The Throw n’ Mow Method

[Crimson n' Camo]

What seeding rate would you recommend on this brassica mix for 1 1/2 acre plot? It will be broadcast into sprayed weeds/grass. The mix is turnips, radishes, and rape.

Also, would you mow, cultipack, or mow and cultipack? There is plenty of thatch to work with in this spot.

Thanks!

If you have a lot of standing thatch you will probably be better off to just broadcast your seed and skip mowing or cultipacking….Covering small seeded plants like clover or brassicas with a heavy layer of thatch is about the same as planting them too deep. They’ll just get smothered out. If you do want to mow it then raise your mower up and cut it tall. Mow it first and then broadcast the seed over the top

 

[Jerry]

Thanks. I would prefer not to cultipack as I have a bunch of volunteer beans in this plot from last year's bean field. They are round up ready beans and have responded well to the spraying. I really just want to broadcast the brassicas into them and leave it be. The beans won't canopy over as they are not that thick. And they have been browsed on pretty hard. My biggest issue is that I have a few spots of mature marestail that has settled into the plot.

 

[archer8030]

If you have a lot of standing thatch you will probably be better off to just broadcast your seed and skip mowing or cultipacking….Covering small seeded plants like clover or brassicas with a heavy layer of thatch is about the same as planting them too deep. They’ll just get smothered out. If you do want to mow it then raise your mower up and cut it tall. Mow it first and then broadcast the seed over the top

New guy here with a new guy question. I am in the process of creating my first no-till/no-plow food plot. I don't have access to equipment outside of a backpack sprayer, push lawnmower, rakes and an over the shoulder seed spreader. I have started work on a small honey hole food plot (roughly 10' x 225'... on an old logging road). So far, I have burned down the existing growth with Glyphosate and I've mowed the area (see attached pictures). I am going to be adding a soil amendment (PlotStart) soon but my question is what to do with the existing layer of thatch (roughly 1/4" to 1/2" thick, not matted). I've read articles and watched videos that say to leave the thatch and I've read articles and watched videos that say to clear the thatch before adding soil amendment and seeding.

For reference, I am in SC. I plan to plant my seed blend (Whitetail Institute Imperial No-Plow) in mid-September. Also, those pictures were taken early in the morning (sun not overhead yet) and it was immediately after mowing so the thatch layer is considerably thinner now than it looks to be in the pictures.

This is my first try at this and I want to get it right so any suggestions/guidance you are willing to share would be greatly appreciate.

 

[PatinPA]

New guy here with a new guy question. I am in the process of creating my first no-till/no-plow food plot. I don't have access to equipment outside of a backpack sprayer, push lawnmower, rakes and an over the shoulder seed spreader. I have started work on a small honey hole food plot (roughly 10' x 225'... on an old logging road). So far, I have burned down the existing growth with Glyphosate and I've mowed the area (see attached pictures). I am going to be adding a soil amendment (PlotStart) soon but my question is what to do with the existing layer of thatch (roughly 1/4" to 1/2" thick, not matted). I've read articles and watched videos that say to leave the thatch and I've read articles and watched videos that say to clear the thatch before adding soil amendment and seeding.

For reference, I am in SC. I plan to plant my seed blend (Whitetail Institute Imperial No-Plow) in mid-September. Also, those pictures were taken early in the morning (sun not overhead yet) and it was immediately after mowing so the thatch layer is considerably thinner now than it looks to be in the pictures.

This is my first try at this and I want to get it right so any suggestions/guidance you are willing to share would be greatly appreciate.

What are you trying to grow on it? If it's your first year doing it I'd go with some clover and cereal rye. Rye will grow about anywhere. I threw some down on a skidder road last year without doing anything to the soil and it grew.

 

[archer8030]

What are you trying to grow on it? If it's your first year doing it I'd go with some clover and cereal rye. Rye will grow about anywhere. I threw some down on a skidder road last year without doing anything to the soil and it grew.

I chose Imperial No-Plow because it is a blend of clover, cereal grains, radish and a specific brassica that are designed to be used in areas with minimal site prep.

 

[omicron1792]

I chose Imperial No-Plow because it is a blend of clover, cereal grains, radish and a specific brassica that are designed to be used in areas with minimal site prep.

Be careful with big box blends.

If you could just throw down seed on bare soil and get great diverse growth everyone would do it.

