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Fertilizer/Herbicide/Seed prices are high...

Tmayer13

Tmayer13

Well-Known Member
As I sit here and begin to make plans for this seasons food plots I cant help but be a bit discouraged by the crazy amount of inflation of farm inputs. Just like many of you I have smaller bow hunting plots along with larger late season food sources. The smaller bow plots wont as matter much to a budget as they are typically small and fairly cost effective but these larger late season plots will have a significant impact into a whitetail hunters budget. With Gly being triple in price and fertilizer up 100% these inputs are going to have an impact. Any body have some great ideas on how to combat this issue? Here are some thoughts that have rolled through my head today:

-Does a guy plant beans with oats to help as a nurse crop in hopes of suppressing weeds and save money on herbicides?

-Instead of grain plots, plant the larger plots into brassicas but first a planting of crimson clover to help with N fixation and also not having to spray as you can control it with a mower?

-If planting beans maybe skip the pre-herbicide application and just go in 15-21 days after germination and hammer them with a one time heavier dose spraying

-Maybe going with the Dbltree rotation and for forget the grains all together.
 
I am definitely moving forward with plans to help eliminate or cut way back on herbacide and fertilizer going forward, for myself and my customers. Going to have to make some sacrifices the first year or too to get into a rotation that fits. I have already begun to transition into a no till into cover crop system to cut back on spraying. No doubt it will effect yield.

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Oct-Lull said:
I am definitely moving forward with plans to help eliminate or cut way back on herbacide and fertilizer going forward, for myself and my customers. Going to have to make some sacrifices the first year or too to get into a rotation that fits. I have already begun to transition into a no till into cover crop system to cut back on spraying. No doubt it will effect yield.

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This is really the only long term answer for those wanting to cut cost. Grant Woods, as an example, is all no till, with little to no fertilizer, and very little chemical. Obviously one must invest up front (no till drill & tractor big enough to handle it) so there has to be enough acres to justify the cost. Also, as you stated yield expectations must be adjusted.

I would always advise people to do less acres within their budget right than more acres cutting corners. It's far more productive and desirable that way. My 2C
 
Plant brassicas into some of your previous bean acres use the free nitrogen the beans put in! Im gonna do a buckwheat cover crop to suppress weeds then put brassicas in aug.

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I left clover out of the Dbltree mix this past fall in our main field, with the intent of no tilling beans into the cereal rye. However, I'm rethinking as well. Not only due to the price of inputs but deer densities as well.

May just do a half dose of potash (we're fairly deficient) and frost seed (**Kentucky Pride) crimson clover in late march. Then do half in brassicas and half in Dbltree again this fall. (**KP is the only strain of crimson I would frost seed FWIW.. Others do not frost seed well at all).

Those thinking beans can provide a nitrogen input are going to be bummed when you see the actual numbers. Soybeans only add about 30# or so of N to the soil, even when incorporated. Compare to Fixation Balansa or Crimson which will be in the 100#+ N / ac range. Clover may not have the sex appeal soybeans do, but can be much more valueable to those centered around fall brassica plantings. Especially when left through flowering / maturity stages..
 
Bassattackr said:
I left clover out of the Dbltree mix this past fall in our main field, with the intent of no tilling beans into the cereal rye. However, I'm rethinking as well. Not only due to the price of inputs but deer densities as well.

May just do a half dose of potash (we're fairly deficient) and frost seed (**Kentucky Pride) crimson clover in late march. Then do half in brassicas and half in Dbltree again this fall. (**KP is the only strain of crimson I would frost seed FWIW.. Others do not frost seed well at all).

Those thinking beans can provide a nitrogen input are going to be bummed when you see the actual numbers. Soybeans only add about 30# or so of N to the soil, even when incorporated. Compare to Fixation Balansa or Crimson which will be in the 100#+ N / ac range. Clover may not have the sex appeal soybeans do, but can be much more valueable to those centered around fall brassica plantings. Especially when left through flowering / maturity stages..
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You are right on, if the plan is to actually add nitrogen soybeans are not the ticket. They don't require what corn does but its a pretty common misconception. There are in fact options to add real amounts of nitrogen thru a rotation but it really would require commitment and a "loss" of a full growing season as far as grains or brassicas. It can work

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IowaBowHunter1983 said:
I've not heard of this variety. I am super intrigued. Have you successfully frost seeded it? Seed source?
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Not yet, this will be my first try! Will see how it goes..

goseed.com

Have You Considered Frost Seeding Clover? | GO Seed

Frost seeding is a relatively easy and economical way to apply seed by broadcasting the seed on frozen ground. Legumes, clovers especially, are successfully applied this way
goseed.com goseed.com

KP is a more cold tolerant Crimson variety. Green Cover and Merit Seed are both sources I've found.
 
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Bassattackr said:
Not yet, this will be my first try! Will see how it goes..

goseed.com

Have You Considered Frost Seeding Clover? | GO Seed

Frost seeding is a relatively easy and economical way to apply seed by broadcasting the seed on frozen ground. Legumes, clovers especially, are successfully applied this way
goseed.com goseed.com

KP is a more cold tolerant Crimson variety. Green Cover and Merit Seed are both sources I've found.
Click to expand...
It would be a great development if it can successfully be frost seeded. Crimson is my personal favorite of annuals.
 
IowaBowHunter1983 said:
It would be a great development if it can successfully be frost seeded. Crimson is my personal favorite of annuals.
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Agree! From a management standpoint, I really like Crimson as it doesn't volunteer / hard seed as bad as many of the medium red, balansa, etc clovers do. Also, plays "nice" with other plants due to lack of stolons that a white clover (carpet) variety creates.. FWIW, Crimson is among the best for soil building and nitrogen addition - Not to mention the spectacular display of color come spring!

In my experience, red and white clovers are much more desireable for deer however.

All great tools, just have to pick the right one for your goals of course :)
 
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