Thoughts?

Last summer we hired a guy to come in and clear some food plots out of mature forest land. He uses the mulching/grinding process. When he was done, there ended up being some spots with a foot of wood chips. We scraped a lot of them off before we used a Ground Hog Maxx disc on the plots. The last weekend in July I planted one of the plots (approx 2/3 acre) and along with the trails with white clover. The other plot (1/2 acre) we planted a a blend of brassicas and peas. I also put down about a 100-150 lbs of 19-19-19 on each plot and adjoining trail. The seed sprouted and grew great for about 3 weeks, but there were areas where the clover looked like carpet but in patches 2 inches high, scattered across the plot. Seemed like very few of the brassica and pea plants grew. So, Labor day weekend I used the disc again to disc up parts of the plots where growth was minimal and planted winter rye. Again, this stuff came in thin and spotty. This spring the rye is getting tall, but it is still fairly thin. I would assume that I seeded more on the heavy side than light. I figured the pH might be bad and did a soil test this spring. Just got the results back and pH is 6.4. What are you guys thoughts on what I should do?

This first year after the ground has had a traumatic change like that can be difficult for it to grow anything well. I have seen it many times on new plots. Compaction from the equipment could be parts of the issue.

I would give it another year of cover crops. Disc it up good again, fertilize and plant it in rye or oats. About the end of July mow it down, disc it up and reseed again. By next spring the ground should be over the shock and the compaction issue should be resolved, then you can go to a clover or brassica plot.

Agree with Sticker. It needs another good cover crop.

Also, the decomposing wood is likely consuming a lot of your nitrogen. Did your soil test give you nutrient levels or just Ph? My thinking is this is why your plants are fast to start, but then thin out. At first they have the N they need, but that rapidly gets depleted.

I, too, learned the hard way that brassicas is a HUGE nitrogen hog. I had no idea, but Sticker let me in on the truth: Around here you have to fertilize brassicas like you’d fertilize corn. It’s a huge N hog, so understandable it’s not growing.

I agree with rye or oats, but I would add red clover for both deer attraction and to at least fix some amount of nitrogen. You will still need to fertilize, however.

If you need seed and if you get near the cities where you could pick it up, contact me. I can do a custom blend for you.

Just “green mulch” the plots by discing again, unless the plots are very weedy. If you have a lot of weeds, spray with Gly and then disc and replant.

Breaking new ground is tough, believe me, I know. But if it were prime corn ground, most of us couldn’t afford to have it as hunting properties.

Grouse

Thanks for the info guys. Grouse I sent you a PM and will take you up on the custom seed blend. I plan to spray this Saturday and then disc and plant June 3 or 4 or the following weekend.

Started a different job, so I have been busier than heck trying to learn it. Figured I better get an update on here. I appreciate the info and help from you guys (along with a buddy up north) and it looks like things are growing nicely!
We spent another day with a rake and a leaf blower and were able to get a lot more of the wood chips off of the plots. I then purchased a 5′ disc from Tractor Land in Onamia (Great Guy) and we disc’d the plots and trails good with some 10-10-10 fertilizer on June 3rd. I had Grouse whip us up a batch of Rye-Oats and Red Clover to plant. We disc’d in the Rye & Oats, then broadcast the clover. We then rolled it all. After only 2 weeks, you can see from the pic’s that everything looks good. There are still a few spots where we didn’t get enough of the wood chips removed, but they are getting smaller all the time. Like I said earlier, thanks again for the advice!

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How much sun hit’s the plots?

These plots were cut in the middle of mature forest, so parts of them get a lot of sunlight and parts of them (like the trails) get very little sun. The thin looking spots in the middle of a few of the pic’s are where we need to get more wood chips removed.

All things considered, the plots look pretty good for what you’re dealing with.

Looking pretty good! As you outlined, you have some challenging soil conditions, so it’s going to take a couple of growing seasons to get your soil up to snuff.

Mow the rye if you can. Preferably when rain is in the forecast, but mow it before it set heads to keep it growing actively into the fall.

If plants start to yellow, fertilize with 20-20-20.

Don’t worry if the deer aren’t hitting it in the summer. There is a LOT of other stuff to eat. Come late summer or fall, your will suddenly find the deer have become interested.

Grouse

Looking good!!

Grouse,

I hope to mow the rye. Any idea on how long it takes to head out? I did some looking online and can’t seem to find a definite answer.

Thanks!

Mow at about 5 to6 inches if you can.

Grouse

I planted my rye about May 1st and it has not seeded out yet if that helps. It does have seed heads on some of it, but they are not ready to drop seeds yet.

Thanks Sticker! We planted ours June 3rd so a month behind you. I don’t think I will be able to make it back up until August 6th or 12th. Thinking I should still be ok cutting it then.

Worse case it has seeded out and you get a new crop of rye. I think you will be just fine.