Just want to see if this sounds right

[Vandy]

This is the first year I am doing food plots for other people (other than family). I have a job currently and just want your take on if this sounds like the right way to do it.

Customer wants a 4 acre corn/weed field (not been planted in 2 yrs) to be sprayed and tilled so he can plant grass.

So here are my thoughts on how to do it:
1) go up and mow fields, and spray
2) wait a week and come back and disc/till, drag it out
3) Come back week later and spray again
4) done

I usually do 1 acre plots so this is going to be pretty big compared to normal. this will be in WI. I know grass seed is not a plot but just looking for some input. A seed supplier I am going to try this year said I can spray wait 3hrs and till it under and be done... that would be nice but no way to get all that equipment there for one time.
Thanks
Vandy

 

[FarmerD]

I'd spray now, for a good kill, depending on what weeds or woody plants are there and no mowing. Wait till early early to mid May when he might be ready to plant the grass, and the ground is fit. At that point, everything should be laying down and dead above and below the ground, which will make things very easy for you to disc. You might see some small green plants which just germinated, depending on your weather. Don't worry about those as the disc will get them.

Then I would start working the ground up (assuming it's fit and not too wet), using a disc, with a heavy pressure treated 6" x 6" or a big log, that is chained at both ends, to your disc, across its width. When you raise your discs, set it so the 6 x 6 or log picks up too. That will help level your ground. Over lap your discing rows by 50%, to work everything into the soil, and if there is a lot of "trash" still exposed, you may want to go over it again.

After 2-4 hours with your worked up ground, having dried just slightly, spread the grass seed and then drag the seed into the ground. You'll find that letting the soil dry a little and using a drag, that any clumps you have will break up and flatten out, making a nice seed bed, yet, you still have moisture in the ground, to help with quick seed germination.

Quick seed germination, will help with controlling weeds, a little. JMHO

 

[FarmerD]

I'll just "qualify" your time to spray, as I assume things are growing up there right now. For something like glyphosate to work, the plants have to be growing.

 

[Vandy]

FarmerD Yes exactly that weeds will need to be growing. I do like your idea and that would help save so serious time. Is there any advantage not to mow besides the time/gas to do it?

 

[FarmerD]

If you mow, then spray, the chopped leaf matter may not give you good enough coverage to kill the plants and cover up some small ones, which will come thru the organic matter. If you spray, wait 3 hours, then mow, you'll have killed the plants, yes, and they will still look green, but IMHO, you only mowed, to make yourself feel good, "IF" you have 3-4 weeks to wait till you plant.

In 3-4 weeks, everything will be laying down dead, decomposing, dried up, or should be and discing will be easy. IMHO the mowing is not necessary. Now if you need to plant, 7 days after you sprayed, mowing after spraying would be a consideration.

 

[FarmerD]

Mowing also will give you a "windrow" of chopped leaf matter. Just spraying and letting it die over 3-4 weeks, you won't have a "windrow" to try to work into the soil, as the soil will have an even coating of leaf matter.

 

[FarmerD]

I'm sure there is much more weeds etc., than you see in this field, but a "burndown" like this, is a piece of cake to work up. D

 

[FarmerD]

Bush hogging green matter may leave windows, which will be harder to work in to the soil.

 

[Vandy]

I cant believe I didn't think of that... thanks for opening my eyes. I have disc'd both styles in past and you are so right that obviously sprayed/un mowed is way to go.

 

[FarmerD]

Good luck! Post pics!! You might save someone else 5 gallons of diesel fuel!

 

[Smallplot]

Are we talking native grass or regular lawn grass? Native grass just seems to do better without the ground being worked up in my opinion. Just throwing this out there.


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[Vandy]

I will post photos for you guys.

He honestly just mentioned grass, then in later convo said native grass. Then mentioned maybe doing a plot with some of it so I think it still up in the air to be honest, but he for sure wanted all rag weed killed and gone. I am guessing that he maybe looking to put some kind of building on property in future.

 

[j-bird]

I think it's all going to depend on how tall and thick the weeds are and the size of your equipment. It may also depend on what sort of weeds you are killing. I do know that I have had cases where there was little chance of working dead weeds into the ground without a plow or burning off the dead stuff first. In other cases I have tilled everything under and only sprayed what survived that process. It all depends.....

 

[FarmerD]

This is true! My guess is that in Wisconsin right now, that corn/weed field is just coming to life, so things shouldn't be too tall and will make a kill with glyphosate easier, than a mature pasture.

 

[Vandy]

Yah lawns around my area which is roughly 45min-1hr south of this property are just starting to green the past 2 weeks but mainly this week. Lots and lots of rain lately, so I am hoping it starts to dry out here soon. And now he wants me to seed it as well, he already bought 450lbs of grass seed (did not mention type). And its like 4.7acre total not 4 so more spray will be needed. Mentioned to him about liming/fertilizing but I am willing to bet that it will just be seeding and that's it. Didn't really want to seed it since I don't know what soil is like at all at this point but I do have some ph strips that I can at least get somewhat of an idea on what we dealing with. I will keep you guys posted with some photos and what not. Very excited to do this property, cant wait to check it out and chase the dream of plot work/farming...well I guess more lawn care in this case lol

 

[Vandy]

I see that native grass ph level ranges from 5.0 on up so thinking it will be fine. Will check either way as I told him I would.

 

[FarmerD]

450 lbs of grass seed, seems like about 3 times too much. Be careful and don't put down too much. And you only get one chance with grass or a lawn, to put lime down into the top 4" of soil. A 9 ton truckload, spread, might only cost him $450?

 

[Vandy]

if he has me seed.... cultipack, spread grass, cultipack again were my thoughts

 

[Vandy]

This is before and after photos for you guys to check out

 

[cutman]

Looks awesome!