where to start????

Okay I want to start planting a couple foods plots on our property but have no idea what i’m doing or where to start. The main areas I want to plant are pretty much just crp right now. How do I start prepping this area to be planted?? They won’t be big plots so I want to plant them so I can hunt over them early season without having the deer overgraze it before the season even starts. Like I said I am completely new to this process and would appreciate any help.

Second, How far north can I plant apple trees or crabapples? My land is near Remer, and i’m really not sure if they would make it up there.

Dan, I attempted that same situation last year. (DO NOT GO THIS ROUTE) What I did was tilled in spring before green up when weeds were yellow and brittle. I found that after tilling I had nothing but a dirt and weed fluff mixture so I ended up raking and raking until I removed all of the incorporated weeds and grass. I took a soil sample and had it tested and ignored the 2 tons of lime suggested and planted a clover mix. The weather then turned hot and dry and the weeds grew like mad and the clover barely broke the surface.

What I would do is wait for green up and spray round-up. Wait another couple weeks and go back in and round-up any areas you missed give it another couple of weeks and mow and rake out all dead weeds and grasses. Then work your soil and prep the seed bed. Weeds and grasses will still probably grow in your plot but there will alot fewer. I think it is crucial to both get control of weeds before planting and follow your suggestions from soil tests.

I did spray round-up again mid summer and planned to retill the plot and do a fall planting. The round-up killed all my weeds of but never harmed what little clover that was growing so I left it for the year and deer used it still. Best of luck, it’s alot of trial and error to get it right. I can tell you on crp it may take a couple years to get a good seed bed unless you have a bottom plow and turn the soil.

Some good suggestions have already been made, but I’ll throw my two cents in too. Get a soil test ASAP. I wouldn’t get overly concerned with fertility, the main concern to begin with is pH. With CRP you probably have cool season grasses along with a good weed seed bank in the soil. Kill the cool season grasses as copper suggested, two roundup applications should do the trick. At that point I would apply the recommended amount of lime and work it into the soil. If you’re pH is anything below 5.5 I would plant winter rye and oats this fall. A fall planting will allow the lime some time to start bringing your pH up and it will give the existing weed seeds a chance to sprout, which you can kill with another roundup application.

I agree with the soil tests ASAP, remember to take the test from at least 2 inchs below the surface and depending on plots size take a few from acouple areas of the plot and mix them in the same bag. After soil tests are done I would plow if possible but its usally notin food plot locations in wooded areas. If using a disc I would scalp it low with a mower of some type, add the lime as needed and till as much as possible to break up the sod from that CRP before it starts to grow again. Then let it sit and pray for rain to break up all the little clumps of roots and dirt balls. Soon after the rains your “weed seed bank” will sprout as well as the grasses that are left, I typicaly let is grow to about 4 inches before killing it again. By about the 1st week of July the remaining grasses and weed seeds will be growing again, I would kill it again and 2 weeks later I add fert., till and plant the same day. By this time the lime has had a chance to start breaking down and has been tilled in twice and most weeds are dead so your not ferting them. I have never had luck with cerael grains alone but have had great luck with mixes contianing grains,clovers, and brassicas. That was my 2 cents, good luck and dont be discouraged if you dont see the results you wanted your 1st year, sometimes it takes a while for the masses to find.