Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Yep. That’s a ballet dancing turkey gobbler.
Keystone Krops
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Mennoniteman
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What happens when you are busy and totally neglect a clover food plot? Well this one turned into a 5' high jungle of briars, stiltgrass, mile-a-minute, thistles, goldenrod and numerous other offenders. I'm not sure what the rehab will consist of yet, or even if it will work, but I did a throw n mow once, 200 lb of cereal rye per acre. So with the spotty clover and now the added rye my herbicide choices are mostly limited to Butyrac200, which i plan to do a week after the mowing. Maybe I should have used glyphosate and started over, but I'd like to hunt over it and it's still got some decent clover patches. I'm expecting the clover to take off like a house on fire after this mowing, but if it doesn't I'll have wasted my time on the rehab.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Guys keep asking about clover herbicides; Identify whether the weeds are broadleaf or grasses, then formulate a plan to deal with them, things like mowing to control broadleaf weeds and interseeding rye to control grass are some alternatives to herbicides. Because I grow brassicas and grain in my clovers sometimes, I have to be careful with what herbicides I use, and the timing of the applications. My favorite clover herbicide is Imazethapyr 2SL (thunder, pursuit) that kills most types of weeds but has a long-term carryover that will effect most other crop species, I use that only if I don't want to plant anything else with the clover in the next half year or so. I can spray clover and rye/oats grain combo's with 2,4D-B (Butyrac200) which kills broadleaf weeds, if there's no brassica component. I can spray clethodim, which kills grass, on clover & brassica if there's no grain component. Mix clover, oats, and brassica and the only herbicide option is to burn down the field with glyphosate before planting.
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Good luck with the clover plot rehab. It certainly got unruly! I sprayed clethodim under the product name Volunteer this afternoon on my clover plot...grasses are my only real issue.
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
You are going to be a winner. That is Regal Graze ladino clover under those weeds, and clover is my hobby. I'm determined to have that plot looking like the cover of a magazine by next year this time. And I intend to do it without lime and fertilizer just to prove a point, that clover is a weed in itself that just needs the competition removed to grow well. The soil test shows that I need lot's of both.
jlane35
Well-Known Member
Come on! I was feeling good about my clover plots and thought I was doing this foodplotting thing well.
But seriously, I’ve neglected my clover plot the last few years. I never took good records, so I can’t tell you the last time I planted clover in my 1.2 acre clover field. I walked through it last year and thought, “wow there is lots of clover in this field”. A few mowings and a few sprayings of cleth and I was in business. But I did frost seed clover into it last March. So I’ll take credit for how well the field looks.
Deadeye
Well-Known Member
It's funny that so many people Fight to keep Clover out of their Lawns but then act like Clover is some sort of Special Growth handed down from the Gods, I jest.
But you are correct. Clover is actually a type of weed that will grow almost anywhere. It produces Nitrogen instead of taking it away.
I can remember many days as a child looking for that 4-leaf clover in our yards in NW Pa. There were little patches that just grew up on their on all over everyone's yards.
BTW, my one cousin DID find a few 4-leaf clovers, he actually found a 5 and a 6 if I remember correctly.
But you are correct. Clover is actually a type of weed that will grow almost anywhere. It produces Nitrogen instead of taking it away.
I can remember many days as a child looking for that 4-leaf clover in our yards in NW Pa. There were little patches that just grew up on their on all over everyone's yards.
BTW, my one cousin DID find a few 4-leaf clovers, he actually found a 5 and a 6 if I remember correctly.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Looking for four leaf clovers was a keen competition on our farm, my dad was the best at it. He had several six and seven leaf clovers...
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
PA No Trespassing Purple Paint
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Who says forage soybeans don't grow pods? These soybeans might have all of the leaves eaten off but they are loaded with beans.
Soybeans are an amazing deer plot crop. The leaves feed the deer all summer long, then the beans feed the deer all winter long. (If you have enough of acres) And during the month of October when the deer won't touch any part of the soybeans the falling acorns feed the herd.
The picture shows Derry Forage Beans with the leaves stripped and the pods still in the green stage.
Soybeans are an amazing deer plot crop. The leaves feed the deer all summer long, then the beans feed the deer all winter long. (If you have enough of acres) And during the month of October when the deer won't touch any part of the soybeans the falling acorns feed the herd.
The picture shows Derry Forage Beans with the leaves stripped and the pods still in the green stage.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
I just got a nice Gambrel at Tractor Supply for hanging up deer, sturdy wit a gold plated electroplated finish for $10.79.
This is a great medium size to take along in my pickup on hunting trips for hanging a deer out in the field.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuf-tug-gambrel-hook-22-in-x-5-1-2-in-1142682
This is a great medium size to take along in my pickup on hunting trips for hanging a deer out in the field.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tuf-tug-gambrel-hook-22-in-x-5-1-2-in-1142682
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Forage soybeans with rye broadcast into them is a great double crop that packs a great one two punch for winter deer food. The reason why it looks so scraggly is that it's under heavy deer browsing pressure.
deer patch
Well-Known Member
It’s nice to see you still have pods to feed the deer. That a great combination.
Deadeye
Well-Known Member
The Farmer that plants the Field next to my Brother's house has usually put in Corn or something of the like. One year he tried Soybeans.
Brother said he'd never seen so many Deer out feeding in that field every night. They were in there in droves. Would walk up past his house through his yard to get there.
Brother said he'd never seen so many Deer out feeding in that field every night. They were in there in droves. Would walk up past his house through his yard to get there.
deer patch
Well-Known Member
How long do you think the pods will last?
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
At least another month or so. We have about 7 acres, so it will take them a bit to clean them up.
Forage soybeans with rye broadcast into them is a great double crop that packs a great one two punch for winter deer food. The reason why it looks so scraggly is that it's under heavy deer browsing pressure.
This is what my rye broadcasted into beans looks like. I’m not sure my deer even know that they can eat the pods - most soybeans get demolished before pod production here.
DocHolladay
Well-Known Member
The beans around here tend to get hammered in January. That’s when our really cold weather starts. Not that we don’t have a few cold days prior, it just that most days/nights don’t get to far below 34* or so. January is when we tend to get our coldest weather where it gets down into the teens or single digit(at night mostly). This will last a couple of weeks and we are back into the 30’s-40’s.
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
If your deer aren't eating those pods they must not be normal. Dried soybean pods are a whitetails favorite food, right up there with shelled corn, I've never seen a ripe bean field that's untouched with deer in the neighborhood. Maybe you should check out the other end of the field?
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