is it too early for fall food plots?

[Robhuntandfish]

Its supposed to be a windy cool weekend with enough wind to keep me off the lake most likely but yet a great weekend to do outside chores.  is it too early to start putting in plots?  Whats the downfall of putting them in about a month to 6 weeks early?  Just thinking to take advantage of a perfect weekend weather wise for this..... 

[Robhuntandfish]

think i found my answer - great video explanation 

 

[land 1]

I only can really speak on brassica mixes and grain and yes its to early for them, I shoot for 1st week of august on brassicas and late august for grains , but i always wait till there is a very good chance for rain just after planting...

[Five Seasons]

way early i think. each bag will give the window for each region (WTI anyhow)

[Robhuntandfish]

yeah we are gonna hold off.  Just tough to pass on a weekend of 64 degreees and windy!  But instead am gonna do all the stand prep we can and wait til end of july/early august. 

[Five Seasons]

23 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

yeah we are gonna hold off.  Just tough to pass on a weekend of 64 degreees and windy!  But instead am gonna do all the stand prep we can and wait til end of july/early august. 

man stand prep... you are way ahead of me but you're right that the cool weather makes it enticing to do it now and not hot as balls august. 

[Robhuntandfish]

26 minutes ago, Belo said:

man stand prep... you are way ahead of me but you're right that the cool weather makes it enticing to do it now and not hot as balls august. 

plus ive got a three day weekend and all three days the wind is 15-25+ MPH which blows me off the lake.  Def loving the cooler weather for those chores.  But if we get stands done there is one less thing to do later and we can concentrate on the plots.  Also might put out some cams this weekend too whiel we are out there.  3 and a half months til season opener!  Plus i like to be done in there and out all of September so really its 2.5 months left to prep.  

Edited June 16, 2022 by Robhuntandfish

[Five Seasons]

you do have my wheels turning as I basically have a free day sunday to do what I want haha. I might do some trail work where trees and limbs have come down and blocked runs. Too early still to trim much as the green stuff will just grow back.

regardless, going to try and do something on sunday!

[LET EM GROW]

Typically yes. But it depends on what seeds you want to plant. Soybeans are still being planted, the right maturity group will result bean pods for fall winter. Sugar Beets are being planted but much harder to maintain, with drought and weeds etc.. But for your typical fall annual seed blends.. Your looking at Late July early August time frame. Unless in Adirondacks

[G-Man]

Spray and prep. To early to plant.  

[wolc123]

It’s not to early for plot prep work.  I dragged the ground, where I am going to plant brassicas in late July and wheat/clover around September 1, this afternoon.  I will probably do that 2 or 3 more times before planting.  As long as gas stays under $ 7 per gallon, it is cheaper to suppress weeds with a drag, than it would be to use a $ 75 bag of buckwheat for that purpose.  

This was mostly on ground where I had grown corn last year, except for the brassicas and sweetcorn spots, which were old clover,  that I plowed under earlier this spring.

I also worked up a spot for a few more rows of late sweetcorn (candy corn and silver queen).  I hope to get that planted in the morning.  With global warming, we seldom get early frosts anymore.  I like having fresh seeeycorn, right up till October.  

[Robhuntandfish]

We are planning to cut trails the last weekend of July and then drag and plant first weekend of Aug and second if needed. Cant spray there .

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[land 1]

since u cant spray may want to drag twice few weeks apart the first one usually stimulates new weed growth,,, 2nd drag right before u plant, just what i have found

[wolc123]

I use very little spray also because I like to keep my venison as “organic” as possible.  I usually get 3 years out of a 2.5 gallon jug of gly.  I am thankful to have bought a fresh jug of that last season, before the big price spike this year.  
 

The only place I use it is directly on the corn rows.  I cultivate in between.  I need to do that next weekend if I can because the grass is now growing faster than the corn.  

[Robhuntandfish]

since u cant spray may want to drag twice few weeks apart the first one usually stimulates new weed growth,,, 2nd drag right before u plant, just what i have found

That's a good idea. Might just do that. Gonna pend on weather and time .

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[LET EM GROW]

Disking for a month before you plant is terrible planting practice. Yes it is a way to keep weeds at bay but its not healthy at all. Leaving your soil disked, dead, not growing anything and exposed to sun in the hottest months is not healthy. it literally beats your soil down. Its not difficult to grow tiny little food plot seeds. Its Up to you obviously, but regardless your seeds will grow when moisture is present, but the sun beating down on bare soil will suck moisture out so fast and deplete your soils of its goods.  You can leave your soil alone and just keep the area mowed down until ready to spray and plant. you can pack your seed on top of your dead sprayed vegetation and a rain will germinate those seeds. No different than the wet paper towel trick.. 