Purpose of this thread is to show how to grow things that will grow on bare soil to build that soil over time so you can grow a diverse mix with minimal equipment.

 

[archer8030]

Be careful with big box blends.

If you could just throw down seed on bare soil and get great diverse growth everyone would do it.

Purpose of this thread is to show how to grow things that will grow on bare soil to build that soil over time so you can grow a diverse mix with minimal equipment.

I get that. That's why I originally didn't mention the specific product I plan on using because I knew that would become the topic of conversation as opposed to receiving any answers to my actual questions. Trust me, if I thought it was as easy as throwing down some seed on bare soil and it would create a lush green food plot, I wouldn't be here looking to gain knowledge from the folks on this site. If, in the end, the product I have chosen doesn't work, I'll back up and punt and try something else. Thank you, though.

 

[PatinPA]

I get that. That's why I originally didn't mention the specific product I plan on using because I knew that would become the topic of conversation as opposed to receiving any answers to my actual questions. Trust me, if I thought it was as easy as throwing down some seed on bare soil and it would create a lush green food plot, I wouldn't be here looking to gain knowledge from the folks on this site. If, in the end, the product I have chosen doesn't work, I'll back up and punt and try something else. Thank you, though.

I just wanted to know what you were planting, to let you know kind of what to expect. I'm in a similar situation as you only farther north. I have 3 small plots, 2 of which are in the woods. Last year I experimented with some different combinations in each plot. The cereal grain with clover performed by far the best. I've had a tough time growing brassicas of any size so far. This year I planted them a month early but since then we've had very little rain. I think you'll be fine with that mix. The brassicas might have a tough time being partially shaded. The cereal grains and clover should work out just fine.

 

[archer8030]

I just wanted to know what you were planting, to let you know kind of what to expect. I'm in a similar situation as you only farther north. I have 3 small plots, 2 of which are in the woods. Last year I experimented with some different combinations in each plot. The cereal grain with clover performed by far the best. I've had a tough time growing brassicas of any size so far. This year I planted them a month early but since then we've had very little rain. I think you'll be fine with that mix. The brassicas might have a tough time being partially shaded. The cereal grains and clover should work out just fine.

Oh trust me, I have VERY low expectations with this project. Lol! I went into this first time venture with the "hope for the best but plan for the worst" mindset so any successful growth will make it worth it for me. In the end, I know this first year won't be as successful as the following years so it's really more of a controlled experiment at this point. I'm sure I'll learn from this and continue to improve this plot and when that happens, I'll take that knowledge and create more of these small plots on our property.

We've had good results planting brassicas in larger "destination food plots" on our property and the deer really hammer them in the winter (typically, first hard frost isn't until mid-to-late November. sometimes later) so that's why I wanted to see how they'll do in a smaller plot like this. Obviously rain is the deciding factor but mid-September seems to be the right time for planting brassica where we are here in SC.

That area gets a lot more sun than the picture shows. Like I said, that picture was taken early in the morning so the sun hadn't had a chance to get overhead yet. The south and west sides of that plot are a lot more open than the east and north sides but it's hard to tell that from those pictures.

 

[BenAllgood]

New guy here with a new guy question. I am in the process of creating my first no-till/no-plow food plot. I don't have access to equipment outside of a backpack sprayer, push lawnmower, rakes and an over the shoulder seed spreader. I have started work on a small honey hole food plot (roughly 10' x 225'... on an old logging road). So far, I have burned down the existing growth with Glyphosate and I've mowed the area (see attached pictures). I am going to be adding a soil amendment (PlotStart) soon but my question is what to do with the existing layer of thatch (roughly 1/4" to 1/2" thick, not matted). I've read articles and watched videos that say to leave the thatch and I've read articles and watched videos that say to clear the thatch before adding soil amendment and seeding.

For reference, I am in SC. I plan to plant my seed blend (Whitetail Institute Imperial No-Plow) in mid-September. Also, those pictures were taken early in the morning (sun not overhead yet) and it was immediately after mowing so the thatch layer is considerably thinner now than it looks to be in the pictures.

This is my first try at this and I want to get it right so any suggestions/guidance you are willing to share would be greatly appreciate.

