2013 Food Plots
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2013 Food Plots
Got it all hooked up this weekend but once i got it out to the plot...dam string broke. So i unhooked it and did some donuts and throw out some winter seeds and did some more donuts. Just needs some rain and it should be good to go.
I like animals, they are tasty!
- Triple Creek Reaper
- Brotherhood
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
I have a couple of questions for you guys that have put in plots or replanted them before. I am thinking about offering a guy a turkey membership if he will do the tractor work on our new lease. We have 6 existing plots that are overgrown, most are in the 1/2 acre size but we have a couple that are +1 acre. When I say they are overgrown, it appears they had been let go of for atleast 12 months. The grass and weeds are chest high, animals have been bedding down in them and rooting leaving some pretty uneven terrain. What would be the proper way to go about turning these around.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
3rd Tine Lucky Hunt Club
Bradford County, FL & Port Washington, OH
EST 2013
Bradford County, FL & Port Washington, OH
EST 2013
- Iluv2hunt
- Third Beader
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
If they were planted you think maybe the season before, then a good tractor and disc should be able to plow it all under. Where you get into trouble is if there is sucker trees growing in it. I watched a tractor plow a standing corn field one year in GA, and when he was done you couldn't tell corn was standing there an hour before. let him be the judgeTriple Creek Reaper wrote:I have a couple of questions for you guys that have put in plots or replanted them before. I am thinking about offering a guy a turkey membership if he will do the tractor work on our new lease. We have 6 existing plots that are overgrown, most are in the 1/2 acre size but we have a couple that are +1 acre. When I say they are overgrown, it appears they had been let go of for atleast 12 months. The grass and weeds are chest high, animals have been bedding down in them and rooting leaving some pretty uneven terrain. What would be the proper way to go about turning these around.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
I think that's going to depend on the size of his tractor and disc. If it's big enough, and the brush is not too thick it is possible to do it all in one pass. If it's too bad, then a mowing/spraying may be needed before disking. The goal is to get to bare dirt
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Depends on if you need to add fertilizer and/or lime. Once you get bare dirt I would recommend adding lime/fert (as needed) ASAP. Gives it time to balance out. You don't want to plant spring plots till all the fear of frost is over with, usually Mid March depending on area
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
Absolutely. same as a garden
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
If the plots are done well, and you get to bare dirt the first time...little needs to be done. If everything worked well the first time, all you should need to is disc under the spring plot and plant the fall plot. It should turn under very easily
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly
- treefarmer
- Ordeal
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
Triple Creek Reaper,
I'll 2nd Iluv2hunt's comments, if you only have a years growth in a previously prepared plot a good cutting disk should bury most of the junk. Bush-hogging 1st would also help as it is easier to bury smaller pieces.
The ideal would be cut a fire line around the plots and burn them, then disk, bottom plow and disk again to provide a proper seed bed. Lime or dolomite is a plus as most of our Florida soils are sour (acid). If you go with the lime/dolomite do it after you burn as fire will destroy some of it's effectiveness. Regular agricultural lime also takes several months to do any good so it should be applied as soon as possible. Liming allows fertlizer to be utilized more effectivley but you can get by without it.
Chemicals/herbicides are sometimes tricky and do more damage than good as far as a food plot is concerned. Lots of the junk plants, weeds, etc. that come up will also be used by the deer for feed.
Treefarmer
I'll 2nd Iluv2hunt's comments, if you only have a years growth in a previously prepared plot a good cutting disk should bury most of the junk. Bush-hogging 1st would also help as it is easier to bury smaller pieces.
The ideal would be cut a fire line around the plots and burn them, then disk, bottom plow and disk again to provide a proper seed bed. Lime or dolomite is a plus as most of our Florida soils are sour (acid). If you go with the lime/dolomite do it after you burn as fire will destroy some of it's effectiveness. Regular agricultural lime also takes several months to do any good so it should be applied as soon as possible. Liming allows fertlizer to be utilized more effectivley but you can get by without it.
Chemicals/herbicides are sometimes tricky and do more damage than good as far as a food plot is concerned. Lots of the junk plants, weeds, etc. that come up will also be used by the deer for feed.
Treefarmer
- Bossman
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
One thing also if it is mowed first (which is the best thing to do) it need be left for about 3 weeks so it will dry out and have a chance to start the rot process.
Bossman
- Triple Creek Reaper
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
Iluv2hunt wrote:If they were planted you think maybe the season before, then a good tractor and disc should be able to plow it all under. Where you get into trouble is if there is sucker trees growing in it. I watched a tractor plow a standing corn field one year in GA, and when he was done you couldn't tell corn was standing there an hour before. let him be the judgeTriple Creek Reaper wrote:I have a couple of questions for you guys that have put in plots or replanted them before. I am thinking about offering a guy a turkey membership if he will do the tractor work on our new lease. We have 6 existing plots that are overgrown, most are in the 1/2 acre size but we have a couple that are +1 acre. When I say they are overgrown, it appears they had been let go of for atleast 12 months. The grass and weeds are chest high, animals have been bedding down in them and rooting leaving some pretty uneven terrain. What would be the proper way to go about turning these around.
