Figured it would only be a short time before the knowledge transferred from native vegetation to plot vegetation.
I have know you for quite some time now. Always been impressed with your ability to time native plant disturbance to release preferred forbs etc. Then on the other hand a bit surprised that a disc was always needed to establish a plot. Quite the oxymoron don't you think? I suspect the reason for that disparity has to do mostly with 'mental comfort of age old practices' which lends to 'anticipated risk and fear' when doing something entirely new.
How to promote clover? Short duration high impact of current vegetation to promote clover emergence then long recovery period to allow clover establishment. Your choice of short duration high impact disturbance (SDHID) was herbicide, mower, truck.....my SDHID is the cow herd then drill or broadcast....same results....aka a plant community shift!
Success is sweet.....the more important question is......Will the disc be parked now that you have proven the technology was transferred in your mindset from native to plot management?
+
Doug, I can't say that the disk will always be parked.
I think in each future situation I will look at a multiplicity of factors and decide what I think is the best for the situation at hand. Some of those considerations will be: species being planted, time of the year, rain forecast, attributes of the ground being planted, existing vegetation, speed of success necessary, and other things that might run through my mind at the time.
Actually I have more options than just a disk. I have plows and a very nice tiller. I've not used that tiller for a long time but it is stored in the barn and not losing any value should I ever decide to use it (or sell it). The absolute best plot I have ever put in was using it. I could have done no till on that one too, but due to the specific circumstances, I got what I wanted quickly, and that was important due to getting started late. What I lost was of less value (to me) than what I got. The ground I started with was such a beautiful stand of pure Orchard Grass, I actually hated to kill it. No till would have worked here too, but what I did got me a great plot much more quickly.
One thing I like about this small no till plot is the moisture retention. The plots put in 15 days later using a disk are looking good too, but obviously lose moisture (and some other soil goodies) at a faster rate. It has been very dry since that time, and examining the soil in both plots on the same day is something I am doing.
I can certainly see more no till plots in my future, but as stated above - in every situation, I will stop and take all those factors into consideration. Heck, I don't want it to become too easy, because then dad wouldn't volunteer to come and disk. I could lose a great day of fellowship.........
One thing I will say for sure - a man needs a better cultipacker than a small pickup truck.
That goes for whatever method he uses for planting. I am keeping an eye out for one.