If those leaves aren't there and you have pretty much bare dirt, I'd wait until a good rain, and broadcast the seed right before or better yet, during the rain. If you're sure of adequate sunlight, I'd make sure to keep those leaves off of it once they start falling good. They can smother the new growth. If it doesn't have a good amount of bare soil showing, scalp it with your push mower at it's lowest setting and close off the side discharge.

 

[PatinPA]

Oh trust me, I have VERY low expectations with this project. Lol! I went into this first time venture with the "hope for the best but plan for the worst" mindset so any successful growth will make it worth it for me. In the end, I know this first year won't be as successful as the following years so it's really more of a controlled experiment at this point. I'm sure I'll learn from this and continue to improve this plot and when that happens, I'll take that knowledge and create more of these small plots on our property.

We've had good results planting brassicas in larger "destination food plots" on our property and the deer really hammer them in the winter (typically, first hard frost isn't until mid-to-late November. sometimes later) so that's why I wanted to see how they'll do in a smaller plot like this. Obviously rain is the deciding factor but mid-September seems to be the right time for planting brassica where we are here in SC.

That area gets a lot more sun than the picture shows. Like I said, that picture was taken early in the morning so the sun hadn't had a chance to get overhead yet. The south and west sides of that plot are a lot more open than the east and north sides but it's hard to tell that from those pictures.

Haha, ya I made and still make tons of mistakes. This thread has tons of good info in it. I suggest reading through it. I have a small portion of road that I plant on too. I typically broadcast the seed then weedwhack it and then spray it. I only put rye down here because it's really rocky with poor soil.

 

[Crimson n' Camo]

I think clover would likely be your best option if the area holds moisture fairly well......Probably need to check the pH

 

[archer8030]

I think clover would likely be your best option if the area holds moisture fairly well......Probably need to check the pH

pH is definitely low (<5). I already have a plan in motion to address that.

The area is bordered by a fairly substantial creek that never runs dry so it's a fairly low lying area. The lane itself is a high spot in that area so I won't have to worry about standing water in the food plot.

 

[Foggy47]

I have a small area that has been full of weeds for a few years now. At one time I had planted it......but let it go after a drought last summer.....and possibly prior to that....cant remember. It's only about 1/10 acre but it's in a good spot across from one of my blinds and adjacent to a swamp. Lots of nearby bedding too. The reason I neglected it was that it has a peculiar shape and its hard to "Farm" this piece without multiple passes. I had nuked the weeds in late summer.....and this piece is a good candidate for the ultimate "throw and mow".

So with rain probable in the next few days....I decided to throw down several lbs of rye and some red and white clovers I have on hand. Then I flail mowed the plot down to the "quick" and drove around a bit to pack the seeds with my UTV. Im hoping I can turn this area into a decent clover spot and will manage it as such. It's about 100 yards away from my shooting bench.....so from time to time I sight in a rifle here.....tho I dont shoot much on my land anymore.

Here is a before and after pic from Tuesday.

 

[Foggy47]

OH....and while I'm at it .....here are some pics of the nearby plots I have now. About 8 acres of this stuff. Pretty dry here....but these plots are THRIVING. Good feeling to defeat a drought. The plots shown were drilled in with my Tar River Saya.....and I am overwhelmed with how nice these plots are doing.

 

[bueller]

Eight acres of that buffet will stuff a lot of mouths

 

[SD51555]

It looks like a winner @Foggy47 ! Did you fertilize that, or is it living on biology now?

 

[Foggy47]

OH....and while I'm at it .....here are some pics of the nearby plots I have now. About 8 acres of this stuff. Pretty dry here....but these plots are THRIVING. Good feeling to defeat a drought. View attachment 45969View attachment 45970

It looks like a winner @Foggy47 ! Did you fertilize that, or is it living on biology now?

I did use a little fertilizer on about 3 acres of some of my "weaker" ground. I didn't want to lose the effort put into it thus far. I dont think the plots I show here were fertilized (but I really do not remember). I spent about $200 for fertilizer this year........and I doubt I will buy any next year. Tho.....I have about two acres that are pretty low PH and sandy......and a few more acres where lime would help it. I may buy I one more round of lime before I sell my lime spreader. Maybe next year.

I got deer all over the place this year. Fun.

 

[BrushyPines]

It was a bad year to be a summer plot in my area. The high from June to July ranged from 98 to 103 with no rain. Geez

 

[cjm580]

Looks good Mr Foggy. I’m gonna try T&M this year. I hope I can get it close to what you have. CJ