My No Till Experience

[cagantpr]

Where are you located, Semisane? I want to give this method my first try with this fall's LC WR mix. I plan to spray this week and get my seed down in early September, at least 6 weeks before you planted.

Is it that your grow season is that long or did you need to wait so late for a good rain?

 

[Semisane]

Cagantpr, I'm in S.E. Louisiana. My preferable planting time is anywhere around the last week of September through the first week of October. But last year we had no rain after the first week of September, so I held off until rain was a pretty sure thing. Several of the guys in our lease planted into well tilled soil in mid-September because that's when they always plant (usually with good results). They got germination from the residual soil moisture but most of it died before the rain until late October. We usually get more rain in September than in October, but not last year.

 

[cagantpr]

That's some good information. I had better get it sprayed as soon as I can to open up my planting window for a good rain storm. We have been in a nice thunderstorm pattern and hopefully it will continue for a few more weeks.

 

[weekender21]

I hope my wife doesn't see this, she might not let me buy a tractor!

Seriously, great information. Thank you for sharing. Most of my plots will be in pine plantation and I doubt any will be larger than 1/4 acre. It's nice to see there are options.

 

[CTM1]

Very nice time lapse of your efforts.

My past attempts with this method have failed.
Now this may sound odd given all of the equipment problems that I have had in the last two years, but I think if this method did work for me I would miss all of the time spent on the tractor discing/tilling etc.

 

[Mennoniteman]

A down & dirty explanation: Spray your plot with glyphosate - broadcast seed and fertilizer into standing dead vegetation - mow dead vegetation to cover seed with thatch (or flatten the thatch over the seed with a roller or drag) - pray for rain - watch it grow - shoot deer.

Check out the many YouTube videos on the no till method. Here's a good place to start:

The sequence that Semisane does a great job in describing here is very important for a successful plot. A cheap and easy plot, but if you miss any of these components it won't work.

 

[Chainsaw]

It has worked well here in most plots. I plan to continue using the method where it works but will plant a week or two earlier than tilling. Excellent job Semisane on showing and explaining your results!