Small food plot tips

[spro]

I have started clearing some mini food plots. No farm equipment, all by hand with the help of my two boys. Wanting any suggestions/tips I can get for the process. So far I have cleared 2 areas. One is in the woods and the other is in a field with tall grass. The woods location was covered in a thick layer of leaves. I have already raked all the leaves down to soil. The open field location has been cut and all clippings have been raked. See photos. I have read that small food plots can be a waste of time but wanted to give it a try. My thought is if the deer tear it up, hopefully I am there to see it happening.







My plan is:

1. put down weed/brush killer in the areas where there is still grass
2. Come back in 2 weeks and clear out all the dead vegetation.
3. do tilling with hard rack (as much as my back can handle)
4. throw fertilizer and seed (thinking clover and chicory mix) and rack in

Questions:

Will putting down weed killer affect the seed? How long should I wait before throwing seed.

Is their a particular brand or seed mix I should use? Will the stuff you can buy at Academy or Bass Pro be OK? Small plots so not worried so much about price.

Will chicory and clover grow OK in partial shade?

Fertilizer and seed at the same time?

Can I plant the seeds in a few weeks from now or should I wait? Was thinking I could replant again in September if needed.

Appreciate any feedback. Thanks

[MisterSanders]

Is the property accessible by atv? If so, I have a groundhog max I'm thinking of parting with. You're on the right track with the clearing and spraying. If you get a good disc in and want to do clover and chicory, you're going to want to pack, spread, and pack again. Fertilize right after planting, the fertilize again in a month?

[spro]

Let me think about the groundhog. As of right now I am going to stick with trying it by hand first. Not sure I want to get to invested in the project money/equipement wise. Besides its good exercise for the boys and me right? Thanks for the feedback.

[JJuarez]

Interested in any advice too. Looking to do the same this spring.

[BrandonA]

I have started clearing some mini food plots. No farm equipment, all by hand with the help of my two boys. Wanting any suggestions/tips I can get for the process. So far I have cleared 2 areas. One is in the woods and the other is in a field with tall grass. The woods location was covered in a thick layer of leaves. I have already raked all the leaves down to soil. The open field location has been cut and all clippings have been raked. See photos. I have read that small food plots can be a waste of time but wanted to give it a try. My thought is if the deer tear it up, hopefully I am there to see it happening.







My plan is:

1. put down weed/brush killer in the areas where there is still grass
2. Come back in 2 weeks and clear out all the dead vegetation.
3. do tilling with hard rack (as much as my back can handle)
4. throw fertilizer and seed (thinking clover and chicory mix) and rack in

Questions:

Will putting down weed killer affect the seed? How long should I wait before throwing seed.

Is their a particular brand or seed mix I should use? Will the stuff you can buy at Academy or Bass Pro be OK? Small plots so not worried so much about price.

Will chicory and clover grow OK in partial shade?

Fertilizer and seed at the same time?

Can I plant the seeds in a few weeks from now or should I wait? Was thinking I could replant again in September if needed.

Appreciate any feedback. Thanks

Look at the no till method. In the Management section look up some past threads. Great info.

[hooligan]

Tagging this. I'm up against the same questions

[spro]

Well after doing a little more research I decided to throw down the fertilizer, lime, clover and chicory seeds. To my surprise after 2 weeks I am starting to see growth.



This is the plot in the woods where there was very little grass. Good contact seed to soil.

[spro]

Here I just cut the grass, raked the clippings, added the fertilizer and seed. Hoping the chicory and clover come through. No signs yet. My worries on this method is that the tall grass will come back and choke the chicory and clover.

[spro]

In this location I am going to wait till the grass starts growing and then apply weed killer. After its dead I will then apply the fert and seeds. Will see what method works.

[Drycreek3189]

Clover really needs to be planted in the fall down here ( if it's a perennial ). It spends much of the first year growing roots. If it's an annual, then you're probably okay. Clover is definitely one of the best small plot crops and does pretty well in shade also.

Go to the QDMA website for some good info also. Good luck !

[Bumpy]

Well after doing a little more research I decided to throw down the fertilizer, lime, clover and chicory seeds. To my surprise after 2 weeks I am starting to see growth.



This is the plot in the woods where there was very little grass. Good contact seed to soil.

Did you have any rain?

[spro]

Yes. In Montague county.

[Russ79]

Well, don't know why, but I am getting the dreaded red "X" where all the pictures are. I will tell you that long and skinny is better than square- deer are edge creatures and the more edges the better they like it. If you didn't innoculate the clover you might have a hard time getting it up and thriving.

[clay4626]

weed killer won't kill any grass that you wont gone. Use roundup and it will kill any weeds/grass that you won't to get rid of. once your crop is up you can't use any thing on the weeds or grass because it will kill what you plant If you had area pretty clean and get a rain and let weed grass seed sprout then spray with roundup and then plant food plot.
should have a lot less weeds/unwanted grass good luck

[spro]

Great points. I misspoke when I said weed killer. I plan on using Roundup in the plot that I have not planted seed yet.