Clover outcompetes my efforts for diversity??
- Thread starter Foggy47
- Start date
Crimson n' Camo
5 year old buck +
So what happens if the tractor breaks down while your field is on fire? Might be a good idea to carry a fire extinguisher lol lol
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
Lots of folks burn off residue of last crop before planting new. Seems like they just made a cooler way to do it!
Better have a fire lane or something really green around field before you go flame throwing like that.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
I have a friend down here in AZ that still owns and rents his farm in MN. The renter has taken the farm to Organic. I'm told they have a big generator the tractor PTO turns.....that runs a weed zapper.....and the tractor is way over 100 HP. When they turn the genny on....it really lugs the engine. I dont know many details on these......and I think they hire an outside operator for this. Interesting where big ag is going. Evidently it can identify specific weeds and zap those without zaping the crops.
I ran a torch, making an 8 inch wide strip about 25 feet long, in my yard this year. Planted green beans into it. Beans came up great and the grass filled back in without completely taking over the beans before harvest. Had to cage them though to keep my winter food from eating my summer food.
Fair oak
5 year old buck +
In mid-July I broadcasted 3 acres worth of brassica’s into last years standing rye and medium red clover, rolled everything down with my homemade cultipacker and then sprayed with 1 quart/acre gly. I over-seeded everything with rye about a month after broadcasting brassicas. For brassicas I used Winfred, a couple different kinds of radish and hunter forage rape. Everything turned out great considering my plots are all 2nd year plots carved out of forest and overall it was below average rainfall since planting in my area.
I disked all plots the 1st year to help level everything out and work lime in but I’m really glad the no-till is working because my soil is very heavy Lake Superior clay and I worry about compaction issues and surface crusting if I leave bare soil from tillage. I don’t have much for equipment except my atvs, bag spreaders, atv sprayers, and I bought a 72” disc that I welded fork pockets to for my skid steer. Gotta disc in reverse but it works!
I disked all plots the 1st year to help level everything out and work lime in but I’m really glad the no-till is working because my soil is very heavy Lake Superior clay and I worry about compaction issues and surface crusting if I leave bare soil from tillage. I don’t have much for equipment except my atvs, bag spreaders, atv sprayers, and I bought a 72” disc that I welded fork pockets to for my skid steer. Gotta disc in reverse but it works!
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Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Pics of your skid steer disc?
Fair oak
5 year old buck +
I could only find 1 crappy pic of the disc. I welded 2”x 5” rectangle tube to the top main frame. The steel is 36” long and 1/4” wall. Works great both pushing and pulling. I just use a very heavy ratchet strap when doing the final discing in reverse. Edited to add another close-up of steel before it was welded.
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Catscratch
5 year old buck +
Nice!
omicron1792
5 year old buck +
They make some you can go forwards in skid steer now. They almost have it where you can use a skid steer instead of a tractor.
Wind Gypsy
5 year old buck +
Wow, that plot looks fantastic!
One of my neighbors is an organic farmer and he zaps his weeds too. He also remarked that it takes quite a tractor to run the zapper. It looks like an electric weed wiper.
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Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Noodling around in Google....and found what looks to be a great document on killing clover for us guys in the north. I know I need to use a mix of gly and 24d to get 'er done. I suppose a 7 day wait until drilling my brassica and next years clover(s) seems prudent after spraying with my combo. Then I will likely roll my rye and clover to provide some extra armor on the soil......mostly to preserve moisture......and further suppress weeds.
Late August....will broadcast rye....maybe some oats too into what I hope is a nice stand of turnips, DER, Radish, etc......(and little clovers that will be there in spring).
Late August....will broadcast rye....maybe some oats too into what I hope is a nice stand of turnips, DER, Radish, etc......(and little clovers that will be there in spring).
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
just got this pic today on my cell-cam. Two days ago this still had allot of snow here. Rye and clover just turning green with rain today. The deer here gotta be starving and will put on allot of weight in the next two weeks. Critical time for deer this far north after a tough winter here.
My plan is to leave it alone until July. Will rely on the clover and winter rye to provide. May spray if needed......and my apply a load of line.....depending on road conditions and such when I get home from OZ.
