Food Plot Update: 2 1 Acre Plots Limed, Fert, and Seeded...

[burmjohn]

Just a quick update.  The two plots we had logged when we were clearing for the cabin build are now limed, fertilized and seeded.  Unfortunately due to the lack of time, we had to do them quickly.  I would have ideally let the lime sit for 3-6 months, but I am sure next year will produce a nice crop for sure since we did the prep work this year.  After having the soil tested it resulted in 4-5 tons of lime pre acre, sounds like a lot, but since it was wooded forever, I guess that can be expected.   

Anyways, the seed was tossed down on Friday.  On field "two", we tried the whitetail institute pure attraction, its a mix of Oats, Brassicas and Winter Peas....  On field "one" we did a mix of Clover, Chickory, and Ryes. 

While I understand the liming is prob the most important part, and the field may not take to well this year because of the late liming, it was well worth it to try to seed.  Seed is relatively inexpensive, especially with just two acres.

Anyways, we just got some rain up there over today, and should have some more later in the week.  It would be great to see some things start to kick up over the next few weeks. 

On the trail we made on way up to the fields we are planning on hand seeding, with out lime or fertilizer, some random grasses just to help prevent erosion and also for some additional browsing material.  I ordered one of those hand seeders with the bags.  Will prob seed that the weekend of August 14th...  Even if just a few things take it will be better then nothing, there is not much light that will make it onto the trails anyways.

I'll try to post some pics in a few weeks to see if we get any growth, something is bound to grow!  Wish us luck.... 

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Some Lime:

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[Ford]

Looks great!

[Fantail]

Nice field! I bet the Oats pop up first.

[SplitG2]

John, great seed bed.  Be careful with those commercial mixes.  Not saying they all don't work but their mixes sometimes don't go well together.  Also, try to plant your grains(oats, winter rye, winter wheat) the last week of august or the beginning of September.  To early of a planting  will alow them to get over 10 inches and than rank out.  The deer like the new shoots under 8 inches.  Keep up the good work

[burmjohn]

Hopefully they eat them and keep them down

[Fantail]

Hopefully they eat them and keep them down

Amen to that.

[burmjohn]

Believe it or not, some things started to germinate already!  In under 5 days, seems fast?  But I guess the weather was right because it rained the night of the seeding.  And a few more sprinkles over the past few days.

[NYBowhunter]

Looks very good John, looks like a nice clean and well prepared seedbed. Is that soil more on the clay side, looks very reddish in color?. How low was the PH reading? Keep the pictures coming. Thanks.

[burmjohn]

Heya,

It maybe the camera... But it is slightly red.

Attached was the soil Analysis.  Not to sure how to read it, but... The PH was 4.1, which is pretty low no ?

[NYBowhunter]

yes the PH is extremely low, that would explain why you needed so much lime. Dont be suprised if your plots look decent because I have limed, fertilized and seeded on same days with good success, however like you indicated the optimal way would be to let the lime sit for a month or more. You may have some better success with the brassicas as they can tolerate more of an acidic soil and dont need to wait for the soil to become close to neutrel. Did you use a higher nitrogen content for both the brassica and clover plots? The clovers need a higher nitrogen content their 1st year and then lower every year thereafter as clover will produce their own nitrogen. The brassicas will always need a triple 17 or 15 as they require a higher nitrogen each year. The nitrogen content would be the first number of the three numbers on the fert. bag. How much fettilzer did you put down? I would assume you put down app. 400-500 lbs fert. per acre? Look'in good, start buying those trail camera's.

[growalot]

Great looking plot....want to bring some of that rockless soil my way

Sending that Good luck out now

[NYBowhunter]

Oh the rocks, I have some very nice HUGE piles myself. Looking forward to puttting in my turnip plot this coming weekend, but not looking forward to removing the rocks.

[burmjohn]

It wasn't rockless to start

NYBowHunter: 400lbs / acre of 10-20-20, this was the recommendation of the local seed mill.  Hopefully it will be OK, next year I am sure will be better.  Crossing my fingers  ???

The hand seeder I ordered will be here tomorrow, so either me or the old man will seed the trail in a few weeks.  Not going to lime / fert tho, so not sure how well it will take.

[SplitG2]

John, that is a low ph.  Did you use ag lime or pellatized?  I would be shocked if the clover/chicory grow.  Most plants will not grow good in the 4 range but weeds.  I hope you get some growth.  If you don't dont worry in time you will have a decent plot.  This November do another soil sample and see where your ph is.  Apply more lime than next May work the soil and plant a green manure crop to build your organic matter.  You can either plant buckwheat or med red clover.  Than in July cut and disc the crop into your soil while still green.  Then plant Winter rye end of august.  Repeat this until your soild ph is above 6. Both the buckwheat and winter rye will grow on any soil type.  Also, on  fertilizer the three numbers i.e. 10-10-10 means you are getting 10lbs of npk for every 100lbs you put down.  Keep up the good work.

[burmjohn]

Split,

It was crushed lime (powderized), based on my google search I guess thats the aglime.  (I'm new to this stuff).

I'd be shocked but happy as a pig in shit if stuff grows, we shall see!  thanks for the info, I'll keep this post updated.

[burmjohn]

Pics!!

I have no idea, but maybe its because of the good amount of rain we got. I am really surprised and lucky perhaps??  What ya think?!

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[SplitG2]

John, any close ups?  not sure what's growing??  doesn't look to be oats or the rye, which I thought would be the first to come up.

[burmjohn]

Heya,

  I think its almost everything growing? Brassica and winter peas maybe some small clover sprouts?

See attached.

[burmjohn]

Lime going down from the trail camera   Local mill up the road, was able to drive right to the property and spread it.

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[Geno C]

wow great job! should be a killer spot for early bow season

[SplitG2]

looks like the peas....great job!

[burmjohn]

Yeah, I think its peas and some oats and rye?

[growalot]

Thats a great plot...ahhhh to get lime spread...lucky dog!....It takes me 3 years of liming to get my areas up to where they are "stable" then I can rest a bit ...with it having been that low...and reliming down the road will be needed...I don't know what it cost you to have it done...but walking grandular lime over it...several 40# bags in a year or so will help maintain the levels...It takes much longer to break down but...will last in your soil much longer as well....looking forward to seeing your great 2010 harvest from there

[burmjohn]

Yea maint shouldnt be bad, its just the initial 5 tons per acre would be impossible for me .

[burmjohn]

Looks like the plot got a bunch of rain yesterday and its getting hit right now again.  The next few days are going to be sunny, so it sounds like near ideal conditions.  I think we really lucked out!