Quick food plot questions....

[zeus1gdsm]

I have about a 40x50 space cleared in the hardwoods for my plot. Weedeated it and took out majority of small saplings. Luckily the area doesn't have a heavy leaf base. Surprisingly very little to be honest.. Only about a couple leaves thick.

Also seemed to pick a good spot as the soil is dark and moist.. I haven't done a soil test yet as I got in and sprayed glyphosate today.

Questions.....

Once the herbicide has sat for a week or so, I'll have to start stick and debris removal.

1) should I just use the rototiller and mix in the dead weeds/ferns/leaves? Or should I rake them off?

2) should I pull out the small stumps? 1-4inches in diameter. I left them about 18inches tall. There's about 15 of them spaced all over.

3) instead.of rototiller tilling should I just rake off the leaves and dead stuff and use a garden rake to rough up the topsoil?

4) or should remove the dead litter and then rototiller till?

5) once I'm ready to broadcast the seed should I then work the soil to cover some up or just leave it as is? I'm going to wait for a good rain and seed before it.

Thank you for any help you can provide. This is our first attempt at a plot.

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Edited June 10, 2016 by zeus1gdsm

[G-Man]

I would work leaf litter in to soil, as for the stumps it depends on what they are from maple will sprout profusely and deer love it (bonus for plot), oak, ash are also good browse species. If you till you will fluff the soil with out rolling it you risk the seed sinking to deep if you try to work it in. Best plant right before rain. A mix of clover/ brassica may do well its a small area and deer will use it heavily ( they love fresh dirt and sprouts in those stumps Will be a draw by them selves.

[zeus1gdsm]

Alright so sounds like I should just till in the litter. Then wait for a few rains before planting to let the soil settle?

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[zeus1gdsm]

Stumps are maple so I will leave them then.

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[G-Man]

Yes if you can wait a few rains the better unless you roll it, mise seeds are small and only need to be 1/4 in or so deep, I have a friend that lost his corn because he was planting in rototilled soil 2.5 in deep and when it settled the seeds were to deep to reach the surface

[zeus1gdsm]

And if not rototiller then just scrape up the top soil real good with a garden rake. Correct?

So looks like I have 2 options.

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[G-Man]

Yes you can rake off debris, and scratch fey good with rake.. you most likely will have to add lime as leaf litter is usually acidic.

[zeus1gdsm]

I appreciate the help. Which would you recommend? I don't have access to a roller

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