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Clearing for foodplot question... Order of events?

S

stevep

Member
I've got a great little half acre food plot area selected and I'm getting ready to clear it. This seems like the perfect time to clear now that most of the vegetation is "down". Do I need to spray it with something, or should I just start cutting (small trees, thorn bushes etc...) and then till it up? If I cut then till, will I have all kinds of problems with stuff coming up in the spring?

The way I see it, I should:

1. Trim / cut to the ground.
2. Till it all up.
3. Frost seed in February????

I know there's a ton of info on here, my question is how to get it all started in the right sequence of events.

Thanks!

Steve
 
Depends on what your putin out there but sounds like u got er figured out for the most part trial n error check out bio logic
 
I was planning on putting in clover, yes. Probably following Dbltree's advice in that area. Just want to make sure I get the prep work done correctly.
 
I cleared a 1/2 acre spot last spring. Very similar to what you are going to do. I had underbrush and trees up to 6 - 8" diameter. I rented a backhoe for the day to clear. $250. You really need to get as much of the root system of the trees and brush that you can. Mine turned out great. I planted Dbltree's recipe. Clover, Cereal & Brassica. Even though it is only a 1/2 acre plot, deer have hammered it since September! The only problem I have is that is isn't big enough! I am planning on adding another 1 1/2 acres to it this spring. Definitely look into Dbltree's recipe.

Good luck!
 
I have established clover plots now a few times, some of them right and some of them wrong. :D

I would NOT though till the ground that you intend to frost seed. Clear it, yes, but undisturbed bare dirt is actually what you want for frost seeding. Since you haven't killed the vegetation, and it is too late now this fall, you will get some regrowth next spring that you will have to deal with. (IMO, you will get more undesirable regrowth if you till now.)

I would:

1. Cut your trees down now or anytime prior to frost seeding in late Feb/early March.

2. Clear your stumps out, but this is not even a total requirement. I have an area that we still call Stumptown on our farm because when I established it years ago there were literal stumps everywhere in the field for a couple of years until I had a bulldozer in to eliminate them. We still grew clover fine and the deer ate it just fine, it is just bothersome to mow around a zillion stumps. :D

Also, Instead of heavy equipment on just a 1/2 acre, consider cutting the stumps flush to the ground and then renting a stump grinder and grinding them out yourself. It is laborious no doubt, but could save you some $$$'s. Personally, I love to work up a sweat on a brisk winter day.

3. Clear the leaves, etc, so you have bare dirt showing as much as possible. A leaf blower can work well for this on just 1/2 acre.

4. Since you didn't kill this fall...be prepared for some mowing and possibly some clethodim spraying next spring.

BUT, you can pull off a very nice clover plot yet, so don't despair.
 
Guys... Thanks a ton for all the advice. I'll keep you updated on progress. Can't wait to get moving on it!

Steve
 
My advice is going to be a little different than what some of the others have given. I think this will give you your best chance for a successful food plot. Here is the order of advents I would do.

1. Clear area as soon as possible.
2. Get soil test and add lime as soon as possible
3. Next spring in late May when things start to grow spray with glyphosate
4. Spray again in late June or early July
5. Till a couple of weeks after spraying
6. Spray again in August if necessary.
7.Till if necessary and Plant Dbltree's recipe around Labor Day
 
So I'm assuming that by waiting until next fall to plant, I can make sure that I've killed all of the weeds and undesirable stuff?

What about an early spring spraying (early april?) and then planting?

I hate to lose the whole year, but I understand that killing everything next spring / summer would probably make for an easier to manage plot.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Steve
 
You don't have to wait. Clover is much easier to start in the fall so you don't have to deal with the weeds. After I cleared the spot I seeded with oats in the spring then started in with dbltree's rotation as recommended. Deer & Turkey have been hammering it since spring! It has worked great!
 
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So what if I did something like this:

1. Clear now
2. Spray early spring (late march?)
3. Throw down some oats
4. Early fall - Spray with RU
5. Mid Fall (Mid September?) Till it up & plant clover?

Thanks!
 
Terrific_tom said:
My advice is going to be a little different than what some of the others have given. I think this will give you your best chance for a successful food plot. Here is the order of advents I would do.

1. Clear area as soon as possible.
2. Get soil test and add lime as soon as possible
3. Next spring in late May when things start to grow spray with glyphosate
4. Spray again in late June or early July
5. Till a couple of weeks after spraying
6. Spray again in August if necessary.
7.Till if necessary and Plant Dbltree's recipe around Labor Day
Click to expand...

The approach above will certainly work, BUT you will have no clover/food until approximately a year from now. The suggestion to soil test and add lime yet this year is also a good one, but not absolutely necessary.

You could still soil test and add lime now, clear your area and frost seed red clover(less expensive) this winter, giving yourself a clover plot from say April to August. Then plow that down and go with a Dbltree mix in early September.

You will have only spent a modest amount of money on red clover seed with the benefits of having something in the plot for an extra 5-6 months and the clover will leave you some residual nitrogen if you want to plant something else for next fall. You could also just leave it in clover. If you did that though I would use white clover, not red.
 
