One thing I love about spring plots is there is no pressure if they don't turn out. I am much more comfortable failing with a spring plot that is just going to feed deer for a few months rather than failing on a fall plot which is directly going to effect my hunting. It also is easier to try new things for that reason. I planted my first try with a oats and berseem mix this past weekend. This plot will turn into Brassicas this fall. I first nuked the plot. Let dry. Then weed wacked the high grass crap that had overrun the clover. Then lighty disced. The green stuff right now should die. And broadcasted the seed and then dragged it to hopefully get some seed to soil contact. The rain we got last night and today surley helped. The green stuff right now should die. My other plot was brassicas last year. I started by nuking it with gly as well and then let it dry. I was able to just drag it to break up the leaves and crap on top and to loosen up the soil. I put the same spring mix on it. I will be putting a cereal grain mix consisting of winter rye, peas and a few other things in here this fall.
Looking good! We weren't planning on planting anything, but we won a bag of seed (mostly clover) at a banquet and figured it wouldn't hurt anything to throw it on the ground. At the end of April we raked an area about 20 yrds x 10 yrds in the middle of the timber,threw it down and hoped for the best. I am pleasantly surprised on how its growing for very little effort. Here is a side by side of weeks 2 and 4.
Well, I had a guy call me Friday afternoon and ask me what to plant on the land he was going to use buckwheat on. I steered him to berseem clover on part of it and plot restore on the other. He emailed me last night saying it was already up. As hard as it might be to believe, mine always was up in 7 days or less. I loveeeeeeeee berseem clover and it fits into plot rotation. I also love using it in thin stands, to mix with clover mixes to help as a companion crop to keep weeds at bay as well as to ad added nutrition to a deer's diet because of the slightly higher protein and energy over alfalfa. It is high sugar....high palatability index. The best laid plans.....an experimental mix i planted with a drill two weeks ago was a great learning tool. Sometimes fancy equipment isn't always the answer if weather comes into play. My greens that i drilled into well worked soil had uneven germ but the greens i put into non worked compacted soil i am tickled to death about the germ. It proved that there is a fine line between failure and success when it comes to planting food plots. Planting depth is a huge thing. I am ok with the failure as when i plant my experimental plots, i actually try to do things to test a plants ability to adapt and handle various conditions. If things grow under less than perfect conditions, they should give one success with perfect set ups. I also got a picture sent to me by a friend , of my favorite forage brassica and it's over 2 feet tall in less than 3 weeks. Better yet, the deer will eat it early if your soil health is right.
Looks good Brad! I will be mowing last fall planted clover plots this weekend along with spraying future brassica plots. Love food plot season!
