Planting Wheat

[npaden]

Okay, my 5 acres of sunflowers and sorghum that I planted for wildlife ended up being pretty much a total bust due to lack of rain. I now have 5 acres of weeds with a little sorghum scattered around here and there. We did get some really good rain over labor day and now the weeds are really growing fast.

I've about decided to disc it all up and plant wheat. I've been looking for a decent inexpensive wheat drill all summer and just can't find one. I found a 7' drag drill that looks to be in decent shape but it is $1,250. More than I really want to pay to plant wheat for wildlife.

I've heard that some people just use a broadcast spreader and then use a drag of some kind to cover up the seed. I don't have either of those but a spreader could be used for more things than a wheat drill could if it would work and they are cheaper also.

I have a 2 row planter and a 8' disc, shredder, blade and subsoiler for implements now.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks, Nathan

 

[CharlieTR]

I think you would have a good chance of success using spreader and dragging light soil on top of seeds. That is more than mother nature does for seeds. But I would look up wheat on the internet for more information from the experts. Good luck.

 

[npaden]

Are these spreaders good for anything else? Looks like it would take a lot of filling to do fertilizer. Maybe would work for dry pesticides. I guess I could rig up a bunch of junk metal on a long chain and drag it behind on the same pass that I ran the spreader on. Looks like I can get a brand new spreader in the $500 - $600 range. Now I just need to find one, the local farm store doesn't carry any.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[turnkey4099]

Are these spreaders good for anything else? Looks like it would take a lot of filling to do fertilizer. Maybe would work for dry pesticides. I guess I could rig up a bunch of junk metal on a long chain and drag it behind on the same pass that I ran the spreader on. Looks like I can get a brand new spreader in the $500 - $600 range. Now I just need to find one, the local farm store doesn't carry any.

Thanks, Nathan

For spreading, just your hand and a sack of wheat slung over your shoulder is all that is needed. I haven't done 5 acres that way but it was done all the time in the old days - did plant 1 acre of grass using that method, didn't take long.

There are jobs, especially one or two time jobs, that can be done quite well using old technology.

For covering - you obviously have a tractor of some type to pull your equipment. A good drag is a 2x6 (2x4 might work) with a set of tire chains fastened to it. The chains are heavy enough to do a good job. Others have used sections of chainlink fence, etc.

Harry K

 

[redlevel]

Get the spreader. If five acres is what you are working, it will be more practical to fertilize it yourself than to hire someone to bring a truck in.

Disc it up good. Spread about 2-2.5 bushels of seed wheat per acre. You can set the angle on the discs so it isn't throwing much dirt and go over it lightly with the harrow, or you can rig up some kind of drag. Many people use an old section of chain link fence. I use an old rotary-hoe type implement.

You need some fertilizer, even if you are planting just for wildlife. Probably three to four hundred pounds of 5-10-15 now, and then about 150 lbs of ammonium nitrate in late January or so. If you really want to keep it clean, spray it with 2 4 D in late February. This makes an excellent dove field for next September.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Get the spreader. If five acres is what you are working, it will be more practical to fertilize it yourself than to hire someone to bring a truck in.

Disc it up good. Spread about 2-2.5 bushels of seed wheat per acre. You can set the angle on the discs so it isn't throwing much dirt and go over it lightly with the harrow, or you can rig up some kind of drag. Many people use an old section of chain link fence. I use an old rotary-hoe type implement.

You need some fertilizer, even if you are planting just for wildlife. Probably three to four hundred pounds of 5-10-15 now, and then about 150 lbs of ammonium nitrate in late January or so. If you really want to keep it clean, spray it with 2 4 D in late February. This makes an excellent dove field for next September.

My thoughts exactly. Disc the ground, sow wheat (with spreader), then take out all the angle possible on the disc. Gauge it (with wheels on wheel disc, or 3-point hitch on pick-up disc) to where disc blades are only an inch or so in the ground. Run at moderate to slow speed. Your wheat will be in the dirt about 1/2" to 1". Roughly the same as a drill would put it.

Fertilizer and weed control advice is spot on.

 

[coveredbridge]

For spreading, just your hand and a sack of wheat slung over your shoulder is all that is needed. I haven't done 5 acres that way but it was done all the time in the old days - did plant 1 acre of grass using that method, didn't take long.

There are jobs, especially one or two time jobs, that can be done quite well using old technology.

For covering - you obviously have a tractor of some type to pull your equipment. A good drag is a 2x6 (2x4 might work) with a set of tire chains fastened to it. The chains are heavy enough to do a good job. Others have used sections of chainlink fence, etc.

Harry K

I have a hand crank spreader that I've used in the past to plant rye, clover, etc. It's a bit of work, but I've done 5 acres in no more than a couple hours.
I used it to spread dry fertilizer too. Bought it at Agway for about $30, I think, several years ago. As others have said, I wouldn't bother with a drag, just set your disc up to lightly disc the seed in and it should be fine

 

[kubota7800]

I would suggest rolling it after you disk it or drag it for better soil to seed contact.

 

[npaden]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The disc will work better than a drag after the spreader? I was worried about compacting the seed by driving it with the tractor. I would be able to do a drag in one pass also.

Also when you mention putting down 2 4 D in February do you just use an ATV sprayer or a 3 point spayer? Wouldn't the tractor mess up the wheat if you drove over it again?

Probably stupid questions but I've never done this before.

Thanks, Nathan

 

[EddieWalker]

Hi Nathan,

Since your just doing this to attract wildlife, why are you using just wheat?

I'm no expert on this, bur variety is extremly important to bring in more animals and to keep them around.

You could do it a coupld of different ways. Split up the five acres into half or 3/4 acre plots and plant each one seperate with something different.

Find a good mix of seeds and do it all in a mixture of plants that will bring them in and keep them there.

For my food plot this year, I'm just putting out bird seed from Walmart. A fifty pound sack costs under $10 and should do half an acre pretty good. The bird seed has about a dozen different types of plants it grows real easy around my bird feeders.

I know that's just a wild idea I'm gonna try without knowing if it will work or not. You could try some crazy ideas too. Just have fun with it and see what works.

Across the nation, there are programs called CRP where the goverment pays landowners to plant there fields with native grasses and plants to help the wildlife. You wouldn't qualify, but you can do some searching to see what they plant and maybe find out where to get it.

I've seen some of the biggest deer and elk in CRP fields before hunting season. Of course, I've never been able to get permision to hunt those fields, but I know for a fact that wildlife use them allot!!!

Good luck,
Eddie