using? Some medium red clover once the late summer rains come in, that would be a better use of clover in your plan.

We will burn the food plot areas off soon and then till it under prior to the first round of planting. Spray to kill off an early season planting, mow, and then till prior to beans. Likely go Roundup ready beans for the 1st time or 2 to give us that option if the remaining seed bank gives the beans too much competition.

 

[FarmerDan]

You're way far away from me. Just for kicks I have done what you propose - with little success for the expense and effort involved. I'm in 7a. The current seedbed cover issues aside, there are climate factors to consider. I can tell you mine. I'd guess you will need to add 7-10 days to my 7a numbers get to anything like you'll see in 6a. The earliest, earliest soybeans are planted here is mid-April, 120-day full season beans. When you plant yours will determine the front-end possibilities for what you want to do.

The frost-free spring date I use is April 6th. Soil-temps generally don't become minimally favorable until mid-April at 55-60 degrees. Add 7-10 days for your zone. You can seed into cold(er) soils but it will do one of two things. Seeds will wait or rot. Small hard seeds will hold on but most won't germinate until conditions are right. Within the "normal" ranges it can vary widely year-to-year. Some small grains like oats and rye will germinate around soil temps of 40-degrees but they are thin coated and need to be treated to reduce the risk of rot. Me, I won't do it again. To overstate the obvious, yours is a difficult proposal. To get successful early spring growth requires fall planting.

 

[Turkey Creek]

You're way far away from me. Just for kicks I have done what you propose - with little success for the expense and effort involved. I'm in 7a. The current seedbed cover issues aside, there are climate factors to consider. I can tell you mine. I'd guess you will need to add 7-10 days to my 7a numbers get to anything like you'll see in 6a. The earliest, earliest soybeans are planted here is mid-April, 120-day full season beans. When you plant yours will determine the front-end possibilities for what you want to do.

The frost-free spring date I use is April 6th. Soil-temps generally don't become minimally favorable until mid-April at 55-60 degrees. Add 7-10 days for your zone. You can seed into cold(er) soils but it will do one of two things. Seeds will wait or rot. Small hard seeds will hold on but most won't germinate until conditions are right. Within the "normal" ranges it can vary widely year-to-year. Some small grains like oats and rye will germinate around soil temps of 40-degrees but they are thin coated and need to be treated to reduce the risk of rot. Me, I won't do it again. To overstate the obvious, yours is a difficult proposal. To get successful early spring growth requires fall planting.

I appreciate the input. I was hoping that since the varieties I listed all had lower germination temperatures that maybe we could get a "head start on the growing season". I will probably experiment with planting dates for beans. I would rather go as late as possible (while still getting good pod set) than going earlier. I am pretty sure that due to the relatively small acreage I am going to put into food plots that I am going to have to E-fence the beans while they are young or they will get completely eaten by the deer before fall.

I agree that planting in the fall would likely be more successful but not sure what has survivability over Winter for green up in the early Spring. It will be a constant experiment I am sure and weather dependent from yeat to year, but thats ok as I am hard wired that way. I will maybe try a very small test plot to see the results. Rye and Winter Wheat can make it over winter but other things I believe in my list will Winter Kill, -7 has been our coldest thus far this Winter. Long term I want to keep something growing in the soil as long as possible every year, both for soil health and as a food source for the wildlife.

 

[EasyE]

Based off things I have read. Hold off and save your money and effort. Plant soybeans this spring after frost date. This fall when about 70-80% of the soybean leaves are yellow go in and broadcast cereal rye and crimson clover maybe even some winter wheat, do this just before a rain. Next winter you will have grain and salad and deer while come and eat well all winter. Cereal rye is one of the 1st to grow come spring and it will pull nitrogen from the ground and save you next spring when you spray and replant you soybeans. Best rotation I’ve ever seen.

 

[buckdeer1]

My SIL farmer just got 300 bushels of oats yesterday to plant early for hay so I may plant some but I also have winter wheat planted where I plant soybeans