Just went out today and raked up some leaves and burned some. Hoping to go down and clear out couple more trees and clean it up to get ready. Hoping to give it a little more time then spray for weeds and work it up a little. For planting I'm still not sure what to plant thinking maybe a clover mix of some kind and maybe some turnips or something similar to green up and then have something that will last into later in d season. Not sure if I'll use some kind of bag mix like biologic type stuff of go to feed store and get different seeds for mix. Can't really tell much of a difference from earlier pics but need to get a little better rake and go in and rake it up again. I've checked the ph with a cheap little tester thay ended up breaking after sticking in ground twice and it was reading right around 6-6.5. Need to find a better one to buy and go from there.
My only worry is once them trees canopy out in early summer and how much sun they block. Hard to say really though looking at the pictures. But you know that going into this. Lots of options on what to plant and when. One idea would be plant that hot spot mix this spring and see how it does and maybe re do the plot for a early August brassica/rye/radish planting. I can go on and on about different options and I got a idea for a mix, but not going to muddy up your thread. Thanks for the update and keep them coming! I am Jealous you are out working on stuff when I am walking on top of a foot of snow still here...
Yea that's still one of the concerns I have too about the sunlight. Don't think anything will do much good without any light getting through. I've thought about taking out the three trees in the middle of the pic to open it up some more. The conopy really isn't that thick but its enough to make it kinda iffy. Still haven't decided what I'm wanting to try and plant, have neen thinking about doin like you said and plant something now in spring to see how it does and then replant and change what need to for the fall. Still got a little bit to do with it before worry too much bout it but its definitely something wanting to try out. I'm open to any suggestions really with this being first time trying this. And yes its definitely nice having the weather to be able to get out and do some stuff. This winter has been long enough and sucks some of you guys are still dealing with it. Thanks
Well not sure if its right or wrong but figured I'd go pick up some seed today and get it planted to see how it goes. There's wasn't many options at store went to so I found a damaged bad of biologic maximum mix for pretty cheap. Everything else they had was for fall and late season planting. Talked to the guys there though and they said should be getting a lot more in within next couple of weeks. Also picked up some round-up to spray weeds. Plan is to go out and spray area and clear a little more to make sure get some sunlight in. Then till a little bit and plant. The bag I got was only a small bag for 1/4 acre so figured with it being ripped open and probably missing some I'd plant smaller area that gets most sunlight amd give it some time to see if it takes off. If it does and does decent job I'm gonna try and narrow down what exactly I'm gonna plant and start process over. With this all being trial and error to see if I'm gonna go bigger with plot I'm just trying things out right now. If the area seems to do good I'll probably go to feed store for some better seed and the fertilizer if needed hopefully this fall will produce something.
If it was me I would plant that Hot Spot mix when you see farmers out planting their fields/when weather allows this spring. Then see how it does and kill it off for a mid summer brassica planting(radishes in the mix for sure). I can go more into detail on anything if you want. I am just spitting general stuff out. My other fear or planting around trees is come end of summer and it gets hot and dry out, they suck all the moisture and nutrients out of the ground. I seen plots along tree lines where you could tell how far the roots reach out a plot with a pine tree right on the edge. But you are on the right track on getting started for sure. (not to side track this post too much, but Antler King has a Mega Food plot starter pack box for $20. Comes with 500sq foot/~20 feet x 20 feet ish worth of all our seed mixes in separate little sample packs,6 Ph Soil test kits,How To Dvd and 2 spray products.)
Yes definitely hoping the trees don't take away a whole lot from whatever I plant bit I'm thinking its something that may be unavoidable. The only upside is that the area this is in is somewhat of brushy area and the trees don't really have a very established root system. I'm sure its more than a person would think but most of the tree aren't all that big and from the ones that are there blow over fairly easy and don't have much of a root ball. Again I'm sure they take out more than you think but its not really that much of a established wooded area. Its funny tou mentioned the antler king set, while I was there I was actually goin back and fourth between what I got and couple different antler king mixes. I actually planned on getting one of them for the final planting for later on in summer, like June or July. Think the one said works good if plated 45 days before expected use time. I'll haveta check out that box though. Thanks for the continued help.