At worst you can spray it and leave it dead, if you'd like, then spray once before planting.. I certainly wouldn't go scratching your soils yet because you have free time.. You'll turn the dirt to dust fast with hot summer days. You rely more on "more needed" moisture by doing this and we all know moisture isnt always present late July into August.. Just a thought. Many ways to plant food plots. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Disking for a month before you plant is terrible planting practice. Yes it is a way to keep weeds at bay but its not healthy at all. Leaving your soil disked, dead, not growing anything and exposed to sun in the hottest months is not healthy. it literally beats your soil down. Its not difficult to grow tiny little food plot seeds. Its Up to you obviously, but regardless your seeds will grow when moisture is present, but the sun beating down on bare soil will suck moisture out so fast and deplete your soils of its goods.  You can leave your soil alone and just keep the area mowed down until ready to spray and plant. you can pack your seed on top of your dead sprayed vegetation and a rain will germinate those seeds. No different than the wet paper towel trick.. 
At worst you can spray it and leave it dead, if you'd like, then spray once before planting.. I certainly wouldn't go scratching your soils yet because you have free time.. You'll turn the dirt to dust fast with hot summer days. You rely more on "more needed" moisture by doing this and we all know moisture isnt always present late July into August.. Just a thought. Many ways to plant food plots. 

Cant spray in my spot. But most likely will just till it and plant it and hope it takes well. The soil we have will grow anything. It's right by all the black soiled "muck" lands. And was considering doing it early cause it stays pretty moist there, but gonna go and do other work this weekend.

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[LET EM GROW]

20 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Cant spray in my spot. But most likely will just till it and plant it and hope it takes well. The soil we have will grow anything. It's right by all the black soiled "muck" lands. And was considering doing it early cause it stays pretty moist there, but gonna go and do other work this weekend.

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Sad part of planting annuals is they have a life cycle. If planted too early they mature and or Bolt.. and become non preferred when you want them to be preferred...

Sorry my apologies, I didnt realize you cant spray. If thats the case, the best way to control weeds is disking a couple times, like once ten wait 10-14 days and disk again prep seed bed and plant same day. Once your soil is prepared seed must go on it right after, and hopefully you can time it right with rain coming very soon. Not letting the present weed seeds in the soil to germinate before your seeds can.  Do you know what you are planting? 

[Robhuntandfish]

Sad part of planting annuals is they have a life cycle. If planted too early they mature and or Bolt.. and become non preferred when you want them to be preferred...
Sorry my apologies, I didnt realize you cant spray. If thats the case, the best way to control weeds is disking a couple times, like once ten wait 10-14 days and disk again prep seed bed and plant same day. Once your soil is prepared seed must go on it right after, and hopefully you can time it right with rain coming very soon. Not letting the present weed seeds in the soil to germinate before your seeds can.  Do you know what you are planting? 

I've got a bunch of different things. The biggest area I plan to do winter peas and radish which is on a spot that is regularly hayed. Then for the others I have shot plot style mixes. Last year only one area worked out great but we had sooo much rain the other one got flooded out. This year we are looking to do the same two spots, plus the hayfield edge and also a trail area near a stand. If they don't work out we will prob just frost seed clover in these areas instead for next year.

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[Robhuntandfish]

This is the area we plan to do winter peas and some radish.

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[LET EM GROW]

Winter peas and Radish will do good there! If you can throw in a Purple Top Turnip with it too! IT will be a great fall and Winter plot. The shot plot mixes make pretty good hidey hole "kill plot" style plots.! Cant wait to see more pics! You can always frost seed every plot every year. The clover will by early summer start pumping nitrogen into your soil for you. Will also be first green up in April and be a good turkey plot too! All wildlife will be in early green clover plots

 

[Robhuntandfish]

Winter peas and Radish will do good there! If you can throw in a Purple Top Turnip with it too! IT will be a great fall and Winter plot. The shot plot mixes make pretty good hidey hole "kill plot" style plots.! Cant wait to see more pics! You can always frost seed every plot every year. The clover will by early summer start pumping nitrogen into your soil for you. Will also be first green up in April and be a good turkey plot too! All wildlife will be in early green clover plots
 

Awesome. We did.frost seed some clover and it has taken well. It did last near too in spots we did in the trail.

The one spot that we planted that didn't get flooded last year the deer ate it to the ground. Lol. But we are looking to do 3 small kill plots and that larger one in the hay field.

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[LET EM GROW]

Love it, nice work sir! Food plots are fun and addicting.. lol 

[land 1]

FYI keep your eyes open for a bear there is one bouncing around the area... i havent seen but got solid reports of one...

[Robhuntandfish]

FYI keep your eyes open for a bear there is one bouncing around the area... i havent seen but got solid reports of one...

I've heard that too. Seen some pics from the Verona area. Would love to get a bear on camera.

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