Planting wild life forage

[NIXON]

The land I have is very rocky and has heavy clay . I'd like to plant some forage for wildlife . (sunflowers mostly)
I think I'd break a tiller real fast in the soil as it is now . What implement should I use to break the ground initially ?
John

 

[MarkV]

Re: Planting wild life foragage

Think I would try a subsoiler. You can break up the clay pretty deep with multiple passes and it will help pull up the rock. They also only run about a $100 bucks so they don't break the implement budget.

MarkV

 

[Docsknotinn]

Re: Planting wild life foragage

Wild life food plots are the only reason I have a tractor. I have recreational property with several planting sites. I guess I dont understand your post thoroughly. As my father in law would say "There is rocky and then There is ROCKY !". Many of my sites were raw wood land. First they have to be cut for firewood. Then the tops are stacked and dried and burnt the following winter. From their the most cost effective thing to do is have the area dozed. A bull dozer runs about $100 an hour where my property is. If you have large surface rock this could be beneficial to you followed by a few dozen yards of top soil delivered depending on the size of your site. You might also consider spraying with Roundup three times the preceeding year to kill all competeing vegetation. There are wild life blends made by the White tail institute for areas that can not be worked with machinery, specifically no plow. In spite of the name I find that it does need to be turned into the soil a bit but this can be done by hand. If you are after wild flowers you might try the www dot wildseedfarms dot com. Another option might be to have a farmer look at it and possibly turn it for you. Many of them can tell what the soil needs based on locall experience with out soil tests and can spread powdered lime for you very cost effectively. A disk harrow MIGHT work but that depends on how rock the rocky road is. try saying that ten times fast ! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[shady1701]

I have exact same type soil heavy clay and slate rock a hard pan at about 3"'s I use a sub soiler and i have a iseki tiller i use it realy does a good job but i'd suggest you don't buy a 2000$ tiller i bought mine for $300 and it bounces clear off the ground at times. I sub soil it every 6-12" then i go over it with the tiller if you have alot to do you might go the grader box and ripper route then a disk or something.

 

[EddieWalker]

I debated on buying a tiller or a disk. I found a really good deal on a 5 foot disk and that's what I bought.

First I took out the trees I didn't want. Then I brush hogged the areas I wanted cleard. Then I put on my head phones, got some hard candy, some water and started driving in circles for hour after hour.

The land is all native with tons of weeds and grass. I'm stuborn and just keep after it. I go from Dr. Dean to a local liberal show to Paul Harvey and new to Rush until 4pm. Then switch tractors and do something different.

I will be ready to add lime by Friday and come September I wll be planting seed.

Good Luck,
Eddie

 

[Slamfire]

I use a single row cultivator with six chisel points set equal distances apart, then broadcast the seed and run over it with a homemade drag. The spring leaves on the cultivator will release if they hit something really big. Grasses don't need to be really deep, just in good contact with dirt.