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Post by solohunter on Jan 26, 2006 17:58:17 GMT -5
Before,   after, ;D  probably going to put Rack Master in this plot... Solohunter |
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Post by Indyhunter on Jan 26, 2006 18:32:07 GMT -5
How did you clear your spot? I've been thinking about trying a couple small areas in the woods I hunt, but I wasn't sure how clean I needed to get the ground etc.
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Post by solohunter on Jan 26, 2006 19:02:58 GMT -5
I went in with my 16" bar chainsaw and cut the small stuff. The oak top(from when we logged) I pulled out with my tractor, cut it up for firewood. I picked up as many small twigs and then used the blade on the tractor to push the leafs off the soil. I will go back and spray with Round Up, then use the bush hog to whack any more stuff down. Then take the tiller in to till it up. Add some 12-12-12, then plant and put up a "rope fence" that I can spray with Deer Off to keep them out until it is established. I guess I went into more detail than you wanted. BTW I watched a guy blow the leafs off with a gas blower, then used a hard rake to scratch it up and planted some "no till" stuff. It was Nugent. I planted some Rack Master in another spot about 4 years ago, I just "roughed it up" a little so the seeds could make contact with the soil. There are ALOT of "no till" products out there. I bet you could rent a small tiller and rough it up enough to work.
Solohunter
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 26, 2006 19:53:50 GMT -5
A lawn dethatcher will rough up the ground plenty good enough for most seeding..
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Post by solohunter on Jan 26, 2006 20:50:13 GMT -5
A lawn dethatcher will rough up the ground plenty good enough for most seeding..
Good idea also..
Solohunter
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Post by drs on Jan 27, 2006 7:21:33 GMT -5
I have a new 90 sq. foot plot, on my property, and I am going to sow Alsike Clover. This seems to work the best in low pH soils.
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Post by hunter7x on Jan 27, 2006 9:39:36 GMT -5
I know from experience that you need to cut a lot more than you think as far as trees go. I made a nice little plot last year. that grew like crazy until the leaves robbed all the sunlight. This year I have been cutting more trees back farther to get the light in. You need 5 hrs minimum of direct sunlight !
I used a garden tiller to till mine up. Had to walk it 1/2 mile back to where my plot is in the woods, but it was worth it.
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Post by hunter7x on Jan 27, 2006 9:40:58 GMT -5
Don't forget fertizlier and lime. I had a soil test done on mine.
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Post by drs on Jan 27, 2006 10:04:37 GMT -5
Don't forget fertizlier and lime. I had a soil test done on mine. Plus, add about 10 pounds of Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulphate) per acre. Here, in the Midwest, we have a shortage of Magnesium, in our soil. This mineral is important, to the plant, as it allows other nutrients to be assimulated by the plants. |
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Post by Indyhunter on Jan 30, 2006 18:16:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips (keep them coming if you have more). I have a decent spot to hunt that I believe would be great for a couple small plots.
Do you guys notice the deer staying on, or at least closer to your property once the crops are out? We had several deer staying on the property this past fall until the crops got harvested, then they almost vanished. Didn't help in my case because the farmer turned the fields almost immediately so what corn was on the ground ended up underneath. But i've wondered if having some clover etc would help keep them around later in the year.
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Post by solohunter on Jan 30, 2006 21:04:25 GMT -5
because the farmer turned the fields almost immediately
Some ground I hunt(our neighbor)did this also. So our property seemed to have more deer on it. While the corn was still up the hunting was difficult because of the added "cover". I think if you plant some tasty stuff for the deer, they will hang around. They will want to travel the least amount of distance to get their bellies full, especially when it gets cold. One plot I have in Rack Master can have deer in it almost year round. It is in a travel funnel anyway and they will cruise through there to munch on the go...I am reseeding it this spring with Rack Master again. The leafs on the clover were the size of silver dollars. I will be posting a pic of it in a week to 10 days. There is a dead elm in it I need to cut up and do a little cleaning.
Solohunter
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Post by hunter7x on Jan 31, 2006 10:02:08 GMT -5
Thats exactly the reason I want to establish a small plot on my place. I own property in a huge continous woods my place is a very small part of it. The deer have no more reason to come onto my property than they do the neighbors or the guy a mile from me with the same woods on his property.
I don't have row crops close to me in any direction less than 1/2 mile so I want them to come to the candy store on the way to or from the grocery store!
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