Fall Plot on a new field

roymunson

5 year old buck +
I want to do a soil builder this fall on a new field that eventually we're gonna cut up and be creative with, but for this year, I want to build soil and observe natural deer movement.

This has been an unloved crop field for the lat 10+ years. No one tiled it and most of the renting was on a yearly basis, so no one got too wild about rotating it how they should have, they chased cash from year to year. It's a 7.5 acre field. I have bedding situated around it, so this is dedicated for food. If I can kill a doe or 2 this fall, that'd be great, but primarily, I want to observe and report on this field.

Would like to plant some driller radishes and probably a cereal grain mix. But wondered what you guys would use as a soil builder that'll still put some deer in the plot.

Obviously I know how to plant the candy plots, but this one is to help the soil and get it to where I can put in enough "candy" plots to draw deer when I really want them.

I now have a no till drill w/ a small seed and large seed box. Just looking for some ideas and to stir my juices and get my mind humming.
 
What do you want to do next year? That would influence what I do this fall.

If it's been beaten into the ground, I might look to play defense for a year in case the science weeds from the ninth circle of hell come roaring in.
 
The best soil builders are plants that produce lots of organic matter, both above and below ground. Stuff like sorghum Sudan grass, pearl millet, winter rye, red clover, buckwheat, sunflowers, common vetch, oats, Daikon radish. They all have different shape root systems and bring up and accumulate a different mix of minerals, so planting a very diverse mix is beneficial.

And I probably won't get much agreement here, but I would completely ignore whatever weeds come up in your new plots. Mother nature grows her cover crops in an attempt to fix whatever is broken in your soil. Let her fix it.
 
I'm thinking towards Daikon radishes and some rye/wheat or some sort of cereal grain. Good enough attractant, but would definitely be something that'd help build soil until I can get something with a picky PH in there.
 
If you are planning on a early October bow stand there is nothing I've found more attractive than late planted sunflowers. With that being said they have a deep taproot (not sure how deep a late planted root will have but...) The root structure of sunflowers is very attractive to the beneficial soil critters.

Another great plant for soil building that gets criticism on here is rye grass. The roots of annual rye grass will be over 20" deep into the soil even though the top growth might only be a few inches.

Diversity is key and I would be sure to plant harry vetch, crimson clover, ethiopian cabbage, tillage radish, and a winter cereal. Do some homework when it comes to seeding rates. When seeding a diverse mix it's easy to over seed. Mix in a candy crop like sunflower and winter peas (both beneficial covers) and you will be good to go.

A local co-op should have a diverse mix of some sort bagged up that will do exactly what you are looking to do at a lower price of paying small bag or mixing fees.
 
I'm thinking towards Daikon radishes and some rye/wheat or some sort of cereal grain. Good enough attractant, but would definitely be something that'd help build soil until I can get something with a picky PH in there.

Plant part of it in groundhog radishes and the other in winter rye. I hear you have a really nice No Till Drill that will plant both!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Plant part of it in groundhog radishes and the other in winter rye. I hear you have a really nice No Till Drill that will plant both!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm almost more excited about that than I am about hunting it
 
I'm thinking towards Daikon radishes and some rye/wheat or some sort of cereal grain. Good enough attractant, but would definitely be something that'd help build soil until I can get something with a picky PH in there.

throw in some hairy vetch and you have it all covered.......

bill
 
I'm thinking towards Daikon radishes and some rye/wheat or some sort of cereal grain. Good enough attractant, but would definitely be something that'd help build soil until I can get something with a picky PH in there.

throw in some hairy vetch and you have it all covered.......

bill

Do your deer like H. Vetch? I am thinking of adding some this fall.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
never tried HV. Don't know much about it. Probably time to fire up the old google machine and learn something
 
Do your deer like H. Vetch? I am thinking of adding some this fall.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Deer will eat it some but I use it more for the N. I plant it with my cereal grains and the next year the plot will be brassicas.
 
^^^^^^^^^ this

I have a "project plot" that I'm working on with WR and Daikon radish

bill
 
roymunson - Curious what NTD did you end up with?
 
roymunson - Curious what NTD did you end up with?

Great Plains 3 point 6 footer
2 boxes, 1 large and 1 small seed.

Haven't used it yet, but i'm fixing to have myself a day come middle of august.
 
Great Plains 3 point 6 footer
2 boxes, 1 large and 1 small seed.

Haven't used it yet, but i'm fixing to have myself a day come middle of august.

Haha I'll bet! I priced the 3P500 and it was still in the "wow" category dollar wise. I think I might just find an old grain drill for around $3k.
 
Haha I'll bet! I priced the 3P500 and it was still in the "wow" category dollar wise. I think I might just find an old grain drill for around $3k.
Probably true, but I don't think I'll have to buy another drill until my kids are out of college. And I don't have to spend a bunch of money on discs/plows/etc
 
Probably true, but I don't think I'll have to buy another drill until my kids are out of college. And I don't have to spend a bunch of money on discs/plows/etc
That’s great logic on buying the Cadillac drill! My logic was similar... Buy that drill and the kids don’t get to go to college. Lol. I kid. I kid.
 
That’s great logic on buying the Cadillac drill! My logic was similar... Buy that drill and the kids don’t get to go to college. Lol. I kid. I kid.
if we're being honest, odds are at least 1 of them is not college material. Maybe he could be a politician.


HEY OH!!!
 
Somewhat joking here but..... My kids are or will be going to college in state, will be paying every last cent of it themselves, and will receive some financial aid because of the condition of my bank accounts. So thank you to all the high earners out there. With that being said if we weren't taxed to death in this state many peoples situations could be a lot different. One example being, I went to Cabelas in Wisconsin yesterday bought $140 worth of Rapalas and was taxed 5.5% had I went down the road in Minnesota to buy them I would have been taxed 8.125%. It doesn't seem like much but it sure adds up over the course of a year. There are many people in my area that do the same thing. Where we live it is almost exactly the same distance to La Crosse as it is to Rochester. LaCrosse 5.5% Rochester 8.125% sales tax.
 
Top