Overseeding Spring Plots...Poor Man's solution?

[TransPecos]

I have a 7 acre field that is perfect for a food plot. The only tools I currently have are a riding mower, a UTV, a walk behind push seed spreader, and a sprayer. The field is grown up with dead waist-to-armpit winter grass growth, but it is flat and free of rocks. I was told I could throw my seed on top of the ground and then shred to a 6" height on top of the seed. The idea being you create a mulch bed on top of your seeds as well as buffer of stubble to protect the young plants as they come up. I am in Brown county and plan on planting turner seed spring mix. This would be a cheap way for me to put in a plot. I can rent a tractor and shredder for the weekend for not too much $$. Will this work or is it a waste of money?

[bar2hunter]

I believe there's a guy on QDMA that does all or most of his plots in this "Poor Man's" manner. His plots seem to do real well.

[canny]

I do that sometimes with my summer plots. Except I use round-up and kill the existing vegetation and then seed over the top. This way it removes the competion from the new seeds, and the dead material provides protection for the young seedlings.

[ripit]

works

[TransPecos]

Thanks guys I will give it a shot and advise.

[txtimetravler]

Id be interested in how this turns out. Please keep up updated on the progress once you start.

Have you thought about burning the 7 acres?

[wyliescrib]

what are you going to plant? i have much the same situation but lots of rock and if you could just overseed it would solve lots of issues that i have... keeping a watch on your progress..good luck

[Wildcat85]

I dont have any heavy or large farm equipment but i was thinking about doing a couple of small food plots on my 100 acres. I have a rake, a hoe, and a shovel. Would it be worth the effort to plant the plots by hand or am i good with just my feeders?

[Aggiebush]

Wildcat, any food plot you can plant will be worth the effort. The only problem you may have will be if they are too small. The deer will eat them down before they get established and they will not produce well. Most recommendations say at least 5% of your land in plots will keep them from overeating them.
If you do plant small ones, scatter them around and it will keep the deer from eating them so fast.
Good luck.

[TransPecos]

I would love to burn the field but there are just too many houses too close by in every direction. I think I am going to take canny's suggestion and round up the field a week before I seed and and shred.

[noflyzone]

canny has the best plan. RoundUp, Seed, then shred and pray for rain.

[canny]

If you plan on mowing the field before you seed, i would recommend mowing it first, then waiting for the plants to start actively growing before applying the roundup. This is because glyphosates are contact killers and do their best when the plant is actively growing

[PecanBayouRat]

If you plan on mowing the field before you seed, i would recommend mowing it first, then waiting for the plants to start actively growing before applying the roundup. This is because glyphosates are contact killers and do their best when the plant is actively growing

This is correct!

We've done this for our food plots and it really works pretty well. Usually mow and then wait a week and then put out the Roundup. Seems to create that "mulch" effect and give the seedlings a little bit of a head start for growth.