Daver said:
The approach above will certainly work, BUT you will have no clover/food until approximately a year from now. The suggestion to soil test and add lime yet this year is also a good one, but not absolutely necessary.

You could still soil test and add lime now, clear your area and frost seed red clover(less expensive) this winter, giving yourself a clover plot from say April to August. Then plow that down and go with a Dbltree mix in early September.

You will have only spent a modest amount of money on red clover seed with the benefits of having something in the plot for an extra 5-6 months and the clover will leave you some residual nitrogen if you want to plant something else for next fall. You could also just leave it in clover. If you did that though I would use white clover, not red.
Click to expand...

I like that idea. I want to do it right, but at the same time, the idea of having to wait until next fall isn't something that I'm too excited about.

With just 1/2 acre, I'm guessing that the price difference between red clover and white clover won't be a deal breaker. I'll go with white and then if it's doing well in the summer, I'll leave it be, and if not, I'll spray it all at the end of the summer and go with the "fall planting" of Dbltree's clover.

Sounds like a good plan, right?

Steve
 
White clover is less likely to require mowing than red, but with only a 1/2 acre plot you may find that the deer keep it mowed for you. The deer will eat red or white just fine, I would just favor red if I was going to plow it down relatively soon.

You're right, the cost difference for a 1/2 acre is going to be minor. I think your last plan sounds like a winner to me.
 
Daver said:
The approach above will certainly work, BUT you will have no clover/food until approximately a year from now. The suggestion to soil test and add lime yet this year is also a good one, but not absolutely necessary.

You could still soil test and add lime now, clear your area and frost seed red clover(less expensive) this winter, giving yourself a clover plot from say April to August. Then plow that down and go with a Dbltree mix in early September.

You will have only spent a modest amount of money on red clover seed with the benefits of having something in the plot for an extra 5-6 months and the clover will leave you some residual nitrogen if you want to plant something else for next fall. You could also just leave it in clover. If you did that though I would use white clover, not red.
Click to expand...

Daver,
Not saying that the other suggestions won't work. I assumed that he was from Iowa where there are plenty of crops growing all summer, so his 1/2 acre plot will make little difference as far as nutrition for deer in the summer time. With his future plot not even started yet I gave him a plan that has been used by many that I know will give him a successful food plot for next deer season which is what he is looking for. There are so many unkowns about the area that he chose for a food plot. If the soils ph is way off he will have a hard time getting some clovers to even grow. I have saw on many forums where guys are in a hurry to plant food plots and take short cuts only to have complete food plot failures. They then have to start over. One other suggestion I have is that he read thru Dbltrees's threads on food plots. Just my opinions
 
Hey guys... a bit more info...

I've read every page of Dbltrees clover (and most of the other) posts. That's what got me fired up about doing it! Even with all that great info, I just wanted to make sure that the specifics of my situation were being addressed. There's SO much good info on here, I just thought I'd post up.

I am planning on having a soil test done asap. There are some crops around, corn and beans. (I'm in mid-MO), but none adjacent to my property This specific area is kind of a bottom area, that is currently thin forest and brush.

I definitely want to do it the right way. Not the quick way. If planning for a great fall plot is my best bet, then I'm all in.

Either way I TOTALLY appreciate all of the input. As someone new to this I'm just trying to make sure that I don't make any stupid (easily avoidable) mistakes.

Thanks!

Steve
 
Terrific_tom said:
Daver,
Not saying that the other suggestions won't work. I assumed that he was from Iowa where there are plenty of crops growing all summer, so his 1/2 acre plot will make little difference as far as nutrition for deer in the summer time. With his future plot not even started yet I gave him a plan that has been used by many that I know will give him a successful food plot for next deer season which is what he is looking for. There are so many unkowns about the area that he chose for a food plot. If the soils ph is way off he will have a hard time getting some clovers to even grow. I have saw on many forums where guys are in a hurry to plant food plots and take short cuts only to have complete food plot failures. They then have to start over. One other suggestion I have is that he read thru Dbltrees's threads on food plots. Just my opinions
Click to expand...

No problem, I understand, totally cool. Just a little more info on where I am coming from... while I still have much to learn, I have been "plotting" now for about 10 years and looking back I think one of the biggest mistakes I have made was to let my plots be idle at different times of the year.

Sometimes it was on purpose, I just didn't think to plant anything for a particular season or just didn't know any better, etc. Other times, like this past extra dry summer, it wasn't on purpose, it was just that I couldn't hardly get a crop to take from May to August. Harumph! So while I really wanted to provide some food, I essentially couldn't.

Although I am long ways from having it all figured out, I believe that having year round food sources is super key to consistent deer activity on a given place. While not all bucks are wired the same, there are certainly some of them that will spend 95%+ of their time in as little as 15-30 acres IF all of their needs are being met.

Realistically, one 1/2 acre clover plot is not going to keep any deer "on the farm" 100% of the time. But, I am strongly of the opinion that a year round strategy is vital, so I was just trying to emphasize that for a new plotter.
 
stevep said:
Is Roundup the best thing to spray with to kill the undergrowth?
Click to expand...

Steve there are generic forms of roundup that are cheaper that do the same job as roundup. Go to your local Farm Supply Store or Co-op and get 41% Glyphosate and apply per instuctions.
 
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