The Throw n’ Mow Method

[S.T.Fanatic]

^^

 

[Rit]

Looking good Gunther!.....Be sure to get some fert on it. It may just be the light but the plants look a little yellow. The thatch is going to suck up nitrogen from the soil.

I was just reading back through this. So the thatch will suck up nitrogen? I thought the thatch would breakdown and release nutrients back into the soil.

 

[Crimson n' Camo]

I was just reading back through this. So the thatch will suck up nitrogen? I thought the thatch would breakdown and release nutrients back into the soil.

It will eventually. The stuff that you add now will tie up nitrogen in the short term and then make it available in an organic form over the long term. It’s a cycle that once you have going will have old OM and new OM all at the same time. The decomposition process needs some nitrogen to fuel the process. It’s the role of legumes in a natural system. You’ll likely have to use some synthetics in the beginning though…..

 

[Bowman]

I am finding out that going natural is quite a process. This might help: http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16
Urea is 46-0-0.
I used ammonium sulfate because the soil test show that I am low in sulfur.

 

[Rit]

Well all that rain we were supposed to get was a bust. We had 1 decent rain after I put a 100lbs of Oats on the ground. August 15th can't get here soon enough I am ready to get this fall plot going.

A few post up I put a photo of a 9 acre hay field. It's is alfalfa, some Timothy, a few other grasses, and some weeds. There is golden rod, thistle, rag weed and a few others. The field is a rectangle shape and has 2 roads on the outside and bordered by bedding areas on the other 2.

I want to establish 3 rows of screen shrubs/trees on the outside near the roads then 6-7 acres of switchgrass. I also want to leave aproximetly 2 acres of area for an L shaped food plot. Last cut will be near the end of August and my plan was to immediately spray and kill the entire field to start prep for frost seeding CIR in February. Because it will be short stubble with some soil showing does anyone think I can get away with broadcasting WR/Oats/Turnips/clover into the plot? I can cultipack it after if the soil isn't too hard.

 

[Rit]

I am finding out that going natural is quite a process. This might help: http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/SAG-16
Urea is 46-0-0.
I used ammonium sulfate because the soil test show that I am low in sulfur.

I use AMS evertime I spray due to hard water. Still waiting on soil test results for this falls amendments. I know I have very low nutrients so I did hit one plot with 6/24/24.

 

[Catscratch]

Couldn't mow this yr and don't have a suitable roller. So I used the bucket on a skid steer to lay over thatch.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[Bill]

Because it will be short stubble with some soil showing does anyone think I can get away with broadcasting WR/Oats/Turnips/clover into the plot? I can cultipack it after if the soil isn't too hard.

That will work for the L shaped food plot. Cultipacker is option IMO. I wouldn't plant anything where you want the switchgrass.

 

[Bowman]

"I was just reading back through this. So the thatch will suck up nitrogen? I thought the thatch would breakdown and release nutrients back into the soil."

Hey Rit, from Ed Spinnazola's book, related to what Crimson n' Camo said above:
"When plants are decomposing, the microbes doing this work need nitrogen to build and maintain their bodies. This means that when seeding a field with medium to excessive plant residue (such as old corn stalks), nitrogen will need to be applied to temporarily feed the microbes, even if legumes are planted. If no nitrogen is added (25 to 50 pounds per acre) the microbes will rob it from the soil, leaving the new plant seedlings stressed. For example, when seeding a new food plot of legumes, I will make the first fertilizer application with 200 pounds of 19-19-19. Having an adequate amount of organic matter of 3 to 4 percent in your soil adds an important ingredient to that symphony of balance."

Hope that this helps. I am starting with low PH and low organic material, <3 percent. Onward.

 

[Rit]

"I was just reading back through this. So the thatch will suck up nitrogen? I thought the thatch would breakdown and release nutrients back into the soil."

Hey Rit, from Ed Spinnazola's book, related to what Crimson n' Camo said above:
"When plants are decomposing, the microbes doing this work need nitrogen to build and maintain their bodies. This means that when seeding a field with medium to excessive plant residue (such as old corn stalks), nitrogen will need to be applied to temporarily feed the microbes, even if legumes are planted. If no nitrogen is added (25 to 50 pounds per acre) the microbes will rob it from the soil, leaving the new plant seedlings stressed. For example, when seeding a new food plot of legumes, I will make the first fertilizer application with 200 pounds of 19-19-19. Having an adequate amount of organic matter of 3 to 4 percent in your soil adds an important ingredient to that symphony of balance."

