Dove Plot - Soon to be Food Plot

[Kdog]

I planned on over seeding a portion of my lower pasture with clover last fall, but never did. This year I had planned to plant a dove field in the upper pasture, but changed my mind yesterday and began prep on the lower plot that will initially be a dove plot. Took soil samples then sprayed. Just going to plant millet and some proso for the doves, but will also begin preparing for the fall plot. I don't have a drill, so this will be a minimum till planting for the doves and the fall plot.

For the fall plot I plan on seeding as follows per acre.
75# Wrens Abruzzi Rye
10# Durana
5# Medium Red
5# Chicory

 

[davidhelmly]

Looks like a great mix, I would throw in a couple pounds of turnips and radish also.

 

[Kdog]

May do that since this used to be a horse pasture. I had a little more clover in there than I thought (ladino), but it was rather spotty.

 

[Kdog]

That pasture grass was really thick and I got a good burn down from spraying a few weeks back. May have made a mistake, but decided to burn the thatch off. Just thought it was too thick. Started @ 8 finished @ 2 all with just my ATV and half with a push spreader since I couldn't keep the gate open on the pull behind spreader. Will get that fixed before I go back the spread fert in a couple weeks.

 

[Kdog]

Got some light rain on it last night and about to get two rounds of rain on it tonight.

 

[Kdog]

Getting lots of rain on it and hope it does not wash away all of the millet seed.

 

[Kdog]

Guy up the street went by to check on things and sent me this pic of one corner of the millet field. Said this was the spotty area and the rest of the field looked better. Will get up there this coming weekend to fertilize it.

 

[omicron1792]

Guy up the street went by to check on things and sent me this pic of one corner of the millet field. Said this was the spotty area and the rest of the field looked better. Will get up there this coming weekend to fertilize it.

That’s looking good and thick

 

[SwampCat]

Millet pretty hard to go wrong on. Now sunflowers - looking great

At least in this field. Two other fields right across the trail, not so much. And they are expensive - and I didnt even plant clearfield.

 

[Kdog]

I just don't have the equipment to plans sunflowers successfully. Maybe one of these days.

 

[Kdog]

What a difference 2 weeks makes.

I went ahead a fertilized, but may have done more harm than good.

 

[Kdog]

Went and checked on the millet this morning. Seed heads are forming pretty good. The dang deer are bedding in it more than I wish they would.

 

[Kdog]

Millet is close to full maturity and is starting to yellow in some areas. With 7 weeks left until the season, I may be a little early. Saw a few doves down there when I checked it yesterday.





Dunstans have a good crop this year.

 

[Kdog]

Had an unplanned trip to the property so I had to check the millet. The seed heads have fully matured and it is ready to prep for burning. Just about 2-3 weeks too early. I have some areas that I need to spray and will do that next weekend (8/9). I will also prep my fire breaks and cut a some strips. Then will return the weekend of 8/23 to cut and burn the rest of the field.

 

[SwampCat]

That millet field sure is clean - you spray it with anything?

I planted my millet about two weeks too early, also

 

[Kdog]

It was a horse pasture for 30+ years. Sprayed gly two weeks prior to planting, burned that off, drug it with a chain type drag harrow then seeded, flipped the drag and ran over it again, then sprayed gly one more time to kill what I missed the first time. I did seed a little heavy @ ~33# per acre since I had the seed and did not apply fertilizer at the time of planting. I think the burn and no fert at planting may have helped limit the weeds.

 

[Kdog]

Got the fire breaks prepped and cut a couple of strips this weekend. Rode around checking two other fields I know of in the area and did not see many birds around the fields or on the powerlines. One field about a mile up the road had already cut and burned what looks to be 2 acres of millet. They probably have another 8-10 acres planted.