Should you mow then spray before discing it in or can it all be done in one session?
I think that's going to depend on the size of his tractor and disc. If it's big enough, and the brush is not too thick it is possible to do it all in one pass. If it's too bad, then a mowing/spraying may be needed before disking. The goal is to get to bare dirt
How long should the plot sit before planting?
Depends on if you need to add fertilizer and/or lime. Once you get bare dirt I would recommend adding lime/fert (as needed) ASAP. Gives it time to balance out. You don't want to plant spring plots till all the fear of frost is over with, usually Mid March depending on area
Can the existing plant material, once tilled under act as fertilizer?
Absolutely. same as a garden
What type of maintenance would need to be done between spring and fall planting?
If the plots are done well, and you get to bare dirt the first time...little needs to be done. If everything worked well the first time, all you should need to is disc under the spring plot and plant the fall plot. It should turn under very easily
This will be my 1st go around with being responsible for the food plots and I want to make sure we are getting a fair value in trade. I do not want to make they guy make any more trips than necessary as he will be trailering the tractor over 2 hours to get there.
It sounds like I am on the right track then. We traded a few messages this morning and he has 50hp and 65hp tractors with 7' to 10' implements. We are going to talk this evening and try and put the plan into motion.
3rd Tine Lucky Hunt Club
Bradford County, FL & Port Washington, OH
EST 2013
Bradford County, FL & Port Washington, OH
EST 2013
Re: 2013 Food Plots
I'm not sure how long the winter peas will last but they came up pretty good for the method and attention they got. The hogs haven't found them yet but the deer are pooring out and spending time pulling the whole seedling out and eating them.
I like animals, they are tasty!
- Iluv2hunt
- Third Beader
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
Sweet man. This warm weather has me itching to get my plots done. I know as soon as I do it will come a hard frost. I tilled all 4 of ours and worked in 250lbs of fertilizer over the 4 plots. In Feb when I go up I will probably need to spray 3 of them with round-up. I will probably plant around the end of turkey season
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly
- davedirt
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
10 10 10 ?????????
STAY HUNGRY MY FRIENDS
DUG IN TIGHTER THAN ALABAMA TICK
ROLL TIDE
Last year I was a hunter and not a harvester........
DUG IN TIGHTER THAN ALABAMA TICK
ROLL TIDE
Last year I was a hunter and not a harvester........
- Iluv2hunt
- Third Beader
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
Yeahdavedirt wrote:10 10 10 ?????????
And I got one bag of 13-13-13 to specifically fertilize a stand of oaks by one of my stands
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly
Re: 2013 Food Plots
Went to GA Friday night to pick up a set of king kutter discs.
Saturday we disced in turnips on my my buddy plot.
Sunday we disced up a couple of my plots and put out some clover on one of them. I need to get some 10-10-10 on it this week so it has a chance to grow. The deer at all the peas i put out last month...
If anyone is thinking abt buying a set of discs do it. They work great i wish i had bought a set last year.
Saturday we disced in turnips on my my buddy plot.
Sunday we disced up a couple of my plots and put out some clover on one of them. I need to get some 10-10-10 on it this week so it has a chance to grow. The deer at all the peas i put out last month...
If anyone is thinking abt buying a set of discs do it. They work great i wish i had bought a set last year.
I like animals, they are tasty!
- Iluv2hunt
- Third Beader
- Posts: 12508
- Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:12 am
- Hunt or Fish: Equally Both
- Location: Lutz
Re: 2013 Food Plots
Exact same discs I bought a month ago. I love them. I did have to add a couple concrete blocks to mine. But I was breaking ground, not just retilling established plots
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly
Re: 2013 Food Plots
We added 80lbs on Saturday when we were cleaning a new plot, it made short work of 4' bushes and palms. We are going to go back over it a in a couple weeks once its dead
I like animals, they are tasty!
Re: 2013 Food Plots
We out yesterday to put out some fertilizer to try and keep the deer out and give the clover some time to grow. The plots was completely turned up but the deer. Last weekend after we disced and planted it we compacted it with our 4 wheelers. There were only a couple spots where you could still see tread marks in the plot. I'm putting out a camera tonight hopefully i will get some pictures and it will not walk off.
I like animals, they are tasty!
- Iluv2hunt
- Third Beader
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Re: 2013 Food Plots
Give a bag of Milorganite a try. You can either do a band around the edge of the plot, or broadcast spread the whole thing. It works and will last till you get substantial rain. It's made from human waste
I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt them because I have to. ~Colonel Tom Kelly
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