First time Food Plot project

[mooseracing]

A recent one I just did was on a hillside in sand. I plowed everything under, then ran the cultivator over it a few times to smooth things out as I don't have a disc yet. I then hand broadcast before a rain.

I'll get some pictures but it looks like my brassica came up good in all the valleys, as I am assuimg the rain puddled there or washed dirt to cover them up.

I have some more I am going to plant in sand on a hillside and I am going to just try an drive over the area a few times to see how they grow.

 

[CT230 Fan]

I decided to go ahead and put my seed down since we are supposed to get rain today. I retilled the ground and took a few pics before I broadcasted the seeds. I took a couple picture out of a new deer stand we put up.

 

[CT230 Fan]

I don't have any type of cultipacker, so I just used my tractor tires to firm up the seed bed. I drove over and the entire food plot. Then, i used the tiller to just loosen up the top inch or so of soil. I then used a bag seeder to broadcast my seed.

 

[CT230 Fan]

Since I don't have a cultipacker to get good seed to soil contact, I made a simple weighted drag to pull behind the tractor. It is a 5' ladder stand section with heavy log chains wrapped around and weaved through the steps, then I have 2 50lb bags of cattle salt on top of it to weigh it all down. Along with the tire tracks, I think this did a pretty good job of getting the seed down into the soil and firming up the seed bed around it. I have no way to know for sure, but time will tell how this worked out.

 

[CT230 Fan]

I totally forgot to take pictures of the finished product last night. We have rain in the forecast today, so hopefully mother nature will cooperate. I will check back in about a week and see if we have growth.

 

[yomax4]

Good work, Should have a nice plot. A couple issues people have, Myself included is that there are so many weed seeds in that dirt, One application of Round up will only kill a few. Like previously posted, Keep you plot mowed just above the clover or chickory or what ever you plant. Soon your plants will get taller and start to take over the weeds. I plant Ladino Clover mixed with Chickory and a little alphalfa. It likes to be mowed and the deer cant resist. That is my fall Bow Hunting plot. Then I have a late fall early winter plot of Rape and Turnups that the deer go after once we get a frost. Keep with your plot and it will get better each year. Be careful not to mix seed that likes to be mowed with seed that doesn't. Many companies package it that way. One last tip. I took an old foam cushion and cut it into 4"x4" x 2' long strips to make 4' total. I wraped it with thin carpet and ran a piece of re-bar through it. I hang it on the front of my atv and soak it in roundup. I drive through my plots and the weeds that are taller than my clover get a dose and they die. it makes mowing a little easier. Like others in this post, I have toiled away for many years to get where I am today. Good Luck! :thumbsup:

 

[mooseracing]

I forgot to mention I also bought no till mix, hoping it would give me a better chance. One of the directions even said to just spray the weeds, then spread the seeds after some time.

I just did another area last night and picked up some more seed today. I'm practicing on my deer food plots so I have some better knowledge before I do some planting for some feed cattle to graze on.

 

[Oldstuff]

Looks great CT,

Oldstuff

 

[nvpliers]

I didn't use any chemicals to convert my sodded area to a food plot - although it wasn't for deer. I mowed it, then tilled it - 4 passes. I let it rest for a few weeks, then planted.

 

[mscheer772]

Where are the rocks? Rocks are what we grow best

-Mike-