What should I do?

[Jc2094]

Hello all. I have a 3/4 acre plot that was an alfalfa field up to a few years ago. I sprayed the field in 2020 with intentions of planting a plot. Never did so it's grown back with a variety of things.

I decided to seed it heavy with a mixture of various deer food plot seeds then crimp the weeds over the seed. I did so but the crimper didn't seem to be heavy enough. I added weight and set out to crimp the field again. Well the crimper axle broke. It will be a bit before it is repaired.

What do I do now?

Mow it?

Spray it?

Let it go?

It's been a week since I seeded it.

 

[yoderjac]

It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Crimpers work great on WR at the right growth stage, but may not work well on weeds. If you haven't had much rain since you seeded it,, I'd simply spray the field with gly if you are looking for a fall plot. If your seeds have not germinated yet, the gly won't hurt them. You can always overseed with winter rye in a couple weeks if your existing plant doesn't work well. It also depends on what you planted and what the weeds are. If they are warm season weeds, they may die on their own soon. If they are cool season grasses, you may need to spray.

If you are interested in longer-term larger scale management for deer, there is a great thread on how to grow weeds for deer: https://deerhunterforum.com/threads...lds-for-bigger-bucks-and-better-hunting.7125/x

 

[Jc2094]

It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Crimpers work great on WR at the right growth stage, but may not work well on weeds. If you haven't had much rain since you seeded it,, I'd simply spray the field with gly if you are looking for a fall plot. If your seeds have not germinated yet, the gly won't hurt them. You can always overseed with winter rye in a couple weeks if your existing plant doesn't work well. It also depends on what you planted and what the weeds are. If they are warm season weeds, they may die on their own soon. If they are cool season grasses, you may need to spray.

If you are interested in longer-term larger scale management for deer, there is a great thread on how to grow weeds for deer: https://deerhunterforum.com/threads...lds-for-bigger-bucks-and-better-hunting.7125/x

I watched some of that video. Good information. Thank you.


The field has a mix of weeds now and I broadcast seeded it with a variety of seed. Biologic Hot Shot, clover, brassica.
We have had a good amount of rain since I seeded it. Not sure if anything has germinated yet.

 

[cutman]

I would mow the existing vegetation real short then leave it alone. If you’ve had good rain since spreading the seed I wouldn’t risk spraying.

 

[yoderjac]

I watched some of that video. Good information. Thank you.


The field has a mix of weeds now and I broadcast seeded it with a variety of seed. Biologic Hot Shot, clover, brassica.
We have had a good amount of rain since I seeded it. Not sure if anything has germinated yet.

It is a hard call if you got good rain. Once seeds begin to germinate gly will nuke them. Working off cutman's idea, You might want to set a bushhog really low so you are almost scalping it. That should help with germination and you won't hurt your plant. While I don't think cleth is very effective once grasses matures, but you might want to try it. It should at least set back any cool season grasses without hurting seed. Whether it is worth the cost and effort of spraying cleth depends on what percentage of your weeds are cool season grasses that will compete with your crop. Other then mowing flat to get more light in, I would not worry about warm season weeds as they are about done.

 

[Jc2094]

 

[yoderjac]

Looks like a lot of cool season grasses to me. I'd mow as short as I could and spray with cleth.