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Help with new foodplots

Started by Jeff, July 23, 2022, 08:09:41 AM

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Jeff

We had a Forestry Mulcher  in to create some new foodplot areas on our Eastern Upper Peninsula property. In Just 2 hours our property took on another transformation.  

Now to figure out how to get rid t about 4 to 6 inches of Canary Grass thatch. It just rolls around with a landscape rake. I've been using a brush hog to try and chop it up, hence, the old 8n ford tractor in the video for scale. 

Can I plant clover and Brassica diectly into that much mulch?  there are just to many tag alder roots to disc the grass into the soil so I don't know. 

What you think eh? Wait a year? I dont want to!

Drone Flight. New Forestry Mulcher Wildlife Food Plots Survey. - YouTube
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Nebraska

How about direct seeding some rye ,  turnips and maybe radishes  this first go and let the mulched cover breakdown a year.  Rye works pretty good here and will likely overwinter.  The would give the canary grass some competition  in the spring. 
We winter a few cows on them.

Jeff

But will the seeds sprout in that mass, and make ot up before the kazillion canary grass seeds that are probably in there?
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Southside

The good news is you don't have to worry about those Reed Canary seeds, the bad news is because Reed Canary spreads by rhizomes.  

No luck with a disc?  Got access to a moldboard plow so you can bury the duff? 
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Walnut Beast

Spray it with roundup. Then go back and plant your stuff in a couple weeks 

SwampDonkey

Can you windrow the hay with a rake? Get it dry and burn it? Then roundup and then seed the next week.  Burning is difficult up here because you'd need a permit and a burn plan filed with DNR. I can guess that the grass is heavy on that ground so pretty dense coverage.

Another option is to see how it looks dried a little bit. It will help hold ground moisture if the grass can be retained, and if it doesn't look to be cutting off the light too badly, giver the round up and plant the next week or two.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Don P

I don't see a need to roundup what is there now. If you are going to do that wait to see what comes up and hit the new green.

SwampDonkey

Unless the ground was plowed and worked up, the grass is there in stubble form.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Walnut Beast

If there is anything growing it's going to kill it. Most of the various types of food plot seed barely need to be be covered to grow.

YellowHammer

We have issues very similar with Bermuda grass, which is a foot high, and a solid mat of roots that a disk just rolls over and can't get to the dirt.

A good, old school, moldboard plow will cut through it easily, roll out over and put it all about 10 inches under the dirt.  Basically, it will just flip it dirt side up like a pancake.  

I use a 3 bottom, 18 inch Ford turning plow.  I would guess even a smaller one would work, but the key is to get the points deep enough where it just rips out the strip of vegetation, flips the the dirt side up, and the debris side down.  It will also pull up, flip and expose any remaining root balls there may be in the ground.  

After that, once the dirt is exposed, it can be run over with a disc and broken up easily.  

I have do this every year for our winter crops and food plots.  Put the tractor in low 4, turn on the radio, flip on the air conditioner, sink the plow into the green mat, and instant dirt.


 
YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Magicman

 

 
I use a single tooth subsoiler each year to break up the soil.


 
After that the disc does an easy job.  A single pass and ready to seed.
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

petefrom bearswamp

This is a nice video of your little piece of heaven Jeff as well as your others.
My disastrous experience with a food plot wont help you in your case.
The guy that cleared my little plot about 9 years ago removed most of the topsoil and I now have a mess.
Been meaning to move the topsoil back, but it is full of aspen stumps.
Are the dead trees that show up on the video Aspen?
I am not familiar with canary grass.
Topsoil on my property is about 4 inches deep, lots of rocks, but not as many as in Maine.
Lynn I am jealous, not a stone in sight.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Jeff

My problem with a plow I think would be the tag aldar stumps that is under the mat. I tried to get a couple pics this morning.



 

 

 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Southside

If someone around has an offset disc it will take care of that with no problem.  Would be a decent sized farm operation and say 150+ HP tractor that you are looking for.  
Franklin buncher and skidder
JD Processor
Woodmizer LT Super 70 and LT35 sawmill, KD250 kiln, BMS 250 sharpener and setter
Riehl Edger
Woodmaster 725 and 4000 planner and moulder
Enough cows to ensure there is no spare time.
White Oak Meadows

Jeff

Did you watch the ariel video?  :D
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Jeff

Remember, its clay not far down too.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

YellowHammer

I think the mold board plow would go through the stumps pretty quick, if it was pulled by a strong enough tractor.  I did a whole field of sapling sweet gum several years ago with a 70 hp.  The plow just cuts the roots and flips them over.  

I think clay is good, (we have Alabama clay)  because it will hold the turf strip 
together and help roll it over like a ribbon.  

Burning would also work, if it didn't get away and into the woods.  

Nice video, those will be great food plots.


YellowHammerisms:

Take steps to save steps.

If it won't roll, its not a log; it's still a tree.  Sawmills cut logs, not trees.

Kiln drying wood: When the cookies are burned, they're burned, and you can't fix them.

Sawing is fun for the first couple million boards.

Be smarter than the sawdust

Jeff

We just got close to another 1" of rain. I went out and took some pics of the east field that had far less grass and I was able to rake. I think ill have no problem with soil contact there. So here is what Im thinking. Let both fields go a few days, and ill bet they will be very green. They may be green tomorrow.  Spray both fields, but only plant the east with a brassica clover blend. Early september over seed with winter rye. The clover should then grow pretty good in the spring. Spray the other field again after spring green up,  and if it looks like I can get some soil contact, plant buckwheat there next june.


 

 

 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

Walnut Beast

Have you ever thought about buck forage oats. That's a really good one for deer. Many guys that have food plots that have planted everything will tell you it's one of the best. Great for fall! 

thecfarm

buck forage oats, sounds good. 
I just claimed back the back field. Have a lot of wood on top of the grass. I limbed the trees and ran the bush hog through the pine limbs. 
Will need urea and lime to make things grow good.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

DeerMeadowFarm

Whatever you decide to plant, you should do a soil test first otherwise you may be throwing away your time and money. Local Ag colleges usually do it for a slight fee. 

If you go the bottom plow route, go slow. Those things grab something solid and they'll flip you on your backside pretty quick.

Ron Scott

Yes, always start out with a soil test first.
~Ron

Jeff


2 days ago I planted and sprayed glysophate on 4 food plots, 2 the brand new ones from the mulching, totalling about 1.5 acres, all clover and then half brassica mix from northwood whitetail. I had two days of hot sun before today. Its cool and has been a near steady soaking rain for about 10 hrs. And its still raining I hope its enough, as its going to be dry for a week.
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

newoodguy78

If I could guarantee a nice soaking rain like that I'd be putting in about 20+ acres of cover crops right now. We can't seem to catch a sprinkle here, absolutely bone dry. 

Willing to bet your plots will do well getting started, the timing getting them in just before a nice soaker is what I prefer. Once the sun hits there off and running. 

Jeff

My first planting from 7 days ago, got a big storm the next day, but was seeded under the buckwheat I crushed and poisoned over it. This rain was just in time. It was getting dry out there. This morning I went out and checked and I am getting bigtime germination. Now, if it just grows!!



 

 
Just call me the midget doctor.
Forestry Forum Founder and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer.

Commercial circle sawmill sawyer in a past life for 25yrs.
Ezekiel 22:30

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