Fall planted clover and alfalfa

[tcook8296]

I did some mowing of the food plots this weekend. 

I was quite pleased with the results. 

Fall planted clover and alfalfa with winter rye and winter wheat as a cover crop. 

Also had a mix of brassicas in there which where completey gone. The wheat rye and turnips gave me food last season while protecting the clover and alfalfa and help with weed suppression.  I also frost seeded clover and alfalfa first week of March

tthis

This was the brassicas last fall

Clover after is was mowed

Edited May 28, 2018 by tcook8296

[tcook8296]

You can see how well winter rye suppresses weeds in this pic. I drilled the rye last fall and you can see there are no weeds in it just bare dirt. 

[Thunderchicken]

Looking good Tom!!

[Live to Hunt]

Yea looks great.

[Russ 11]

Looks great TCook !  

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

I wish I had more land :/

That looks great! I didnt know you can mix crops. I guess being I spray arrest max and slay it would kill off the grassy plot.
I know you always reccomended to just now and not spray. What are you spraying in that 1 pic?

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[Rusty]

Looks great, your deer are gonna be fat and happy. 

[Zipper]

Good job Tom. Yep  the cover crop is effective!

[Bowhunter2004]

Winter Rye has been a major part of my food plot plan on my farm, it grows anywhere, with very little amending of the soil, suppresses weeds like no other. I plant  end of August/ early September either as a cover crop to clover or as a fall food plot combined with buck forage oats. It stays green all winter and is a major attractant only second to corn. I actually got multiple trailcam video footage of both  bucks I shot last year in my rye/oats plots more than any other food source.   I plant my brassicas end of June, early July, but I rarely hunt over those plots, mostly planted as a holdover late winter food source. 

 

[tcook8296]

16 hours ago, JerseyJaysTaxidermy said:

I wish I had more land :/

That looks great! I didnt know you can mix crops. I guess being I spray arrest max and slay it would kill off the grassy plot.
I know you always reccomended to just now and not spray. What are you spraying in that 1 pic?

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I had some extra time so I picked up some clethodium to spray on my existing clover plots   Never used chemicals before on clover , just want to see how it cleans up the plot in addition to mowing. 

Im always experimenting with my plots. 

Also, my Alfalfa is round up ready so I was spraying that plot too. 

The rye by mowing it will be terminated and also puts a layer of thatch on top to help protect the clover growing beneath it and help hold moisture. 

 

Edited May 29, 2018 by tcook8296

[tcook8296]

11 hours ago, Bowhunter2004 said:

Winter Rye has been a major part of my food plot plan on my farm, it grows anywhere, with very little amending of the soil, suppresses weeds like no other. I plant  end of August/ early September either as a cover crop to clover or as a fall food plot combined with buck forage oats. It stays green all winter and is a major attractant only second to corn. I actually got multiple trailcam video footage of both  bucks I shot last year in my rye/oats plots more than any other food source.   I plant my brassicas end of June, early July, but I rarely hunt over those plots, mostly planted as a holdover late winter food source. 

 

I have been moving my brassica dates to late August even as late as Labor day. The turnips and radishes dont get as big but I still get good top growth especially if we dont get a frost until November. 

[JerseyJaysTaxidermy]

So how would I go about planting some stuff for winter in my clovers?
My clovers are in their 2nd season now.. would I need to till the whole plot and replant winter wheat or other crops?
Or would I just mow the clover short and broadcast seeds overtop?

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[Pucknut]

Great looking plants!  Do you crop this ground or just is a food plot?

[tcook8296]

1 hour ago, Pucknut said:

Great looking plants!  Do you crop this ground or just is a food plot?

Food plots only. 

[tcook8296]

2 hours ago, JerseyJaysTaxidermy said:

So how would I go about planting some stuff for winter in my clovers?
My clovers are in their 2nd season now.. would I need to till the whole plot and replant winter wheat or other crops?
Or would I just mow the clover short and broadcast seeds overtop?

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I would broadcast the seed, mow it and pack it if you have a lawn roller or cultipacker