My plan is to leave it alone until July. Will rely on the clover and winter rye to provide. May spray if needed......and my apply a load of line.....depending on road conditions and such when I get home from OZ.
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
I had some volunteer clover in my potted trees.
the roots on clover is impressive. Similar to alfalfa.
I would be hard pressed to want to “get rid “ of clover
the roots on clover is impressive. Similar to alfalfa.
I would be hard pressed to want to “get rid “ of clover
SD51555
5 year old buck +
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Clover is a primary food source for my deer through spring summer and early fall. The only issue with it is.....that it is that it goes dormant just before out fall gun season and the plots can become worthless as a deer attractant until the following spring.....when it again will flourish. So....in order to produce some brasica for the fall season.....I need to terminate that clover to get the brasica to take hold. Also......my brassica will enjoy the nitrogen from the terminated clover. Win / Win. I likely will seed some more clover when I plant the brassica too......but the clover takes longer to develop and will allow the brassica to develop through the fall. In early September I again plant my winter rye and more clover varieties. Thus the clover is almost always working to provide weed suppression and nitrogen for the next crop.
I like clover.....it's just too competitive over other things in the late summer and fall.
Angus 1895
5 year old buck +
On my place the clover is THE preferred “ treat” all during archery and firearms.
all deer seasons are long gone before they are eating my turnips!
all deer seasons are long gone before they are eating my turnips!
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Foggy47
5 year old buck +
So....I was re-reading this thread and examined the "Cover Crop Termination" paper(s) written by Michigan State (above). One of the few "Excellent" combinations to kill clover is a mix of Glyphosate (.75 lb a.i.) missed with Diacamba (.5 lb a.i.).
I do not see any planting restrictions with this mix. I am totally unfamiliar with Diacamba. What are some brand names? Expensive?? Not sure Dicamba is a better choice than 24-D Amine.....but the U of Michigan seems to think so. Worried about plant back time. Trying to have little impact after one week. Also.....how many oz of each to equal the lbs stated of active ingredients??? Kinda confusing.
Kinda been thinking I could use 2 Qt / acre 41% Glyphosate and a Pint of 24-d /acre. Add a little Nitro Surf. Thanks for any help here.
My current plan is to spray some 5 to 10 foot wide strips of clover cover/rye cover crops........then a week or so later drill my brassica mix (possibly others) into these strips......and follow very soon after planting with my roller crimper to all areas to form a mulch on top of the new brassica crop.
I need to solidify a burn down mix......and that paper from Michigan State has fair data on the chemicals......IMO.
I do not see any planting restrictions with this mix. I am totally unfamiliar with Diacamba. What are some brand names? Expensive?? Not sure Dicamba is a better choice than 24-D Amine.....but the U of Michigan seems to think so. Worried about plant back time. Trying to have little impact after one week. Also.....how many oz of each to equal the lbs stated of active ingredients??? Kinda confusing.
Kinda been thinking I could use 2 Qt / acre 41% Glyphosate and a Pint of 24-d /acre. Add a little Nitro Surf. Thanks for any help here.
My current plan is to spray some 5 to 10 foot wide strips of clover cover/rye cover crops........then a week or so later drill my brassica mix (possibly others) into these strips......and follow very soon after planting with my roller crimper to all areas to form a mulch on top of the new brassica crop.
I need to solidify a burn down mix......and that paper from Michigan State has fair data on the chemicals......IMO.
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Westwind
5 year old buck +
I used a 2-4-d Dicamba mix in my yard, Trimec was the brand. I had used a couple formulations of 2-4-d yard stuff before but was trying to kill creeping Charlie.
Im pretty decent about following label instructions. I killed all kinds of plants I didn't mean to and put a hurting on some trees. I’m told it’s good stuff, you gotta be careful. I‘m a believer lol.
I’m not an expert but the gly /2-4-d mix you list should work on that. Just gotta work out the surfactant/crop oil situation.
Im pretty decent about following label instructions. I killed all kinds of plants I didn't mean to and put a hurting on some trees. I’m told it’s good stuff, you gotta be careful. I‘m a believer lol.
I’m not an expert but the gly /2-4-d mix you list should work on that. Just gotta work out the surfactant/crop oil situation.
