Summertime plans for new plot

T

Turkish

Active Member
We had a new opening created in the middle of a young pine plantation in SW MS, about 1.5ac in size. We planted millet immediately after the dozer work and then TnM rye and clover in the fall that did pretty poorly, mostly due to heavy browsing but likely due to poor soil quality, too.

Should we try and plant something this summer to build soil or do you think it would be better to let nature grow weeds until we plant for this fall? Anything remotely attractive will probably get murdered in this spot. It’s surrounded by impenetrable bedding cover.
 
My new favorite crop for new plots is buckwheat. I think it has helped three plots that I’ve planted before without much luck and one new one last year. One has been planted three times in the fall before and after the buckwheat was planted last spring the fall plot was much better than it had been being. The deer didn’t browse it a lot, but they did somewhat, actually a little more than I expected from what I’d read. It shaded out weeds and let me plant in the fall without using gly and with minimal tillage. That’s a win in my estimation.
 
Yes. We’ve limed and fertilized per the soil test already, but that may be beside the point. Im not disappointed in the plot yet — just trying to get some opinions on whether nature would do a better job in the warm season than I could.
 
I’d second the BW. I’ll be going that route again in 2020. Only downside is cost, it’s not a cheap seed. But....I’m planting it to avoid having to burn the plot down in September. It might not be worth the effort if you’re gonna nuke it anyway although it’s supposed to be a great soil builder.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Think durable forages vs one-and-done forages. I'd go perennial as much as possible. Then I'd add more plot, make more browse, or kill some deer.
 
Buckwheat for sure......just be careful to not let it go to seed,I only made that mistake once and my fall food plots ended up being buckwheat as well ha. grows fast and at about 10 weeks cut it down. In north here i try to time my spring planting with my fall food plots, so i normally plant 2nd week of august, the buckwheat needs about 2 weeks to break down and release nutrients after its been cut, possibly light tilling under, backtrack 10 weeks before that normally right before memorial day i try to get it in the ground. Although i'm lucky our green up doesn't arrive until early may, so weeds are not an issue quite yet at memorial day.

Great soil builder, but my guess is either way you will need some lime. soil test can verify.
 
MarkDarvin said:
Think durable forages vs one-and-done forages. I'd go perennial as much as possible. Then I'd add more plot, make more browse, or kill some deer.
Click to expand...
Anything in particular that you recommend to do this summer? There’s some ladino clover there from the fall, but it typically only persists through June or so. Are you recommending a monoculture?

I appreciate all the input.
 
Turkish said:
Anything in particular that you recommend to do this summer? There’s some ladino clover there from the fall, but it typically only persists through June or so. Are you recommending a monoculture?

I appreciate all the input.
Click to expand...
No, and I'm not sure what the answer is for down there. I have a similar problem where I cannot grow enough one-time food like beans or corn. I have to have stuff that keeps coming back in season like clover, chicory, and browse.
 
Take it from a Georgia boy with the same setup—-do NOT let it grow weeds all summer. As recommended, buckwheat. Plow it in if you can right after it blooms and plant a second crop. Also double your lime. Pines kill the soil. Use, as you did, rye or wheat in winter for three or four years. One word of caution though—-my deer HAMMER buckwheat, so yours may too.
 
FOr the summer you may consider a vetch/alyce clover combo. In the south it can become a reseeding annual. Come fall you can broadcast small grains and crimson over it and with that combo have living roots essentially year round. Next spring once the crimson has finished blooming terminate or mow the fall planting and the vetch/alyce should come back assuming your not overpopulated with deer having destroyed the seed base.of the vetch.
 
My biggest concern is that browsing outpaces what this soil can grow in its current state. That was why I had wondered about leaving it fallow, as a way to ensure living roots in the soil. I fear buckwheat may be too attractive, but I’ve got very limited experience with it. Neighbor’s cows wrecked the only attempt I’ve made with BW. I have heard vetch is pretty browse tolerant and I’ve been wanting to try it somewhere.

Baker, are you able to get your vetch and Alyce at your coop?
 
Last edited:
Monoculture of BW that may get hammered or mix with sorghum, millet, peas, maybe sunn hemp that may have some constituents that are left alone?
 
Millet is bad to re-seed and that other stuff needs better soil. First few years is about building the soil up.
 
I’m still unsure what to do. What’s obvious is that I need to do some soil building, and I’m fearful the browsing pressure is going to prevent that. This was my reasoning behind sorghum and millet consideration.

As an illustrative aside, we have 2 other existing plots in an old pasture, adjacent to the older pine plantation referenced above. One of those two is on a hilltop, one in the bottom about 150 yds below. The hilltop plot was an area where the previous owner fed cows. Right now rye and crimson clover is knee deep on the hilltop. Down the hill, in what should be a little better dirt (if not for the lack of hay feeding there years before), rye is only 3-4” tall and very sparse. We’ve been doing TnM here for 5 years. Plot is smothered in volunteer buttercup and some areas of ryegrass. Comparison of these 2 plots indicates to me I have a fertility issue in the bottom, and I’m sure it’s worse in the new plot this thread was originally aimed at.

I guess one consolation is that I’ve proven to myself that fertile soil can produce enough to hold its own against our intense browsing pressure.

So — how do I best increase fertility? Should I even be planting a summer crop?
 
Could be a long shot, but I’ll check. Kinda concerned about risk to turkeys, though. Seems like I should be safe with broiler litter.

How does one determine amount of litter to put on a field?
 
Last edited:
Ditto in the buckwheat route. Let it go to seed and mow it for a second crop. You can add some more seed before you mow the buckwheat but it’s usually not needed. Then late summer, broadcast winter rye or wheat and crimson clover and mow it. Repeat for a year or two and your soil will be good to go
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

John D
New member here looking for some advice on my property
2
Replies
26
Views
3K
Letmgrow
L
Chestnut Valley Farms
New woodland plot planted
2
Replies
22
Views
4K
Chestnut Valley Farms
Chestnut Valley Farms
David
preparing for next summer.....
2 3
Replies
40
Views
7K
David
David
weekender21
Starting a fruit and nut orchard for wildlife
2
Replies
32
Views
5K
weekender21
weekender21
Back
Top