Let's talk Food Plots

[Wades_76_cj7]

So for those that put out food plots how are you planting them? disc and planter/drill? no till drill? disc and broadcast spreader then harrow/drag to cover?

 

[The Snowman]

Depends on what I’m planting.
I do a lot of different plots.
If I’m establishing a new plot I’ll cut the grass low, spray it with round up, then till or disc after it dies.

For soybeans I till or disc, 3pt broadcast, cultipack.
For corn I have an old IH 4 row planter.

For green plots I mostly use BigTine brand seeds. It’s local to me and my cousin is the #2 guy there. I get to test a lot of their new stuff.

Once I have a clover plot established I’ll frost seed it a little every January or February.

For brassicas, turnips, and all BigTine mixes I’ll use the tiller, hand crank broadcast seed, and cultipack.

I don’t always do soil samples and fertilizers unless I’m doing corn.

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

The reason I am asking is I have a side hustle doing garden plowing, tilling and brush hog work. I figure if it was something somebody was willing to pay for I would be willing to invest in equipment. Just wondering if there is something special needed for it. I see no till grass seeders/drills for sale but they are $$$.

From my YT searching it seems tilling/discing then cultipack then broadcast spread then cultipack to finish. They did mention soil test, lime/fertilizer as necessary.

So looks like I could add a cultipacker to my arsenal of equipment and a broadcast spreader.. for the lighter/smaller seed I think a hand crank spreader would be easier to use. I don't hunt so this is purely from a business/money making venture for me.

 

[The Snowman]

There is a pretty decent market for it here in Indiana. I sell real estate part time for MossyOak Properties and half of my buyers are from out of town or out of state and most of them pay to have plots put in. Lots of city guys that get into hunting and have no equipment.
Only really time consuming part is creating a new plot area.
Once you have it established and you’re not having to clear and break new ground every year it gets really fast.
Sign up to be a seed dealer too so you can get a steep discount.

 

[The Snowman]

Also, I rarely cultipack before seeding. The tiller creates such a nice bed there’s no need for it so it saves time.
If you’re discing it might cut deep enough to need cultipacked before seeding.

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

There is a pretty decent market for it here in Indiana. I sell real estate part time for MossyOak Properties and half of my buyers are from out of town or out of state and most of them pay to have plots put in. Lots of city guys that get into hunting and have no equipment.
Only really time consuming part is creating a new plot area.
Once you have it established and you’re not having to clear and break new ground every year it gets really fast.
Sign up to be a seed dealer too so you can get a steep discount.

Good info.

I brush hogged a duck pond levy this weekend for a guy that lives in the city. (I live in a small town) He has owned the property for a few years but from the sound of it he just bought it to hunt it, he has no equipment or time I am guessing so it's cheaper to pay someone to mow for him a few times a year. The ground next to it is in row crop so not likely be needed for him but it gave me ideas for others.

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

Also, I rarely cultipack before seeding. The tiller creates such a nice bed there’s no need for it so it saves time.
If you’re discing it might cut deep enough to need cultipacked before seeding.

If they wanted it tilled I would till then seed then run a harrow over it if that would work??

 

[jeeptj19992001]

I brush hog
Hit it with weed killer
Broadcast the seed. .
Does great

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

I brush hog
Hit it with weed killer
Broadcast the seed. .
Does great

you don't break up the soil? what are you planting? grasses? clover? grains?

 

[jeeptj19992001]

you don't break up the soil? what are you planting? grasses? clover? grains?

Nope.
I plant this in the fall.

Prime Time Brassica Food Plot Mix

Prime Time Brassica is a nutritional powerhouse. This elite brassica wildlife mix contains highly palatable varieties that are also very tolerant to continued grazing. Prime Time Brassica is adaptable to a variety of soil types and tolerates temperatures as low as 10 - 15°F. Percent Composition...

www.deercreekseed.com

 

[The Snowman]

Harrow will work fine. Cultipacker works a little better in my opinion.
That little bit of firming that it does really promotes germination.

 

[Wades_76_cj7]

Harrow will work fine. Cultipacker works a little better in my opinion.
That little bit of firming that it does really promotes germination.

that is what the YT video that I watched said as well. a harrow drag may bury small light seeds too deep and the cultipacker would promote better soil to seed contact and you'd get better germination.