First try at no-till planting

PRK

5 year old buck +
image.jpg image.jpg I had about 1 1/2 acres that had never been planted and was solid grass. I mowed last fall when the grass was chest high and left a solid layer of thatch. This year when the grass was a foot tall I killed it off. Dragged a weighted chain harrow to scuff up the surface, fertilized, broadcast WR, oats, and some leftover brassica from last year. I dragged again with the chain harrow and a piece of chain link fence to cover the seed and flatten the grass. Two weeks after seeding I'm getting some pretty good growth. The firs pic shows what I started with. The second shows growth through the thatch/ dead grass.
 

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Well done -- I would call that success. If the rye and oats are planted thick enough you should have good control of grass and weeds.
 
Thanks, I was really surprised how well it grew. I put down 3 bushels of WR and 100 lbs of oats. Do you think that's planted thick enough or should I broadcast some more?
 
It is really that easy, you are saving a lot of money in equipment and time. Looks like there is a lot of brassicas in there? It wouldn't be a bad idea to broadcast a couple pounds of some clover. No need to drag or culti pack. You won't see much of the clover until next year. It will find a way to grow, all these plants do one way or the other.
 
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You can also spread some cereal seed or whatever in those couple bare patches before the grass of some other unwanted fills in.
 
Thanks Dipper I'll do that. Those brassicas were left over from last year. I put them in the thickest area of thatch to see what would happen not expecting much but they took off.
 
Looks great! I appreciate the before and after pictures.

I'm curious, are the deer using it? Ignoring the brassica at present?
 
Yep, the deer are in there already. Last year I planted rye late and they kept it mowed down. Hoping to get more growth this year.
 
After you do this type of management a couple years, you'll gain confidence and not overdose on seed. One thing I do overdose on is cereal seed, but I do that when I conventionally plant anyway
 
I thought I would bring back this post and show what a summers growth did with my no till experiment. It's just a smorgasbord of oats, WR, PTT, radish, rape, rutabaga, and white clover. I think I'll be doing this again next year.
 

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Are those oats heads soft and are the deer using them?
 
Sandbur, The oat heads are soft and milky but the deer don't seem to be eating them. Someone told me the deer won't eat the oat heads? Any truth to that?
 
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