Establishing new plot in spring

[omicron1792]

Where are you located?

For a perennial plot most do a mix of a white clover (durana, patriot, Alice, Dutch white, rennovation, aberlasting, imperial) and a medium red.

Adding annuals when planting a perennial will make it look thicker early, but will leave gaps when the annual dies.

I would pick one or two of the whites mentioned above and a medium red and plant heavy at 10-15lbs per acre year one, with about 5-10lbs of chicory and 200lbs of rye. Every year after back down on the amount of each you plant (year two 150lbs of rye and 5-8lbs of clover and 3lbs of chicory. Year three 100lbs of rye and 3-5lbs of clover). Then just find the amount needed to maintain the plot long term. When clover and chicory established you don’t have to plant it yearly, but most insure a good plot my throwing 3lbs or so a year. If you don’t plant a grass like rye, then nature will add a grass you may not want for you.

When you get to this point we can teach you how to use herbicide once a year to keep the clover and chicory clean.

If in the south like me, perennial clovers don’t do as well and most plots I just plant annual clovers yearly like fixation balansa, frosty berseem, and arrowleaf.

 

[omicron1792]

My best perennial clover and chicory field here in Alabama. It is in year 3. They do even better the further north.

I sprayed with imazethapyr and light gly about 6 weeks ago.

 

[swampbuck]

Im in south Central Wisconsin

 

[omicron1792]

Im in south Central Wisconsin

Lots of good people up that way on here. Read about @Foggy47 and @Wild Thing

 

[SD51555]

For an update on this one. I got a soil test that came back and confirmed low pH (5.1). Early this spring is added 1500 lbs of lime to the plot, which was just lower than what the test recommended. I figured i will test again and add more lime this fall if need be.

After that I sprayed with gly 2x and then broadcast 100 lbs oats, 48 lbs forage peas, and 5 pounds Crimson clover. It hasn't been anything impressive for growth...but it is growing, which is a success for me. There are a fair amount of weeds coming up that I'll have to deal with in the fall, but am glad I got something in the ground.

One of the "weeds" that has popped up is jewelweed. It seems like I have a lot of it out there now that we cleared a few areas its easier to find. Anyone know if deer like it? I couldn't see much for browsing sign but maybe its not preferred this time of year.

Jewelweed is a gift. I kid you not, I would put that as a #1 summer browse species for deer. I'd put a camera on it and watch it. The only reason I could see your deer not using it, is that there is too much of it, that they cannot keep up with it. If you're gonna do some timber work and open up the canopy, I'd do it near your jewelweed so that it spreads into your open areas.

Here's a read on the deer benefits: https://bigyardfun.com/do-deer-eat-jewelweed/

Don't forget, naturally selected plants (meaning they just appeared on their own) are most adapted to thrive in the soils they're in, so they'll deliver nutrients to deer better than anything we can choose to try to introduce. This is also the time bucks are growing antlers and does are nursing fawns.

If you have an immense amount of it, you may want to think about trying to perfect harvesting the seeds. Prairie Moon Nursery, which I have purchased from in the past, sells jewelweed seed for $105/ounce. You'd need to prove germination if you're gonna traffic the stuff, but an ice cream pail of the seed could get you a free tower blind.

Now you've got me buying some to add to my new plot now that I'd thought of it. Gonna need some quinoa to mix with it to carry the seed through the blower. It's trickly spreading a half ounce of seed over a half acre.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Lots of good people up that way on here. Read about @Foggy47 and @Wild Thing

true dat

havent seen any wild thing posts for over a year it seems

I printed most of his no till posts

Lotta pearls there

bill

 

[Foggy47]

true dat

havent seen any wild thing posts for over a year it seems

I printed most of his no till posts

Lotta pearls there

bill

^ Ain't that the truth. He does post a bit on the Michigan Sportsman site.....and does check in here from time to time. He has provided some of the best information on no-till and drills for me and many others. Great pics and descriptions on what he does. I did join Michigan Sportsman just to check in on him from time to time. He has a few years on many of us in working with a no-till drill and food plots.

I'd bet if you'd send him a PM with a question he would provide some help.