Starting a plot in thick grass.

[Walleyeguy13]

We have about a half acre field on our property up here in Northern Minnesota on which we would like to start a food plot. The field is covered in heavy grass with minimal broadleaf weeds. I really would rather not till it up. Wondering about prep recommendations assuming we will do a clover/winter rye mix broadcasting seed starting late September with a second layer of rye a few weeks later. Should we just start spraying glyphosate in the spring to kill it, or should we keep the grass mowed though the summer and plan to broadcast seed late summer shortly before our final mowing and then mow one last time to help get the seed down to soil and have that grass layer to hold in the moisture?

 

[Telemark]

You'll have to kill it, and you'll probably need to harrow it.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I would get a couple good sprayings on it next summer. Broadcast the seed into standing nuked grass and roll with a cultipacker or mow.

I wouldn’t wait til late sept in northern mn though. Labor Day sounds better. Your clover is going to be near invisible planted that late.

 

[Walleyeguy13]

I would get a couple good sprayings on it next summer. Broadcast the seed into standing nuked grass and roll with a cultipacker or mow.

I wouldn’t wait til late sept in northern mn though. Labor Day sounds better. Your clover is going to be near invisible planted that late.

Ah ... I meant to type "late August". Thanks for the reply! I know that I can't keep the clover out of our lawn at home, so I figured it's worth a shot on this half-acre. I really would hate to till it up and disturb that nice top soil.

 

[Kdog]

You could also spray it, burn it, and do a minimum till (I used a link drag harrow) then seed. This was on a +30 YO horse pasture.

K

Thread 'Dove Plot - Soon to be Food Plot'

May 4, 2025

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#...

• Kdog
• Replies: 58
• Forum: Foodplots

• 

 

[SwampCat]

I would bush hog in the spring as early as you can. Wait for new growth and spray. When you see a fair amount of more new growth, spray again. Keep that up until you plant. I believe your WR will do fine in untilled soil. The clover probably not so much. Just scratched up will help. First year plots, I do like to till if pissible

 

[bigboreblr]

Get soil test done?

 

[Walleyeguy13]

Get soil test done?

Probably will in the spring.

 

[davidhelmly]

Spray it a month or so before you’re going to plant and then spray again as close as possible to planting and then drill it, you will have a fine plot.

 

[rocksnstumps]

How level is the site? If any dips and potholes or unevenness that will bounce sprayers and planters around might want to consider a one time tillage just to level a new area. Doesn't mean you have to do it every year or ever again in the next 20 years but dealing with rough ground every year just to say tillage is bad is gonna be frustrating.

Same with herbicide. Do a couple sprayings up front spaced several weeks apart to get unwanted vegetation under control and can probably switch to a throw and mow after that if desired. New sites can take a bit more of an initial heavy hand but you can change up your approach in the future.

 

[TreeDaddy]

All things Bermuda grass are of the devil

bill

 

[gurgalunas]

I'd do annual crops for the first few years. The grass will come back from the seed bank each year for awhile, and you'll want to control it without killing a plot. In MO, I plant soybeans for a few years, spraying to control undesirables while growing the plot. Growing cereals and annual clovers works too. Or mixed brassicas. Spend the summer controlling weeds. Once the grass invasion slows, I can plant a perennial crop and have less headache.

 

[Walleyeguy13]

I'd do annual crops for the first few years. The grass will come back from the seed bank each year for awhile, and you'll want to control it without killing a plot. In MO, I plant soybeans for a few years, spraying to control undesirables while growing the plot. Growing cereals and annual clovers works too. Or mixed brassicas. Spend the summer controlling weeds. Once the grass invasion slows, I can plant a perennial crop and have less headache.

We are thinking winter rye with a clover mix? Trying to keep it simple to start.

 

[Telemark]

We are thinking winter rye with a clover mix? Trying to keep it simple to start.

I wouldn't go simple in the b ginning. I would do the most diverse mix you can get to germinate.

 

[Walleyeguy13]

How level is the site? If any dips and potholes or unevenness that will bounce sprayers and planters around might want to consider a one time tillage just to level a new area. Doesn't mean you have to do it every year or ever again in the next 20 years but dealing with rough ground every year just to say tillage is bad is gonna be frustrating.

Same with herbicide. Do a couple sprayings up front spaced several weeks apart to get unwanted vegetation under control and can probably switch to a throw and mow after that if desired. New sites can take a bit more of an initial heavy hand but you can change up your approach in the future.

Good point. Definitely not like a lawn... might have to evaluate that.

 

[Walleyeguy13]

I wouldn't go simple in the b ginning. I would do the most diverse mix you can get to germinate.

Interesting... can you elaborate?

 

[Telemark]

Interesting... can you elaborate?

The different plants will mine different types of nutrients. The different root structures wil help the soil structure. Adding legumes, especially annuals, will add much-needed nitrogen. Having a diverse mix will help ensure there is something the deer will eat.

 

[bigboreblr]

Could do 2 crops this year. Spray the stuff dead with gly late spring. Can even spra again 2-3 weeks later to kill germinated weed / grass seeds.

Do a summer crop with something non-grass that you an spray clethodim on. Buckwheat would be ideal. Not sure if clethodim does not kill buckwheat. IT seems poast aka sethexodim? can be used on buckwheat. Never sprayed cleth on buckwheat myself and never used poast. I used clethodim in my every 2-3 mowed lawn area out back in early september. Doing a frost seeding this winter, thought I'd make some wiggle room for the new clover. foxtail and perennial rye in there, probably some fescue too.

Used cleth several times, does well on grasses. ID what you have well. closeup pics. Leaf structure, seed heads, joints where leaves spread out from. Even a pic of roots might be helpful. Once I thought cleth would kill my grass like undesired plants. IT was sedge.

Getting a soil test done this fall could be real helpful if you need lime in your soil.

Even a spring application of rye after a spray would help you out in the fall.

An early oats n turnip crop or even better daikon radish is possible if done early enough.