Breaking ground

[cbx46]

4 virgin 1/2 acre plots is on the plan for this year. 1 Im closing off a quad trail, 2 and 3 are high spots in a wet land area, 4 is a wooded area to be cleared. My game plan was Round up early spring, maybe re apply round up if needed, till in dead vegitation, then either soil sample or heavy Lime, and recommended fert in summer, plant early august..... Trail and cleared woods area 1 and 4 (Clover, purple top turnips, oats) wet land area 2 and 3 ( oats, ladino clover, birds foot, purple tops). Any suggestions? or advice?

[cbx46]

no birds foot to expensive

[cwhite]

My advise would be to do a soil sample before your lime. Too much lime at one time can shock your soil and your results will be poor. If your soil needs heavy lime, don't try to get your PH up all at once. You can do it over a couple seasons. The plants will still grow; just won't do as well as they would with a balanced soil. It’s always best to lime when you can disc it in. Lime only neutralizes soil it comes into contact with and doesn't wash down with the rain all that well. (top dressing lime isn't a great option) If you find that you need to add more than 3 tons per acre then you might be better off doing 2 tons this year, disking in and going with a winter rye blend or some other annual like a brassica or turnip. Next year add another 2 tons per acre and plant your perennials.

Sounds like you have a good game plan.

[growalot]

I'll assume you aren't using ag lime...but the bagged lime?...If so ......usually in both wooded and wet areas you can assume that your going to need a lot of lime and lime can take 6 mos to truly work in the soil...

What I do on virgin soil is start liming in March and April...depending on the amount of snow and the possible run off conditions this is when you get frost heaving....I use bagged lime and this is when I mix "fast acting " with granular lime.. As far as your spraying...you need to make sure the plants are actively growing .....and spraying to kill it down is fine BUT...once you touch that ground you will be bringing up years and years of dormant weed seed...and they will grow like mad...So I to save time and $$$$ kill....lime... disc /till shallow...... wait and spray again.... You will still have weed seeds but not as many ...until you till deeper....Working in a wooded area...you have plenty of light in the spring but once the leafs are on every thing changes...plus ppl forget the suns angle changes a lot from spring to fall....again save $$$ by knowing plants limitations for sun and ph

With planting...in an area that has never been planted and especially never had brassica....it takes time for the deer to get use to it....some times they won't touch turnips the first year...and you are still trying to build your soil/ph...I personally swear by buck wheat ...very fast and deep rooted...it draws up nutrients that other crops recover once it dies and is tilled back in...deer love it...This way your lime has time to work and if sown thick enough it will suppress weeds plus you can put in a good WW or WR in the fall...which also helps with weed control and deer love...Next year you should be able to "safely" invest more $$$ on crops like clovers and turnips....Hog radish is excellent as well...You could even top dress grain crop with Brassica to get deer use to it for a bigger planting next year....Trictical is a great planting as well

Doing this you can concentrate your $$ on the lime this year...for buckwheat doesn't call for much fertilizer as the other seedings

[cbx46]

Thank you for the awesome replys I have to really read this over and take it in.

[cbx46]

ww=winter wheat?, and wr= winter rye? also top dressing a brassica just over seed in the late summer? ground hog radish would be good? also if "top dressing" say an acre should you use the recomended amount for an acre or less? Thank you guys so much for your help this year im following thru cant wait to get started and post some pics!

[cbx46]

rapid fire questions? Im in Sullivan county were do you guys or girls send your soil samples or should I just get a probe meter?

[SplitG2]

I use biologic for my soil samples. Like grow stated. I would build up your organic matter and Ph.

[cbx46]

thank you.

[cbx46]

Walk behind brush mowers, and large walk behind rear tine tillers for 2 acres well 4x1/2 acre plots good enough or does everyone suggest arc or tractor equipment

[SplitG2]

Virgin ground with a walk behind tiller will beat the heck out of you. If the area has no brush and just grasses or goldenrod, I would hit it with gly in spring and again in June. Work under and hit again three weeks later.

[growalot]

I'm a woman and have...still do work areas that large that way...and yep...first year it will tear both you and the tiller up...how to avoid that is....now I have tons of rocks......till on lowest depth.... this will roll up the dead sod and loosen top rocks...then I raked all that off...this is when I limed...and went over the area again with tines set lower

The pics below were all done this way before we got the tractor...some still done when attachments can't be switched on time...one section at a time helps....

[SplitG2]

Grow the sweat equity u put into your property is top notch!

[SplitG2]

I would love to see your property one day!

[growalot]

Thanks...I've never been a afraid of hard work....though as I age.....a little fear would be a welcome thing....lol

[cbx46]

I am a firefighter and contractor I can work hard so im good to go with this method then.

[cbx46]

Where would you guys look to get enough round up to kill off 2 acres of virgin ground?

[Fishon]

Tractor supply, agway. My friend used vinegar last year.

[SplitG2]

I use tractor supply. Just make sure its 41% gly

[cbx46]

Ok cool thank you now I can look up prices online and get a game plan

[growalot]

I think the stutff from T/C is called Tuff Stuff

[SplitG2]

yes-Tuff stuff...when it goes on sale for 29.99 2 1/2 gal I stock up! three years ago it was 19.99 2 1/2 gal