Food plots and hinge cutting

[Psehunter]

Since spring is around the corner and I know many on here will be starting or already have started food food plots and some hinge cutting I came across this site with some great info and basically everything you would need to know....Check it out, I know I learned a few things from just reading alittle of it and though some of you might be interested too..

 

 

http://www.outreachoutdoors.com/foodplots/

[tcook8296]

I had the opportunity to talk with Paul before he passed. He was a very knowledgeable guy. I read a lot of his stuff on the qdma website.

[sicrado]

Lots of great info- thanks for posting!

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

I have a leach field lawn that I want to plant clover on..

I was going to wait til greenery sprouts to spray lawn killer, then rake dead grass out and rake in clover seeds but I'm leaning towards frost seeding now that I read that link.

 

Concerned to till the leach field and cause damage to it.

 

Few questions for anyone who knows:

 

Can I seed over top of a lawn without killing the grass first if I frost seed?

 

How do I get a soil test done so I know how much Lyme or fertilizer to use?

 

Does anyone have any experience in small half acre clover fields and have any equipment I can rent to give this a go? I have a quad and a tow behind drop spreader. Might be all I need but I really have bad luck at growing things. Could use some guidance the 1st time around...

 

Thx

 

http://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

[sicrado]

I dunno if this is your best option but I know rutgers did it when I was there...  check out their website https://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/kits.asp

[Haskell_Hunter]

Can I seed over top of a lawn without killing the grass first if I frost seed?

 

How do I get a soil test done so I know how much Lyme or fertilizer to use?

 

 

It is difficult to seed over grass and get stuff established.  Grass grows by way of rhizomes, meaning it spreads from the roots.  Thats why when you pull a grass plug up, most of the earth comes with it, and it's pretty dense.  Grass also establishes a layer between the soil and the air called turf (yes, that's what turf is).  This layer usually contains decomposing compost and can prevent seed roots from reaching the soil.

 

As torturous as this sounds, I used a Garden Weasel (http://www.gardenweasel.com/garden-weasel-products/garden-weasel-tools/original-garden-weasel/) to hand-till my front lawn prior to a reseed.  The results were spectacular.  But, it took about two days of weaseling to get the job done.  Worth it though, and I had guns like Rusty's when I was done.

 

Lime will buffer the soil increasing the pH.  You rarely need to do this unless you have plants that require a higher pH soil or your soil is naturally acidic.  I would absolutely get the soil tested in 4-5 different locations before doing this.  You could have higher pH and then go too high, preventing most desirable plants from establishing themselves.  Also consider that the lime will slowly leech down that hill toward the water in your pond.  So less is more.  I have never limed my lawn in the past 18 years, and it's doing great.

 

I would recommending using this as fertilizer on anything you grow:  http://www.milorganite.com

 

It ain't cheap but it is organic and does not harm bodies of water (again, you have a pond).  You can literally take a handful of this stuff, make a pile of it on your lawn, and it will not burn it out.  But, that part of the lawn will be greener and healthier than the other parts.  It will make your clover grow very well.

[Psehunter]

I have a leach field lawn that I want to plant clover on..

I was going to wait til greenery sprouts to spray lawn killer, then rake dead grass out and rake in clover seeds but I'm leaning towards frost seeding now that I read that link.

Concerned to till the leach field and cause damage to it.

Few questions for anyone who knows:

Can I seed over top of a lawn without killing the grass first if I frost seed?

How do I get a soil test done so I know how much Lyme or fertilizer to use?

Does anyone have any experience in small half acre clover fields and have any equipment I can rent to give this a go? I have a quad and a tow behind drop spreader. Might be all I need but I really have bad luck at growing things. Could use some guidance the 1st time around...

Thxhttp://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

 

Jay, I'm doing the same exact thing ..My leach field is about 100yds behind my house in the woods..Instead of a tiller I'm going to use a tow behind disc on my ride on mower and plant some clover now ,then in August I'm going to till the side of the leach field and plant turnips....My stone and felt it about a foot and a half down so that's why im choosing to do it with a disc.,..I already hinged cut a few trees along the side of my property that has houses to try and create a barrier from the Neighbors..I do hope that the hinge cut trees grow some leaves because within the first 24 hours of cutting them down the deer hammered all the Budds off the trees

[tcook8296]

http://www.whitetailinstitute.com/arrest-max-herbicide/

[Haskell_Hunter]

I would recommending using this as fertilizer on anything you grow:  http://www.milorganite.com

 

It ain't cheap but it is organic and does not harm bodies of water (again, you have a pond).  You can literally take a handful of this stuff, make a pile of it on your lawn, and it will not burn it out.  But, that part of the lawn will be greener and healthier than the other parts.  It will make your clover grow very well.

 

Okay, this was just bad advice on my part.  I totally forgot that Milorganite can act as a deer repellent.  While it's a great fertilizer, it's not what you want.

 

Brainfart.

[JHbowhunter]

Okay, this was just bad advice on my part.  I totally forgot that Milorganite can act as a deer repellent.  While it's a great fertilizer, it's not what you want.

 

Brainfart.

 

That leach field already has Jay's "natural" fertilizer in it...  as in "his own brand"

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

If I disc the grass do I just spread seed over the disced area then drive over it with a quad to tamp the dirt back down? Or do I need to rake out all the grass clumps? I imagine they will regrow if I left them.

Anyone have a small tow behind disc or rake near newton? I can probably rent one or buy one if needed

 

http://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

[Haskell_Hunter]

If you can rent a power rake I would use that.  It's normally used to dethatch lawns, but you can go slightly deeper and it'll pull most of the grass out.  It's not a tiller, so it doesn't go deep into the ground, but it will tear up the lawn on the surface.  You can seed after that, and it should take.  You'll still have some grass but the clover should choke it out.

[Psehunter]

If I disc the grass do I just spread seed over the disced area then drive over it with a quad to tamp the dirt back down? Or do I need to rake out all the grass clumps? I imagine they will regrow if I left them.

Anyone have a small tow behind disc or rake near newton? I can probably rent one or buy one if neededhttp://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

 

I was going to spray the area with round up first, give it 2 weeks and then dics it. Then after that put seed down and just drag a small piece of chain link fence over it all

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

What about soil samples. .. what's the process for that? Takes a lot of time to get results? Send it out? Buy a kit and do on the spot?

 

 

http://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

[Bucksnbows]

What about soil samples. .. what's the process for that? Takes a lot of time to get results? Send it out? Buy a kit and do on the spot?

 

 

http://www.jerseyjaystaxidermy.com

 

Since you're putting down clover, don't sweat the soils much.  A basic pH test kit you can buy anywhere should be fine.  Clover is a tough plant and grows well in most soils typical of our area.  Maybe you'll spread some lime, but that will likely be all you need.  

 

I have a Snapper lawn thatcher that will dig right through the grass and give you bare ground that you can borrow.  I haven't run it in a couple of years, but I know I was always able to get it to run in the past.  It was my dad's for his lawn service and it's a lot like a roto tiller if you set it low enough, but just to dig out your lawn.  I'm in Flanders not too far from routes 80 and 206.