Ok Guys... I have a perfect place for a little "Sweet Spot" Apx... 1/3rd of an Acre... I need to know everything... including what to do and when to start... I have access to most all equipment that would be needed... tiller, disc, bush hog, spreader... etc.. I just need to know what to do and when to do it... I live in Southwest VA and our season starts at the beginning of October. I really wasn't into soil sampling, but if you guys insist, I could probably pick up one of the kits at Lowes. The area is covered to Grass and heavily Broomsaged, which I know will require lime... One huge thorn bush and some small white pines -2" diameter. So here are some questions I would like to learn answers to off the top of my head... -When do I need to clear the area? -What should be involved in this? Mowing, Spraying, or just mowing and tilling? -How much lime and fertilizer need to go on this much area? When does it need to go down? -What should I plant? I want something highly attractive over "nutritional" for obvious plot size reasons. -And how should the planting be done... Basically, I'm completely dumbfounded by foodplots, but if someone would care to take the time to give me a complete breakdown for my specific plot desires... I would Greatly Appreciate it. Thanks ahead guys... I will get some pics along the way. Here's an areal image from 2007, the yellow is my stand, Look at all the trails running through there, 100% deer trails, amazing how that shows up from a satellite... Let me also say... this place is thick on the sides, they bed in the pines you can see on the neighboring property.
My first question is that the only spot you can put it? Do you have access to that whole field? The biggest issue I see is that we normally get a W or SW wind which blows right into that bedding. If you can make the plot up in the NW corner of that field you could set two stand for different winds, plus there is a big X right in the middle of the area im talking about.
I think that Rutin was spot on and he had some good advise, but as far as what to plant i think some clover or alfalfa would be really good and they stay for 3-6 years. Just try to get your ph between 6.5 and 7 to have a good palatable clover.
This is really the only place I can put it, due to stand location.... There's nothing to hang a stand... It's in a pine as it is... It's really a good crossing through there, sometimes they go around, sometimes they don't show at all, it's hunting of course, I'm just looking for something to concentrate them here, I know they are there... somewhere....
When do I need to clear the area? Depends on what you are planting, start cutting now and either burn or use roundup to kill everything! What should be involved in this? Mowing, Spraying, or just mowing and tilling?-Mow, Spray, and then mow again, then till under is usually what I do. How much lime and fertilizer need to go on this much area? When does it need to go down?-This is all based off your soil sample. You need a baseline to let you know what kind of soil you have. Get a soil kit if you want to be dead accurrate and they will tell you the tonnage of fert/lime per acre. What should I plant? I want something highly attractive over "nutritional" for obvious plot size reasons. - Depends what kind of crop is around you... Plant clover bc it is hardy and grows well for 3-6 years with care, or plant some standing beans in the mix to make a green on green plot, so something is always green and then when its late winter they will hammer the beans And how should the planting be done... Broadcast clover, you can do the same for beans but if you can get s a farmer to make a few swipes with a planter then that would be best. Beans need to be an inch deep and no more than 2.5 inches deep If you could of moved the plot more north it looks like there is alot more trees and the wind would better suit you by far! The problem your going to have with this plot is your going to need East winds with that one stand. If you go north you can pretty much cover every wind. Good luck man
1/3 acre of beans would be an enormous waste of time and money. W that small of a plot you need to stick w something simple, like oats, clover or something similar. First thing I'd do is send off soil sample. Then I'd mow it to clear the area and spray to kill it off. Then id lime ASAP when the results come back from the test. If planting clover or oats or basically anything at this point, wait til early august spray it again, Till it all under, broadcast your seed and fertilize, then pack it down for better seed to soil contact.
Thanks for your input guys... Trevor, Thanks for the timeline, that what I was looking for, I needed to know what to do in what order... How long after the second spray before you can till and broadcast?
I always wait a week but technically you could immediately. I would wait a week before planting to spray, weeds will always grow and regerminate from seeds so no need to waste money spraying until necessary, spray too soon and they will just pop right back up
-When do I need to clear the area? Depends on what you want to plant. At this point, you are looking at a Fall annual IMO. A good mix like Red Zone (beans, peas, buckwheat, black oil sunflowers) or I usually start new plows with oats. -What should be involved in this? Mowing, Spraying, or just mowing and tilling? Clear and mow, wait a week and then spray. Then wait a week and till. Then wait until there is rain in the forecast and plant. -How much lime and fertilizer need to go on this much area? When does it need to go down? -What should I plant? I want something highly attractive over "nutritional" for obvious plot size reasons. I'm with Tembry on this, beans are a waste in a 1/3 of an acre. You aren't going to effect their nutrition too much with a plot that size. You just want something to put them browsing by you and it needs to be able to stand up to some pressure. I feel like I'm an oats salesman in these threads, but I've had really good success in every aspect of planting them. For new plots, they don't require perfect soil. I've had deer on them from the time they pop in mid September to the time they get covered with snow in December. (planting them in the end of Aug/start of Sept.) -And how should the planting be done... Not really that fancy, just make sure the ground is worked up good to insure good seed to soil contact. Then I usually mark out my areas with little flags for measurement of seed distribution. A 15 dollar 25lb bag spreader will work great in most smaller applications. I burn one up a year and it's well worth the money. I use them on everything even my bigger plots because I like to know I get good co0verage. I put my fertilizer down (usually triple 15 for oats) after I've spread the seed and before I cover. Then I set my spring tooth harrows light and cover. That's the most important tool I have in the bag, a 5 foot spring tooth harrow. I run it after tilling and to cover seed. On the lime, at this point I'd just go out and get 500 to 1000 lbs of pulverized and get it down ASAP.
Ive never used Oats... how nutritional and hardy are they? I keep hearing good things about them and now my wheels are turning
If you till after you spray you will bring up a whole new batch of seeds.It is too late to plant in most areas but may not in yours,have you done a soil test?If you are doing clover or something that you can plant in early fall you will have less weeds.Check out qdma.com for lots of plotting know how