Hard to say how the trees will affect the plot or not. But cant say till you try to plant something . If you are choosing Antler King as a buck on bag mix I would recommend is Slam Dunk. That consists of a 1/4 acre of some radishes/rape/buckwheat/peas and I would plant that late July early August. That mix has it all from early to late season food. Basically packing as much food into a small plot as you can is the idea. If I had to recommend another mix for fall it would be Honey Hole(5 different kinds of brassicas/turnips) but keep in mind that is a half acre mix. Not sure how big your area is. I would plug your address into the dealer locator and see what stores locally carry the products and you would save a little $ on shipping. I know some Walmarts starting carrying some stuff too last year.
I'm pretty sure it was that honey hole mix I was looking at. Honestly I don't know, too many options ha.
yep Honey Hole is a great mix with 2 kinds of turnips and 3 varieties of rape. Just remember to seed any brassica mix down lightly. More seed is better mentality is not good for your plot. But I agree,tons of options and alot of different ways of planting.
Went out yesterday and raked up the leaves and remainder or little twigs around. Also sprayed the area with some round up to stunt the weeds a little. Should hopefully go in next weekend and try to plat some. After looking around some I'm thinking jake_'s concern about the lack of sunlight getting to area may be a pretty valid concern. There's gonna be some but may not be enough thats needed. For now think I'm gonna plant what I have amd see how it does and if needed I'll clear the trees in the middle of area to open up the canopy. Then hopefully put something back in that will help be good for fall and into late season.
Just a thought and others might be able to comment better than I could but to me that stand in the picture sticks out like a sore thumb. I've always been a person to get up in between 2 or 3 trees. I know that's not what this thread is about but we are all hear to help eachother Atleast from my past experiences and doing things wrong plenty of times I've learned setting up stands like that I would get pegged even if I never moved. Others please comment, i'd like your thoughts
Ha I'm with ya there actually. It was there last year and by the time late season rolled around I got picked off a couple times. Actually shot a doe out of if and coulda of shot a couple more. But like said by the time leave were gone I was getting picked off. It'll probably be getting moved or something before Oct.
If anything, I would move the stand to the other side of the tree that way you will be between both of the trees. Then you can use a nice little bow hook and have your bow hanging on the tree in front of you. *October needs to hurry up and get here! I wanna go sit in a tree already haha
Yea I debated for awhile last summer before hanging it in the tree I did thinking I would stick out like you said. I really try to look for a good place with natural cover because I know I don't sit still as much as I should. Finally I just decided to try it from one year and kind of see what type of activity and how the deer reacted last fall. Over all it was pretty good spot but it could definitely be improved some way. Yea I'm ready to be sitting in a tree myself.
Went out today to pull cards on cams and ended up checking how this experiment is goin. I ended up having some left over seed so I broadcast it out into the corner of the clover field that about 50 yards away. We've got some rain leading up to today but nothing really that amounted to much. There was a little bit here and there that started to come up but nothing significant. After todays good shower though hopefully it will kick start some growing. Really not sure if I put put too much or not enough seed so again haveta wait and see. If anything I'm thinking what go thrown out on the field will have best chance. If it takes hold the it should last into the season if it makes it through a cutting for hay. Overall nothing really to show so didn't snap any pics but I'll be checking it again in about two weeks so hoping have something.
Starting to get some growth. Doin a little better then what I anticipated, it is kind of spotty but not all that bad overall for the spot I didn't think. The other area I planted that is out In open field is also coming up some but its hard to tell how good. Just used it as a place to compare. Here's the spot out in the open and like I said its hard to see anything growing but its there ha. I'm not real sure what the biologic is supposed to look like but I'm pretty positive its mostly weeds and not anything I put out. You can see it coming up though if you get real close, which doesn't show in pic.
Looks like its coming in pretty good. Did you fertilize when you through seed down? Or just through the seed down by itself? Either way its doing pretty good.
