Post by esshup on Jul 25, 2021 23:01:04 GMT -5
O.K. I'm getting frustrated with planting food plots. I still cannot seem to get a good even planting, and I am not sure about the depth. Here is what I have and I am looking for advice on what to get to improve my planting uniformity and germination rates.
1) Take soil samples and have them tested, then lime accordingly as early in the year as possible (or as late in the year as possible for the upcoming year) and add fertilizer according to the soil test pre planting.
2) Kill whatever is growing with glyphosate, 2,4-D or Diquat prior to working the soil.
3) If the dead plants are tall, mow them so they are small pieces. I mow as low as I can go without mowing dirt.
4) Rototill the soil to 4"-6" depth. (42" wide rototiller behind the garden tractor or tent a 5'-6' wide one)
5) Spread the seed with a rotary spreader behind the ATV.
6) Roll the ground (I have a 20"-24" roller that is about 5' wide that I fill with water).
Pray for rain.
I recently planted clover, Radish/turnips/sugar beets and a 2 year old bag of Power Plant. Three different areas, between 1/2 and 1 acres each. One clover area, 2 areas with the other seeds.
The rotary spreader seemed to be open too far for the Radish/turnips/sugar beets. Got a very dense stand about 1" tall now, but only about 3/4 of the area has seed..... The area that I used the Power Plant on, is very thin. Could be poor germination rates due to older seeds. The jury is still out on the clover.
Sandy soil.
One area that is a wee bit bigger than 1/2 acre that has clover on it was a virgin area. The roots in it from the blackberry and other plants was solidly packed in the rototiller before I got 1/3 tilled. I had to stop, use a lopper to cut the roots and take them out of the tines of the tiller - it took about 6 hours to till that area.
What implements do I need to get to make life go a bit easier and quicker? Roughly 3 acres in food plots now.
I have a 500cc 4wd shaft driven ATV, 18 hp 4wd tractor and a 65 hp 4wd tractor. I want something that is relatively easy to transport and something that I can make one trip to the ground, work the soil and get everything planted in one trip (at the correct depth). I have a 12'x103?" trailer and a 20' x 103?" trailer.
I really don't want to spend the kind of $$ that it takes to buy a Plotmaster, but I'm getting tired of what I have now and the results I am getting. Help please!
1) Take soil samples and have them tested, then lime accordingly as early in the year as possible (or as late in the year as possible for the upcoming year) and add fertilizer according to the soil test pre planting.
2) Kill whatever is growing with glyphosate, 2,4-D or Diquat prior to working the soil.
3) If the dead plants are tall, mow them so they are small pieces. I mow as low as I can go without mowing dirt.
4) Rototill the soil to 4"-6" depth. (42" wide rototiller behind the garden tractor or tent a 5'-6' wide one)
5) Spread the seed with a rotary spreader behind the ATV.
6) Roll the ground (I have a 20"-24" roller that is about 5' wide that I fill with water).
Pray for rain.
I recently planted clover, Radish/turnips/sugar beets and a 2 year old bag of Power Plant. Three different areas, between 1/2 and 1 acres each. One clover area, 2 areas with the other seeds.
The rotary spreader seemed to be open too far for the Radish/turnips/sugar beets. Got a very dense stand about 1" tall now, but only about 3/4 of the area has seed..... The area that I used the Power Plant on, is very thin. Could be poor germination rates due to older seeds. The jury is still out on the clover.
Sandy soil.
One area that is a wee bit bigger than 1/2 acre that has clover on it was a virgin area. The roots in it from the blackberry and other plants was solidly packed in the rototiller before I got 1/3 tilled. I had to stop, use a lopper to cut the roots and take them out of the tines of the tiller - it took about 6 hours to till that area.
What implements do I need to get to make life go a bit easier and quicker? Roughly 3 acres in food plots now.
I have a 500cc 4wd shaft driven ATV, 18 hp 4wd tractor and a 65 hp 4wd tractor. I want something that is relatively easy to transport and something that I can make one trip to the ground, work the soil and get everything planted in one trip (at the correct depth). I have a 12'x103?" trailer and a 20' x 103?" trailer.
I really don't want to spend the kind of $$ that it takes to buy a Plotmaster, but I'm getting tired of what I have now and the results I am getting. Help please!
