No till experiment

[Adkhunter1590]

Well since I haven't bought any equipment yet and the property I bought is new so I'm gonna have to start from complete scratch having to clear out all the trees and stuff I decided to cut down a few trees and try some throw and grow type stuff just to see if it would even grow at all. I cleared out a circle shaped area about 30 yards in diameter and a old atv trail I cleaned and raked up which is about 40 yards long and about 6 ft wide. Now I know this isn't a huge area or anything that will be a big food source but its just a experiment until I get a tractor and can spend some more time clearing out a big area.

I used a bag of whitetail institute no plow. And a little sample bag of antler kings version of no plow. I also spread out 3 50lb bags of lime about a month and a half in advance after using a antler king soil Ph test strip that says my soil PH is about 6.5 (will send out a soil sample to a lab once I get everything cleared for a true test) also spread out 10-10-10 fertilizer along with the seed. I got the seeds down a day before the recent rains came which seems to have worked really good in my favor. I've got growth beginning quite thick although its still all low to the ground but it looks like its coming up good so far.

Here's 2 pics I took quick of the trail strip today. Will take some closer pics tomorrow (was in a rush today..wife was rushing me to get going to go see the in laws for mothers day lol) but I'm pretty pumped to see some growth so quickly.

Anyone else have any experience with this no plow stuff...good or bad?

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[burmjohn]

No pics attached?

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[Adkhunter1590]

I tried uploading from my phone but idk if if it worked. If not there's 2 links from photbucket. Not the best pics but you csn see some green coming up

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[First-light]

I have tried no plow and throw and grow. Both worked pretty good. Lime was the key with both. looks like she is coming in.

Had all kind of animals visiting a plot that was just about the same size as your plot. Good luck.

[Adkhunter1590]

Thanks. Ya I think liming helped a lot. Along with spreading it out just before it rained. The rain worked out perfect actually. It woulf come down pretty good then stop and get sunny for awhile then rain some more. Did that all week long. Last night and tonight is going to be down in the mid to high 30s I hope that doesn't stunt the growth any.

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[phade]

Lime takes a while to work into the soil substructure to "help alot"...especially since your PH came back at 6.5....not really going to be of much help. I also wonder why you didn't do a soil test (a real one) now at the onset...no sense in doing one for some time as the fert and lime sort of clusters the results.

 

No till buck on a bag products often contain a big amount of Rye grass, which WI does. This grows great, giving the sense of "accomplishment" but it's really a pain in the neck seed selection and not one that deer are really targeting. Sure, you may get some browse on it by chance or at the draw of the remaining mix, but it's paying alot for little.

 

Hopefully the canopy gives you some sunlight as it fills in. Good luck in your experiement, learning sometimes is best done through trial and error. I know I've been there.

[Adkhunter1590]

Ya I'm not saying the lime is what made anything come up so far but I'm sure it didn't hurt any. As for doing a better soil test. Well I just didn't get around to it really. We just finished up building a house and had a baby 2 months ago so I've got my hands full at home and a 70 work week. Trust me I want to do everything right the first time but I just ran out of time ans patience. Wanted to get something on the ground to see if I'd get any sort of results.

I'm sure the no plow stuff isn't the best mixture to draw in deer or the best for nutrition but that isn't what I'm after just yet. Working my way there one step at a time. I will be getting a tractor or at leadt some implements for my atv soon so I will be able to till everything up good and plant the best.

The pics look like the canopy wouldn't be letting in much sun but there's a lot that gets through. I cut back a bunch of trees. Now that the trees are filling out I've noticed a few more that will have to be taken out.

Thanks for your advice though! I

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[Adkhunter1590]

Here's some closer pics I took quick just now

This second one is the antler king and whitetail institute mixed. The antler king is the tall grass looking stuff. That was coming up a few days before the WI stuff did.

And here's a pic of the circle shaped area that I didn't have a pic of in my original post.

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[burmjohn]

Looks like its working well... 

[Adkhunter1590]

Here's some new pics. Built a little containment fence too.

Growing more and more each day. Pretty suprised given the lack of pure sunlight. Gotta work on getting some trees cut back. But so far my little experiment is going well

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[burmjohn]

Holy crap, looks great.

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[Adkhunter1590]

Thank you! Set up the reconyx camera over it today too. But the battery is low so idk how long its gonna last. Hate having to buy those lithium AAs lol. They aren't cheap!! But they do last a looong time.

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[Adkhunter1590]

Getting better by the day. The brief rain showers on and off all day are perfect.

Top is the atv trail plot and bottom is the circle plot

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[hunter]

It looks great. I'm gonna try some myself. I have two spots, one gets alot of sun and one not so much. Good luck I see venison in your future.

[Adkhunter1590]

I highly suggest it especially if you have no equipment or can't get any equipment to your spots. Both of my little plots don't get nearly as much sun as they should and are still growing quite well. I have plans to cut back some trees but so far it hasn't been a deal breaker. I mixed 10-10-10 fertilizer with the seed when I spread it also. I don't know if that played a big part in how it's growing but I'm sure it didn't hurt.

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[Five Seasons]

what do you guys use for weed control? mine is being overridden by weeds.

[WNYBuckHunter]

Ive used that stuff in the shade before, and it grows surprisingly well. Once the deer find it, they will hammer it pretty quickly. Mine was a small plot, and never lasted till the season. My process that worked best was to hit the area with weed killer (like lawn safe weed killer) just to get the majority of broadleaf stuff out of there. I did that 3 weeks to a month ahead of time. Next was a soil sample, and lime/fertilizer. Then, I roto-tilled the soil just a few inches deep, broadcast the seed and raked it in. One year I did the Evolved Habitat Throw and Gro, the next I did Secret Spot. I liked the Throw and Gro stuff a bit better.

[Adkhunter1590]

I haven't had any problems with weeds yet. A few little ones here and there but I just pulled them out by hand. I had to rake a good amount of leaves to get down to soil so I don't think I have a lot of weed seeds hanging around in the dirt. Most of my woods is pretty clear of weeds and underbrush. Just a lot of trees.

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[Adkhunter1590]

Ive used that stuff in the shade before, and it grows surprisingly well. Once the deer find it, they will hammer it pretty quickly. Mine was a small plot, and never lasted till the season. My process that worked best was to hit the area with weed killer (like lawn safe weed killer) just to get the majority of broadleaf stuff out of there. I did that 3 weeks to a month ahead of time. Next was a soil sample, and lime/fertilizer. Then, I roto-tilled the soil just a few inches deep, broadcast the seed and raked it in. One year I did the Evolved Habitat Throw and Gro, the next I did Secret Spot. I liked the Throw and Gro stuff a bit better.

Yeah I'm figuring this won't last up to season opener. In August I plan to disc it all under and plant something for fall

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[WNYBuckHunter]

Id just leave it, scratch the surface back up and plant the same stuff again for the fall. I have a spot thats gonna get no till thus year, probably the evolved habitat. Its pretty shady, but should do ok. Im going to wait a bit before i plant.