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First attempt at a food plot advice.

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    First attempt at a food plot advice.

    Wanting to get a plot going this spring but have never done it before.

    I have a 51hp John Deere but no tools for planting or tilling.

    What is the minimum implements I need to prepare the ground.

    In SW Coleman county technically on the edge of the Edwards plateau.

    Not too rocky. Lots of cactus and mesquite mostly. What do you recommend planting?

    I can hand seed since I’m only planning to do a couple acres.

    #2
    I shall follow your adventure since I plan on doing the same thing.

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      #3
      Here are some excellent resources for you.

      No matter how big or small your food plot program is, you can expect success with this proven no till food plot method, even without a tractor or disc.


      What happens if you don't have very much equipment but still want to grow great food plots? Watch tips on planting a no till food plot with very little equip...


      Check out this food plot system highlighting no till practices that save you time and money.


      You want small seeds. Stay away from the garbage "no till" seed blends out there they are primarily rye. I would focus on planting clover and maybe a small amount of cereal rye. There is a difference between the rye in these no till food plot bags and cereal rye. I would suggest you invest in a decent sprayer or get used to pumping a handheld one. Do not buy round up it is extremely overpriced, just buy a generic glyphosphate jug at tractor supply they are the same thing.

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        #4
        I don’t get to fancy, but all I use is a disc, I have a small tractor and it pulls a two row disc. I used a singe row disc behind my truck before we got the tractor. I’m in north texas with lots of sand, lots of food crops around and I plant a winter wheat, Australian pea blend. Might try black eyed peas this year. I just throw with my corn spreader and my utv, then drag with a old harrow, but you can pull chains or even a Old bed spring. Then pray for rain. I spend about 200 bucks in all. But all your seed at the feed store, not the throw and grow overpriced junk you get atthe box stores. Look in your area for what will grown with temps and water. There’s a million options out there, I never wanted to go thru all the motions for such a small good plot. ,

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          #5
          I also mow first, then turn over, I don’t kill anything. Native grass where I’m at doesn’t grow fast enough where I’m at to cover up. My food plot from fall is still up and grwownibg.

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            #6
            Gunny, a 3pt disc and a handheld seed spreader will get you going. A tank or backpack sprayer for killin weeds would be good also. You can spread fertilizer and lime by hand on small plots.

            Start with a soil test and add lime.


            Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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              #7
              In dry country, clover is best planted in the fall. This allows the roots to grow before the hot summer sets in. Think of clover as a second year crop, and if you mow it, spray for grasses in a timely manner, it can last 4/6 years. Lots of good info on the QDMA website concerning clover.

              Where I am, I generally plant Roundup ready soybeans and iron clay peas, but your deer density probably won't allow that unless you e-fence it. You might look into the pros and cons of Sunn Hemp on the QDMA website. I believe Radar and el gato have some experience with it, and I'm planting a couple acres for the first time this year. Unclefish may have planted it also, I don't know.

              Make sure you do a soil test so that you know how to amend it if necessary and what kinds and the amount of fertilizer you will need. Good luck !

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                #8
                We never did spring/summer plots on the place we had in Coleman county. Usually got too hot and dry. In the fall we would plant cereal rye and forage oats. All we had was a ranger and drag harrow. We would plant in the areas where we had dozer work done. We would take the harrow and rough up the ground, I put out seed with a handcrank spreader, then run the harrow back over it. We ended up with really nice crops just doing that. The deer would hit the plots hard,even though we had a wheat field on our place. In the spring the turkeys would be in them good too. The plants would be seeding out.

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                  #9
                  I'm in same boat. First attempt at spring/summer plot on my current place. It looks great right now with the Fall Mix coming back up and green (rye grain, wheat, oats, clover, and turnips). I'll till it under, fertilize and seed at same time, and then drag or cultipack over it. Gonna do some sort of bean/pea mix likely and hope hogs and heat don't get to it too bad.

                  Hoping 1.5 acres or so is enough to keep up with pressure and we get some good growth and recruit more deer. Will be a fun project regardless. I think I like the offseason prep nearly as much as the fall hunt itself...nearly! ha Wish I could talk farmer into planting his 10 acre field in Beans/Peas but he runs his cows in there a lot and sows oats or wheat every fall

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                    #10
                    I usually plant blackeyed peas in the spring. Disk it 2-3 times throw out seeds and drag it. That will work just fine.

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                      #11
                      Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll get a soil sample and hopefully I can get the ground prepared next weekend.

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