Brokenrack

I don' t have any equipment ,but, I was wondering if I spread some seed now and spray with a grass specific herbicide when the grass greens up. Could I expect to get SOME germination? Any guess how much? Any plant that would work well this way. Any help or suggetion would be appreciated.
Ps. I' m in SW. PA having a warm spell Highs 50-60' s lows upper 30' s to 40' s good bit of rain expected in the next week.

timbercruiser

I assume that you are trying to plant something as a supplement to the deer' s diet that would help some in the growth of antlers by planting this time of year. If so something like soybeans or iron clay peas would be the best route, and to get an appreciable stand you will need to do some sort of soil preparation. Rather than probably waste your money I would suggest you renting a tractor and disc or hiring someone to do the work. If it is cereal grain grass you are planning on planting I would soil test now and lime followed by discing. Then in the fall you can come back with seed and fertilizer. Welcome to the board.

PILOT

Ive recently come across a unique method using three applications of herbicide namely round-up. Open an area up in the woods 1/8 acre to 1/4 acre with a chain saw and make a brush pile in the center or where ever convenient. Dont worry about the stumps or larger logs that cant be moved. Spray round up the end of may, the end of June and again in mid September. Then the next spring in early to mid march frost seed on top of the snow a clover mix. Also spread 200 pounds/acre of fertilizer in the plot and while your at it also spread 200 pounds/acre of fertilizer in the surrounding woods. I know this doesn' t help for this spring but if you really dont want to wait for next spring I' d try the three applications and maybe bump up the last roundup application to the first of Sept. and try something like no plow a week to ten days after the last application. Then come back with a perennial mix in early march. Make sure you do a soil sample for the plot and if the ph is off you may have to use some pelletized lime on the site which could be a real pain in the rear but is well worth the effort. This has been done for several seasons by a guy in Mid-Michigan with good results so I plan to give it a try this year in a few kill plots located in the woods.

FlDeerman

This is the first year I' ve had a tractor to make a food plot.I used to mow with my hand mower,then used Round-Up.Two weeks later I added lime and firtilizer then drug a piece of fence around to ruff up the soil.I planted iron and clay peas.It' s a lot of work but I did have a food plot.

Bob S

That guy is Ed Spinazzola. Here is a link to order his book from the Mid-Michigan QDMA branch.

http://members.tripod.com/~mmbqdm/Fo...dplotbook.html

Ed has been experimenting with food plots for about 30 years.

BBHPete

Hey Brokenrack, I know it sound like alot of work but you might want to use a roto-tiller to break the ground.

lunchbucket

Spray with a broad spectrum herbicide first and burn off iff possible...

1sagittarius

Grass specific herbacides are very expensive. The hardest part about doing foodplots by hand is spreading enough lime and mixing it into the soil.

This link has two QDMA articles back to back. The second article is the best I' ve seen in the last 4 years on hand equiptment foodplots, check it out ...

http://members.tripod.com/~mmbqdm/ar.../foodplots.htm