[Tenpointguy]

I’m going to be trying the no till method this fall.
I just ordered a PackerMaxx cultipacker to pull behind my UTV.
The weeds just took off and ruined my Summer cow pea plot this year. I plan on spraying in August and plant the 2nd week in September. I was wanting to start earlier, but the co op suggest I wait until the 2nd week in September.
I’ll be planting winter wheat and possibly adding a small amount of radish in it.
Any thoughts or advise would be appreciated.

 

[BULLDOGGBOYZ]

You are dialed in on the fall/winter crop choice, that's for sure! While I'm no farmer and have never planted a food plot myself, I have been looking in to it a bit, as well as watching MossyOak Game Keepers, which does a lot on of food plots. Obviously it depends on your locale as to when it's the best time to plant, but I know they highly recommend any of the cereal crops and radishes for the fall/winter months. Not just as an attractant per se, but to actually provide the carbs your deer will need to sustain them through the harsh lean months of winter. They also stated that it's important to try and plant enough so that it lasts as close to spring as possible and doesn't run out too early in the winter, as that can have a negative impact on whether the deer will stay close by or roam off to forage. As for the equipment, I'd think that to get away without tilling, you would at least want to drag it with a screen and agitate the soil a little. My apologies if that's incorrect, but it seems plausible. I am learning man...Don't beat me down too bad. LOL!

 

[BULLDOGGBOYZ]

Oh yes...I believe they stated late August, Early September for planting the fall crop. They say to check the Almanac and see what the forecast is for precipitation. If there will be ample moisture to get you through August, they say go ahead and plant. Just those 2 weeks or so you gain could have a big impact on whether or not the crop reaches maturity or gets demolished by the deer before it's done growing. So in other words, if the plants are smaller it will equal less food for the herd, and obviously won't last as long in to the winter.

 

[TX_RDXguy]

I’m going to be trying the no till method this fall.
I just ordered a PackerMaxx cultipacker to pull behind my UTV.
The weeds just took off and ruined my Summer cow pea plot this year. I plan on spraying in August and plant the 2nd week in September. I was wanting to start earlier, but the co op suggest I wait until the 2nd week in September.
I’ll be planting winter wheat and possibly adding a small amount of radish in it.
Any thoughts or advise would be appreciated.

I feel your pain ANU. My experience this year has been that my well fed, well cared for clover food plot has to have careful grass and broadleaf weed control. The competition of the natural and invasive plants is there and fierce. I've sprayed twice this year with some success, cut it three times and I've also had to pull, and spot spray for weeds that are not easy to control (horse-nettle for example). I'm holding on planting a fall crop this year for a number of reasons but will be more diligent on spraying early next spring and cutting as well.

Good luck with the fall plot!

 

[Tenpointguy]

I feel your pain ANU. My experience this year has been that my well fed, well cared for clover food plot has to have careful grass and broadleaf weed control. The competition of the natural and invasive plants is there and fierce. I've sprayed twice this year with some success, cut it three times and I've also had to pull, and spot spray for weeds that are not easy to control (horse-nettle for example). I'm holding on planting a fall crop this year for a number of reasons but will be more diligent on spraying early next spring and cutting as well.

Good luck with the fall plot!

Thanks buddy and good luck to you as well.

 

[Tenpointguy]

Oh yes...I believe they stated late August, Early September for planting the fall crop. They say to check the Almanac and see what the forecast is for precipitation. If there will be ample moisture to get you through August, they say go ahead and plant. Just those 2 weeks or so you gain could have a big impact on whether or not the crop reaches maturity or gets demolished by the deer before it's done growing. So in other words, if the plants are smaller it will equal less food for the herd, and obviously won't last as long in to the winter.

September is our driest month of the year. Thats why the coop told me to hold off until the second week of September thinking it will establish enough to when rain picks up in October. ???

 

[robertyb]

September is our driest month of the year. Thats why the coop told me to hold off until the second week of September thinking it will establish enough to when rain picks up in October. ???

It is a crap shoot this time of the year. Plant too early and it sprouts and then gets no rain and it might not establish at all. Plant too late and it never gets properly established before cold weather hits. Most folks here in NW GA plant after bow season starts on the first weekend of Sept. usually. I will probably go ahead and plant around the 20th of August depending on the 15 day forecast here.
You can always go back if you mess up and over seed with grain rye (winter rye) until you get a hard freeze and get good green growth established that the deer like. Dang stuff will grow in the back of a pickup truck. Just do NOT plant rye grass. Different plants.

 

[dryforkbrady]

I plant 1 acre of oats and 1/2 acre turnips. The plot is ready to plant now. I will fertilize 1st of September and plant just ahead of a decent rain event. This year I have kept the plot disturbed with a disk or a rock rake to keep growth down. I like it that way.

 

[Gabowman]

After 1 & 3/4" of rain Wednesday and another 1 & 1/4" of rain yesterday I spent this morning plowing up my food plots with my ATV and little plow (like pulled behind a craftsman mower). The lay of the land leans so the plots drain good. If we're still getting rain in another 2-3 weeks then I'll go ahead and plant the last week of August. My initial plans was to plant Labor Day weekend as that usually works out pretty good getting green plots before the cool weather gets here. I'm planning on an even mix of winter wheat and oats, adding some white top clover (deer ate this all the way up to the point when I sprayed glyformate to kill all the weeds and grasses that was starting to take over the beginning of hot summer) and sprinkling in some rape/kale/turnips. Just 5 more weeks until bow season here.

 

[Tenpointguy]

It is a crap shoot this time of the year. Plant too early and it sprouts and then gets no rain and it might not establish at all. Plant too late and it never gets properly established before cold weather hits. Most folks here in NW GA plant after bow season starts on the first weekend of Sept. usually. I will probably go ahead and plant around the 20th of August depending on the 15 day forecast here.
You can always go back if you mess up and over seed with grain rye (winter rye) until you get a hard freeze and get good green growth established that the deer like. Dang stuff will grow in the back of a pickup truck. Just do NOT plant rye grass. Different plants.

Yes, I’m back and forth whether to plant winter wheat or winter rye. I here both do well.

 

[robertyb]

I would probably plant winter wheat mixed with turnips or other brassicas and see how it does. If it comes in sparse over seed using winter rye.