Perennial Plot Questions

[RGrizzzz]

Cultipacking will help with seed to soil contact. Mowing will create duff to help retain moisture. You don't have to do those steps, but they help.

 

[omicron1792]

Just bumping this up. I can get out in that field now, so I’m thinking of doing something with it.


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Read the whole thread titled throw and mow. There are many ways to do it. But cultipacking universally increases germination. Cutting can also help with sunlight for young plants.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I’d let it be until late summer unless you want to use a grass selective herbicide or something now to have a better chance of getting seed to soil in the fall without killing everything. Oats for a nurse crop and a good perennial clover a chicory blend and you’re good to go. Rye over broadcasting is nice for a colder weather food source, to compete with weeds in spring/summer, and create thatch for your next throw n roll/mow.

 

[onlybrowning]

Ok, so if I have this right:

1. Spray whole field with Glyphosate
2. Broadcast seed (the next day? wait until rain is in forecast?)
3. Mow
4. Cultipack

Is that right? Thinking it makes sense to seed into the field while all the vegetation is standing up, so the seed makes it down to soil, but that is just a guess. I picture seeding after mowing resulting in lots of seed laying on top of cut vegetation.

Is it too late to do clover and oats like was suggested or should I do clover and something else, or even just clover at this point? I'd be open to broadcasting something into it in the late summer once this stand is established.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Tree Spud]

Ok, so if I have this right:

1. Spray whole field with Glyphosate
2. Broadcast seed (the next day? wait until rain is in forecast?)
3. Mow
4. Cultipack

Is that right? Thinking it makes sense to seed into the field while all the vegetation is standing up, so the seed makes it down to soil, but that is just a guess. I picture seeding after mowing resulting in lots of seed laying on top of cut vegetation.

Is it too late to do clover and oats like was suggested or should I do clover and something else, or even just clover at this point? I'd be open to broadcasting something into it in the late summer once this stand is established.

Thanks everyone!

I would mow then broadcast your seed. Don't wait for rain, if soil has any moisture in it the seed will attract it. Then cultipack to get seed soil contact. If you are spraying with gly, may be best to wait a week to insure it has moved into the plant.

 

[RGrizzzz]

Throw then mow ;) If you mow first, seed will sit on top of the mowed thatch.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Ok, so if I have this right:

1. Spray whole field with Glyphosate
2. Broadcast seed (the next day? wait until rain is in forecast?)
3. Mow
4. Cultipack

Is that right? Thinking it makes sense to seed into the field while all the vegetation is standing up, so the seed makes it down to soil, but that is just a guess. I picture seeding after mowing resulting in lots of seed laying on top of cut vegetation.

Is it too late to do clover and oats like was suggested or should I do clover and something else, or even just clover at this point? I'd be open to broadcasting something into it in the late summer once this stand is established.

Thanks everyone!

Sounds right to me.

The thing with spring planting is the young plants might not do well if summer drought hits. Spring planted oats will not be a good fall draw as they’ll be over mature but they could work well as more thatch to plant fall seeds into. However, fall planted clover isnt likely to have much for growth for a draw this year either but you can mix some cereal grains and brassicas to help with food for this fall and the clover should come on strong next spring.

Mix in some annual clovers if you want growth this year.

 

[Brokenbear]

All good ideas above but thinking outside the box just a bit ...clovers as a rule have a pretty good track record for about 3 years on the same ground but then rotating something else for the clover for a year or two seems to revitalize the soil making it ready for another 3 solid years of clover production ...in that vein we have kind of a strip planting process where we will have clover strips at various ages of 1 to 3years of age with strips of other greens in between ..yes it does place you in a situation of every spring doing something to various strip but it does help the soil a bunch ..
At the very least consider halving the fields to get clover rotation working for you ...like 50% in the middle and 25% on each side ..
The other very educational side of it is as you rotate various mixed (something that mimics the Green Cover Summer Release) greens or mono such as all Buckwheat ..you will learn ..providing you are observant ..what the deer most prefer ...Deer are funny critters in that what a herd goes nuts for food wise in Alabama an Ohio deer would not even walk across a CRP field to munch on the Alabama feast presented ..just a thought ..good planting!

Bear

 

[onlybrowning]

Thank you everyone. In my limited research, it seems too late for oats now. I like the idea of getting the clover going, and adding in some annual clover, then broadcasting something else in late summer. I am sure this has been asked a million times, but where should I go for seeds? I used a local ag seed guy years ago for something and it was ok, but it took some doing to get things in my hands. My only other experience is Whitetail Institute, and that has proven very expensive for two 5 acre fields planting clover. Thanks again.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I've had good luck ordering seed from Welter's.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Do some research on what varieties you want and search online for pricing and/or contact local seed vendors to see if they carry them. I've found I pay slightly more from a local vendor (agassiz seed) than some online prices but more than save the difference on shipping. Shipping on clover might not be so bad.

A blend of white (Alice would be a good start), an improved red like dynamite, and a good annual like berseem (if spring planting) or fixation balansa (if fall planting) makes sense to me. Throw some forage chicory in for good measure. I've seen posts on here saying specific improved chicory varieties are preferred by deer. Could probably save some money by just going VNS ladino clover and VNS Medium Red clovers for your perennials. I'd be the wrong person to say if it makes a difference but i tend to fall for the sales pitch of the improved varieties.

 

[bigboreblr]

Clover is such a good plant in a food plot, I put in it anything I plant anything. Even if you did something like cowpeas or buckwheat, I'd put some clover in.

I have done clover only plots before with just medium red and ladino. It has worked well for me. Medium red grows qucker.

Mixing some wheat and oats is a good fall companion for the clover. In the fall, the clover starts slowly, so the deer focus on the wheat and oats. The deer enjoy the oats until you get a roughly 15 deg F night, then the oats die. The wheat comes back in the spring to keep the deer off the clover somewhat. Rye should be used instead of wheat if land isn't great for food plots.

Seed and fertilizer aren't cheap. Get a soil test. Best 20 bucks you psend on your spot. I do a good soil test on a spot or two, then for a buck or two more per sample, they do a pH only test. I get that added for all my plots.

You could just mow the plot if it's just weeds. IF you need lime, throw some in now. If the spot doesn't have something growing, you don't mind rolling tires into it. Liming, leveling out bad spots, cutting treees around it, drainage channels, etc.....

 

[Tree Spud]

Throw then mow ;) If you mow first, seed will sit on top of the mowed thatch.

Not if the thatch is dry and you cultipack. Mowing can pick-up seed and redistribute unevenly.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Not if the thatch is dry and you cultipack. Mowing can pick-up seed and redistribute unevenly.

It may depend on what you are mowing with.


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[onlybrowning]

It may depend on what you are mowing with.


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I'd be using a 6 foot rotary mower.