A couple questions about my food plots and fertilizer

[possum]

So I've got 3 small 1/4 acre food plots going to plant this fall. Did a soil test in spring and called for 2000 lbs lime per acre (I would need 1500lbs) I bought every bag tractor supply had of pellet lime (30 bags 1200 lbs) and planted sunn hemp. Sunn hemp germinated but never really grew well. I'm not sure why it failed. Possible due to lime not having enough time to work? Anyways don't want my fall plots to fail! Last weekend August 14th I sprayed 30 gal or 60 oz of glyphosate over the 3/4 acres. My plan is to mow everything around Aug 30th, then add 500 lbs lime, fertilizer and sometime before bow season (sept 10th) disk and plant wheat/oats. Maybe mix in some perennial clover? Is this a plan for success or does anyone see a mistake I'm making?
More specific questions I have for the veteran food plotters.... Is it ok to fertilize a couple weeks before planting. Or do I need to fertilize same time I plant? Also in my area of central Ga the bag of clover says can plant after Sept 5th. Is planting around that time too soon? Should I wait? What do I need to look for in the extended forecast (other than rain) to tell me it's ok to plant?
Thanks

 

[BrianVT]

I would pull another soil test to see where you are at.

 

[dogdoc]

Cereal grains such as wheat, rye, and oats are much more forgiving when compared to a legume. Plant and it won't fail. I've planted wheat in some pretty poor soil with great results. I would bypass the perennial clover this fall and plant red clover. Red is much more tolerant to acidity pH vs a white such as ladino. The red clover will really kick in early next spring and provide forage and soil improvement all summer. You can then till under the red next fall and plant your perennial clover with a wheat / oat nurse crop.

 

[dogghr]

Yes it is ok to spread your fert couple weeks ahead of planting. I would do a WR and/or WW combo with RC. You could also add in oats if you want some pre freeze attraction, I usually just use spring or reclaimed oats from my coop. Helps to inoculate your RC if it hasn't already been treated. I would however if you are doing no till, spread your seed before mowing. Mow high enough so there is a mulch like covering but not a heavy thatch that can inhibit germination. If you can plant before a rain, all the better. Early to mid Sept would be good timing for your area I would think. Good luck.

 

[TheOldOak]

I would definitely add a few pounds of clover, a mix of clovers would be preferrable. Also consider skipping the disking as that will bring up more weeds. I've had good luck simply killing the weeds, then topseeding before rain preferrably. Turkeys will eat up the seed if it sits very long before germination. You can fertilize before planting, but i think during or after planting are preferrable. If you fertizile several weeks before planting, I have to think the fertilizer will lose some punch, especially if you receive much rain. Results I've read about sunn hemp for deer attractant are pretty mixed, probably better options out there.

 

[FarmerD]

We do suffer from "army worms", in Georgia, in places, which can still be active in early September, which will wipe out cereal grains, if planted too early. A mix of wheat/oats, crimson, arrowleaf and medium red clover, will keep providing, for your deer, till August of next year. It's a good combo.

 

[FarmerD]

I'll just add, that acorns trump food plots, which likely will start dropping, depending on where you are, in early October. If you have lots of acorns near by, your cereal grains, if planted too early, will grow unpalatable by rifle season. If you hunt in a county where baiting is allowed, that might be a consideration for bow and black powder season.

Some perennial white clovers, like Durana, will not germinate, till the soil temperatures are right. That's probably when the night time temps get in to the high 50's. Otherwise, the seed will just sit there. Also September and October, are by far, not our wettest months, so again, planting too early, could lead to drought issues. Also, if you go with a perennial clover, don't plant the cereal grain portion too thick, as it will just shade out the clover in the spring and hurt your "stand". Maybe 50 lbs/acre, however my choice would be a mix of the 3 clovers above, with your soil conditions.

 

[FarmerD]

I tweak the Cadillac Combo a little .... remove the chicory, not that it is bad, but this is for an annual plot and add daikon radishes at 2 lbs/acre.

 

[Jason Broom]

If you added 1,300lbs of pelletized lime in the spring, it's safe to say your pH has come up at least somewhat. If the goal is to eventually have a perennial mix, go ahead and include some 5lbs of white clover a pound of chicory. Heck, they don't cost much and if they fail, you'll know your soil still needs some attention. The cereal grains will do just fine.

 

[JFH]

If you added 1,300lbs of pelletized lime in the spring, it's safe to say your pH has come up at least somewhat. If the goal is to eventually have a perennial mix, go ahead and include some 5lbs of white clover a pound of chicory. Heck, they don't cost much and if they fail, you'll know your soil still needs some attention. The cereal grains will do just fine.

Agree 100% with Jason.

Even pellet lime take a little while to get to maximum impact, especially if your soil is clay-based. Good new is, on heavier soils the impact of the lime lasts far longer than in sand.

Test again next spring to see full impact of lime before adding more.


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[lakngolf]

We do suffer from "army worms", in Georgia, in places, which can still be active in early September, which will wipe out cereal grains, if planted too early. A mix of wheat/oats, crimson, arrowleaf and medium red clover, will keep providing, for your deer, till August of next year. It's a good combo.

I think that is the combo I go with this year, with a separate patch for purple top turnips.

 

[possum]

Thanks for the replies! We got the lime/ fertilizer down last weekend and tilled up the plots. Man it was hot! Weather not looking good to plant in next couple weeks so I'll be planting closer to October. I'm ready for this hot dry summer to be done!