The Throw n’ Mow Method

[Catscratch]

Ok, I have another question. By the way this forum is so helpful. Thanks guys for all the help. Here's my question: Earlier I uploaded two pics of two brand new fields of bare ground cleared from stands of cedar. If I let whatever weeds come up in the spring to be the original layer of thatch, what are the chances there will be enough material there to provide a sufficient thatch for the seeds I want to broadcast? Or will I need to bring in some hay and spread it after I broadcast? Hope my question makes sense. Thanks in advance for the help. By the way, I'm planting buckwheat.

Might do a soil test to see if what it's pH is. Lime might be the first thing you want to do (depending on the test results).
No way of knowing what's in the seedbank until pops up. I would probably hedge my bets and broadcast some wheat or winter rye right now or first thing in the spring once it's warmed up.

 

[Big Snow Man]

Catscratch is right if there was cedar there the pH is probably low so get the soil test done so you can get some lime down.

 

[EarthySpirit]

I thought of the idea of throwing down rye since it germinates in colder temps, so I can do that early spring. I have soil tests being conducted now, I'm sure I'll have to lime. Thanks guys!

 

[bueller]

I thought of the idea of throwing down rye since it germinates in colder temps, so I can do that early spring. I have soil tests being conducted now, I'm sure I'll have to lime. Thanks guys!

Patrick, add your location in your profile and you may get more localized info from others.

 

[EarthySpirit]

Did it! Thanks!

 

[EarthySpirit]

I can't see lots of the photos, how do you enable "third party hosting" to see these photos? thanks.

 

[Semisane]

There's nothing you can do to make those old photos from Photobucket show Patrick. They were posted at a time when Photobucket provided free 3rd. party hosting. Last year, Photobucket changed their system and instituted a fee of $399.00 a year for that service. I am one of many who had photos posted on a number of forums using the free service. When I declined to pay for that service all of those photos I'd posted over the years were replaced with the "PLEASE UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNT" banner (meaning please send us $399 if you want your pictures to show).

I'm now using Flickr which still provides free 3rd. party hosting. But no way am I going to try to find all of my old Photobucket posts and repost the pictures using Flickr.

 

[EarthySpirit]

This one was more like mow and grow, all volunteer buckwheat, and awp that reseeded, for some reason deer don't hammer awp here like i hear they do everywhere else, but i keep planting it hoping they start to like it.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk

What is AWP?

 

[EarthySpirit]

There's nothing you can do to make those old photos from Photobucket show Patrick. They were posted at a time when Photobucket provided free 3rd. party hosting. Last year, Photobucket changed their system and instituted a fee of $399.00 a year for that service. I am one of many who had photos posted on a number of forums using the free service. When I declined to pay for that service all of those photos I'd posted over the years were replaced with the "PLEASE UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNT" banner (meaning please send us $399 if you want your pictures to show).

Gotcha. thanks.

 

[Mahindra3016]

What is AWP?

Austrian winter peas.

 

[EarthySpirit]

Austrian winter peas.

Thanks!

 

[EarthySpirit]

Question: This is a field laying fallow for at least 4-5 years. You can see how thick. Should I burn this (with fire) in the spring, then let whatever is there grow up a bit, then apply gly before planting in spring (May - Buckwheat)? Or should I leave this thatch in place, and just gly in the spring when everything comes in? I'm thinking the former..... thanks

 

[SD51555]

Question: This is a field laying fallow for at least 4-5 years. You can see how thick. Should I burn this (with fire) in the spring, then let whatever is there grow up a bit, then apply gly before planting in spring (May - Buckwheat)? Or should I leave this thatch in place, and just gly in the spring when everything comes in? I'm thinking the former..... thanks
View attachment 16090

I'd let it green up in spring, hit it with glyphosate around soybean planting time, wait a couple weeks, then broadcast in whatever you want to plant and mow it down on top of your seed. With all that duff, I'd lean more towards broadleaves like clover, beans, peas, buckwheat, sunflowers, etc. Let the legumes help eat up that thatch for ya.