Hope that this helps. I am starting with low PH and low organic material, <3 percent. Onward.

Perfect thanks. All a learning curve for me I was a city kid who 5 years ago bought a 40 acre tract and became infatuated with habitat.

I too have a lot of work with my soil. My PH per the last soil test was 7.3 if I recall. Not sure the overall affect of high PH just yet. I have limestone in the soil. I hope to fix the low nutrients through ammendments for now but really hope to cut back and improve the overall health. I don't expect too much these first couple of years but will hope for the best. I will see if I can locate the last soil sample results and post it up.

 

[Rit]

Has anyone tried something like a John Deere 71 row planter with coulters to plant beans or peas into standing WR? Seems like an affordable alternative to a drill.

 

[Big Snow Man]

Has anyone tried something like a John Deere 71 row planter with coulters to plant beans or peas into standing WR? Seems like an affordable alternative to a drill.

That will work but the rows would be farther apart and probably planting two to three rows at a time would take a lot longer.

 

[nrowles]

I have read through this entire thread and watched some videos. I am somewhat overwhelmed as this has completely changed my thinking from what I have been planning for the past 2 years. I am new to all of this and have some general questions. At this time my soil is bad from all angles....ph, nutrients, OM. I will be applying lime and fertilizer as needed while building soil quality. I just recently had 3 areas cleared with a dozer so the ground is completely disturbed. .1, .4 and 1.5 acre areas.

I have the following equipment. Small farm tractor with loader bucket, bush hog, cultipacker, pull disc, pull seed spreader and pull sprayer with 14' boom spray width.

Here are my questions:

1. The benefits of no till seem amazing. Why is this not used by everybody? Is it harder to do? Lower germination rate?

2. How does the cost of no till compare to conventional methods?

3. Is there any benefit to either rolling or mowing? It seems like some roll while some mow.

4. How are you guys broadcasting/spraying high vegetation? By hand spreader? I saw earlier where someone uses their loader to raise the sprayer which I can do, but I can't do that with my pull behind broadcast spreader. Also, 3 pt spreaders wouldn't raise that high so I don't see how that could be any more beneficial.

5. Can a disc be used in any way that is beneficial? Even if only used lightly.

6. Where do you guys buy your seeds? Online? I have a local mill that would probably have every seed I need, but only at certain times because they are geared towards farmers. For example, their buckwheat just came in on Thursday. If I would have cleared the land a month ago I wouldn't have been able to seed buckwheat.

 

[Bowman]

I have purchased seed at my local co-op. I have also bought from this fellow is very knowledgeable, sells seed, can custom mix blends and has a newsletter. He also does soil samples and plant samples. https://www.grandparayoutdoors.com/find-a-dealer

I will be waiting for other responses to you questions.

 

[MojoRisin]

I am waiting on answers to this question in particular:

3. Is there any benefit to either rolling or mowing? It seems like some roll while some mow.

 

[Rit]

I am waiting on answers to this question in particular:

3. Is there any benefit to either rolling or mowing? It seems like some roll while some mow.

I think it comes down to equipment guys are using what they have. We are all dealing with different situations, soils, and all at different progressions in the no-till journey.

The thing to take away from this is that it isn't an overnight success story and you will have to tailor your throw/mow/roll plot to what works best for you. I am just beginning this process and I will tinker until I find what works the best for me. It may even vary from plot to plot and crop to crop.

 

[Rit]

This soil sample is from a spot about 80 yards away from my actual plot. I think the OM is misleading because this spot was in the woods. Look at that PH.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

This soil sample is from a spot about 80 yards away from my actual plot. I think the OM is misleading because this spot was in the woods. Look at that PH.

I did a sample on a plot for the first time this spring. It is a relatively new plot that has never had lime applied to it. It was cow pasture since settlement. The PH is/was 7.6. What are some downfalls to having a PH this high?

 

[Barndog56]

Buckwheat and sunflowers coming up already. Peas that aren't covered in thatch have sent down a root radicle. Weather has been just about perfect since broadcasting.

 

[Rit]

We didn't get any of the rain we were supposed to get so I have zero germination on the Oats. However growing this falls biomass nonetheless. About 8 weeks out from planting the fall plot.