Food Plot Update-HELP!

Z

ZachI131

New Member
All,
If you didn't get a chance to see my post from a month ago I cleared two large areas (4 acres) and planted oats/buckwheat.

I finally got up to my hunting property over the weekend and with all the rain started seeing a lot of growth. The problem is I am dealing with a lot of erosion control issues being in the mountains.

What would you recommend being the next tip to help improve these plots and improve the erosion issue. While I tracked over all of the areas with the skid steer a lot of seed still washed away.
 
Wonder if you would be better off w/ perennial mix like clover if dealing w/ erosion that way there are always roots in the ground helping to prevent that....in short term i would try reseeding some of the spots that washed away, hard to say without seeing it, but maybe had enough established first go around that 2nd planting have less erosion now that some of the plot has roots.
 
Would you do another pass with oats and buckwheat? I was thinking about doing a pass with a plugger to see if that helps.

It seems most of the growth is in the rows where I back dragged with a tooth bucket before seeding.
 
You should probably plant annual ryegrass in the areas where you are having the erosion, maybe consider re-leveling the washouts then immediately do a heavy seeding of ryegrass ASAP. I'd maybe consider some type of an erosion control banket in the water channels and lower ares where it's washing the most. Buckwheat, clover and oats is ok for erosion control, but not as good as a type of grass. Buckwheat and oats stands are too slow to germinate and growth populations are too sparse sparse, clover establishes too slowly. Any combination of these plants would also be good, a heavy seeding rather than a light seeding is important. You can always interseed clover into the ryegrass later and then terminate the ryegrass when the clover is established. Once you get something established and growing you should never till that slope again except for land levelling, I would keep it in permanent clover. I would try not to disturb the strips where you have something growing now and concentrate get roots established in the washout areas. Getting on top of erosion is a balancing act, any and every rooted plant is a victory that makes winning the battle easier. Farming slopes an grades takes expertise in knowing what Ag methods you can get away with and what you can't in that particular area and soil type.
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Keep n mind you had 3-5 in rain on top of a record wet spring so you are not dealing w the norm.
Do not touch that ground this year w any implement. I’d plant wheat or rye along w RC. RC grows quick and has deeper roots than some other clovers. The grain won’t make it thru the summer but will help stabilize. Use of ryegrass as suggested is an option short term.
And as much as I hate it , you might include fescue even in strips for erosion control. Even tho it is Kentucky’s contribution to foodplotters aggravation across its 30 million acres of coverage, it does grow quick and thick for erosion control.
Que Natives picture posting of fescue plaque.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yes, ryegrass is just broadcast on top, but germinates best with loose soil vs hardpan. Deer will also graze it a bit when it is tender.
 
ZachI131 said:
Just broadcast with ATV over the plot? I was looking at getting a couple erosion control blankets as well.
Click to expand...
If looking for alternative to the blankets, sometimes they can get expensive. But by us it is known as EZ straw can get at mendards/HD it is bascially just straw w/ tack in it, so when it gets wet the straw almost like glues itself together. They come in compressed bails and want to say one bail covers like 500 sq ft, not sure the area working with but if somewhat small just spread that around over whatever seed you choose to help get it established.
 
ZachI131 said:
I think I have a lead on some local owned erosion control blankets for cheap. Any concern with putting this over new growth?
Click to expand...
You can put them over new growth, just roll it right over the growth. However, make sure that you have some seed down wherever you roll it on just to make sure something grows through the blanket.
 
Brown top Millet is what we use here for erosion control in the summer. Northern Mississippi. It will take the hot weather and do fine. Will put a lot of organic matter on top of the soil especially with a light fertilization. Just a thought
 
Broadcast brown top of the erosion control blankets to keep the seed in place. Any hay or straw anything to anchor the seed to the ground will be better than throwing seed on bare dirt. With a little rain or heavy dew it will be up a couple inches in 10 days to two weeks. Rather fast grower
 
I found straight millet for $36/50 lb bag. How much would you overseed?

What fertilizer blend would you reccomend?
 
Whatever you do, DO NOT PLANT RYEGRASS ANYWHERE. For your own sanity, trust me on that. Though it would do the job, the future pain in the ass is not worth it. There are better alternatives. Plus terracing, plowing perpendicular to the slope, and low tillage planting methods are much better.
 
THE LLC said:
Whatever you do, DO NOT PLANT RYEGRASS ANYWHERE. For your own sanity, trust me on that. Though it would do the job, the future pain in the ass is not worth it. There are better alternatives. Plus terracing, plowing perpendicular to the slope, and low tillage planting methods are much better.
Click to expand...

What he ^^^^^^^ said !
 
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