No Till Food Plots

Has anyone no tilled a food plot into a food plot? I'm thinking of planting an early spring food plot then trying to no till some brassicas into the plot in early fall for a winter food source. The main reason for this being, I can access the area to work it up in early spring before the crops are put out. My thinking is that it will be easier to establish some turnips for winter if there is food plot started rather than spray weed killer and throw out seed. Once crops are planted I will not have access with a tractor. What are your thoughts?

 

Many people have done this with great success. What will be planted in the spring that you plan to broadcast the brassicas into?

 

I'm in a zero till operation. It has it's own challenges but I like it better and it's better for the soil. I wouldn't go back to tillage now for much of anything. I only use tillage on new breakout or if someone requests it.

 

I'm thinking of a clover mix. Not as much for food value because like I said there will be plenty of crops in spring and fall but the clover should add some nitrogen value to the soil for the turnips.

 

Be sure to innoculate the clover seed or it won't fixate that much N.

 

Good point! Do I have the right idea here?

 

Experimenting is part of the fun of plotting. The short answer is I don't know, I've never tried that specific example.

Red and white clover are a bit time consuming to get established and are very very competitive. I'm not sure how much luck you'll have planting brassicas into it after it's mostly established. I've sown both together with brassica as a nurse crop for the clover and that works okay but is a different situation. You may have to kill the clover out to establish the brassica and I'd say that's a rough and expensive forfeiture of clover.

 

What are some other options to plant in the spring that I could no till brassicas into?

 

Buckwheat, peas and even crimson clover

 

People overlook frost seeding. It is a wonderful way to get the seed in the ground and growing before weed and grass pressures kick in. Lower soil compaction issues and it's an economic alternative.

 

Actually that is exactly what we were thinking of doing is trying to frost seed it later this winter.

 

The key is what you will frost seed. If you want something to no-till brassicas into in fall, I think you'll have a tough time with perennial clovers.