 

[EarthySpirit]

I'd let it green up in spring, hit it with glyphosate around soybean planting time, wait a couple weeks, then broadcast in whatever you want to plant and mow it down on top of your seed. With all that duff, I'd lean more towards broadleaves like clover, beans, peas, buckwheat, sunflowers, etc. Let the legumes help eat up that thatch for ya.

Ok, thanks SD. I was worried it may be too much thatch, but you don't think so, obviously. Thanks for tip.

 

[Drew]

What's up guys. Newbie to this website. Can someone give me a quick run-down on this "throw and mow" method? I have lots of room to put in food plots, but with tilling and ground prep, I'm limited to about an acre or so in one spot due to time constraints. I'd like to give the throw and mow method a try this fall to give the deer more to eat this winter and the following spring.

Do you guys just spray the area, wait a week or so, throw down seed and fertilizer, and then mow the withering vegetation you sprayed down on top of the seed? If so, that sounds pretty easy, and a good sized food plot shouldn't take very long to put in at all.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

What's up guys. Newbie to this website. Can someone give me a quick run-down on this "throw and mow" method? I have lots of room to put in food plots, but with tilling and ground prep, I'm limited to about an acre or so in one spot due to time constraints. I'd like to give the throw and mow method a try this fall to give the deer more to eat this winter and the following spring.

Do you guys just spray the area, wait a week or so, throw down seed and fertilizer, and then mow the withering vegetation you sprayed down on top of the seed? If so, that sounds pretty easy, and a good sized food plot shouldn't take very long to put in at all.

That's about the gist of it.

 

[Powder]

What's up guys. Newbie to this website. Can someone give me a quick run-down on this "throw and mow" method? I have lots of room to put in food plots, but with tilling and ground prep, I'm limited to about an acre or so in one spot due to time constraints. I'd like to give the throw and mow method a try this fall to give the deer more to eat this winter and the following spring.

Do you guys just spray the area, wait a week or so, throw down seed and fertilizer, and then mow the withering vegetation you sprayed down on top of the seed? If so, that sounds pretty easy, and a good sized food plot shouldn't take very long to put in at all.

Yep. I'd suggest a slightly higher seeding rate than normal and to make sure you get a good kill when you spray but otherwise you've got the right idea. If the kill from the initial spraying isn't sufficient you could spray again the same day you plant.

 

[Drew]

Yep. I'd suggest a slightly higher seeding rate than normal and to make sure you get a good kill when you spray but otherwise you've got the right idea. If the kill from the initial spraying isn't sufficient you could spray again the same day you plant.

I also own a cultipacker. Would it be worthwhile to run the cultipacker over the field after I mow down the withered vegetation to make sure all the seed actually gets down close to the ground? I'm thinking a mixture of winter rye and crimson clover grow ok being planted like this. Heck, that stuff sometimes sprouts in the back of my truck after a good rain when I've spilled seed while filling up my hand spreader.

 

[Catscratch]

I also own a cultipacker. Would it be worthwhile to run the cultipacker over the field after I mow down the withered vegetation to make sure all the seed actually gets down close to the ground? I'm thinking a mixture of winter rye and crimson clover grow ok being planted like this. Heck, that stuff sometimes sprouts in the back of my truck after a good rain when I've spilled seed while filling up my hand spreader.

I've ran a yard roller over TnM before and couldn't tell a difference in germination rate, but it certainly won't hurt.
Clover and rye work very well with this method! Timely rain is important. Without rain this method doesn't work. I base all my broadcasting in conjunction with the weather...

 

[chucker66]

I've ran a yard roller over TnM before and couldn't tell a difference in germination rate, but it certainly won't hurt.
Clover and rye work very well with this method! Timely rain is important. Without rain this method doesn't work. I base all my broadcasting in conjunction with the weather...

Exactly, try to time it with a good rain. That will do way more that any cultipacker, not that it won't hurt to run over it with one.
Chuck