Got it all hooked up this weekend but once i got it out to the plot...dam string broke. So i unhooked it and did some donuts and throw out some winter seeds and did some more donuts. Just needs some rain and it should be good to go.
I have a couple of questions for you guys that have put in plots or replanted them before. I am thinking about offering a guy a turkey membership if he will do the tractor work on our new lease. We have 6 existing plots that are overgrown, most are in the 1/2 acre size but we have a couple that are +1 acre. When I say they are overgrown, it appears they had been let go of for atleast 12 months. The grass and weeds are chest high, animals have been bedding down in them and rooting leaving some pretty uneven terrain. What would be the proper way to go about turning these around.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
I have a couple of questions for you guys that have put in plots or replanted them before. I am thinking about offering a guy a turkey membership if he will do the tractor work on our new lease. We have 6 existing plots that are overgrown, most are in the 1/2 acre size but we have a couple that are +1 acre. When I say they are overgrown, it appears they had been let go of for atleast 12 months. The grass and weeds are chest high, animals have been bedding down in them and rooting leaving some pretty uneven terrain. What would be the proper way to go about turning these around.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
I think that's going to depend on the size of his tractor and disc. If it's big enough, and the brush is not too thick it is possible to do it all in one pass. If it's too bad, then a mowing/spraying may be needed before disking. The goal is to get to bare dirt
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Depends on if you need to add fertilizer and/or lime. Once you get bare dirt I would recommend adding lime/fert (as needed) ASAP. Gives it time to balance out. You don't want to plant spring plots till all the fear of frost is over with, usually Mid March depending on area
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
Absolutely. same as a garden
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
If the plots are done well, and you get to bare dirt the first time...little needs to be done. If everything worked well the first time, all you should need to is disc under the spring plot and plant the fall plot. It should turn under very easily
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
If they were planted you think maybe the season before, then a good tractor and disc should be able to plow it all under. Where you get into trouble is if there is sucker trees growing in it. I watched a tractor plow a standing corn field one year in GA, and when he was done you couldn't tell corn was standing there an hour before. let him be the judge
Triple Creek Reaper,
I'll 2nd Iluv2hunt's comments, if you only have a years growth in a previously prepared plot a good cutting disk should bury most of the junk. Bush-hogging 1st would also help as it is easier to bury smaller pieces.
The ideal would be cut a fire line around the plots and burn them, then disk, bottom plow and disk again to provide a proper seed bed. Lime or dolomite is a plus as most of our Florida soils are sour (acid). If you go with the lime/dolomite do it after you burn as fire will destroy some of it's effectiveness. Regular agricultural lime also takes several months to do any good so it should be applied as soon as possible. Liming allows fertlizer to be utilized more effectivley but you can get by without it.
Chemicals/herbicides are sometimes tricky and do more damage than good as far as a food plot is concerned. Lots of the junk plants, weeds, etc. that come up will also be used by the deer for feed.
Treefarmer
One thing also if it is mowed first (which is the best thing to do) it need be left for about 3 weeks so it will dry out and have a chance to start the rot process.
:saluting
