Summer seeding

[dbltree]

Right now is a great time to start prepping for late summer seedings of clover, alfalfa and brassicas. Good time to get a spot mowed and sprayed...better if you can get a little rain on it to get a flush of green growth before you nuke it.
No worries about fighting off spring rains trying to work and fit ground this time of year

There is no "perfect" way to seed, only different options and I have found late summer seedings to be one of the better options.
One plus about late summer seedings is that you can forget about all the spraying for weeds. Any broadleaves that come up will die with the first frost.
Rain is iffy at best this time of year but once your plot is fitted and ready, you can watch the weather for an upcoming rain before seeding.
I've never had a alfalfa or clover seeding fail or turn out poorly when summer seeded.
Brassicas, like turnips and rape are 60-90 day food sources that should be planted in late summer also...same deal...no fighting with weeds and they will be perfect when the first frost turns them into "candy"

Rye and winter wheat don't need to go in until very late August or early Sept.

Give summer seeding a try...I think you'll be happy with the results.

 

[iowabruce]

dbltree,

After fighting broadleaf and grasses on spring plantings, I couldn't agree with you more. As a matter of fact, I can't wait to put the old "round-up flamethrower" on a couple of my worst patches.

 

[ironwood]

My soybeans aren't coming on very well and I am sure I'll be trying to get something else in with them come August.

 

[hornhntr]

I am getting ready to nuke an acre for my new wintergreens food plot. Hopefully it will attract them after first frost.

 

[PYBucks]

I planted this mix last year (Aug. 10th after my corn failed) and it turned out great. The clover is awesome right now and there are deer in the plot almost all day. The deer didn't touch it too much last fall but once December rolled around they hammered it.

http://members.tripod.com/~mmbqdm/index.html

Then click on the Special Seed Mix tab on the left.

The Ultimate Blend Mix has everything you need for this fall/winter and it will get your clover plot started for next year.

Tim

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
I planted this mix last year (Aug. 10th after my corn failed) and it turned out great. The clover is awesome right now and there are deer in the plot almost all day. The deer didn't touch it too much last fall but once December rolled around they hammered it.

http://members.tripod.com/~mmbqdm/index.html

Then click on the Special Seed Mix tab on the left.

The Ultimate Blend Mix has everything you need for this fall/winter and it will get your clover plot started for next year.

Tim

[/ QUOTE ]

Sheesh! That mix has everything but the kitchen sink!

I'd be very curious to see if any of the Endura Kura clover will take hold. That stuff has great potential but takes like two years to establish and can't take any competition...get it going though and it's good for 15-20 years! (let us know if it's still there in 20 years

)

The RR soybean plots have lots of possibles, like over seeding with rye and or brassicas if you don't want to till it and plant clover. If weeds and grass come back hit it with Roundup again so you have a good clean surface to work with though.

The worst problem is always to kill the grass in any new plot. Hitting it several times with Roundup to make sure it's dead is well worth it...or one will pay for it later

Broadleaves won't last...but grass is like the Eveready bunny...it keeps going and going

 

[ironwood]

[ QUOTE ]


The RR soybean plots have lots of possibles, like over seeding with rye and or brassicas if you don't want to till it and plant clover. If weeds and grass come back hit it with Roundup again so you have a good clean surface to work with though.

The worst problem is always to kill the grass in any new plot. Hitting it several times with Roundup to make sure it's dead is well worth it...or one will pay for it later

Broadleaves won't last...but grass is like the Eveready bunny...it keeps going and going

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so I believe I will do another burn down for grass and try a broad cast of rye and turnips. My question is this, with the notill into sod, that was done with my soybean plot, will the broad cast seeding be effective? When should I burn and when should I spred seed? Can I buy a quality seed locally or where do I get the best price on seed?

 

[TallTines]

If i summer seed clover will much of it come up this fall?

I cleared out about a quarter acre on a logging road last week and sprayed roundup all over it. I want a huntable foodplot this year so that's why I ask. Just wondering if i should go with a late season mix instead.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]


The RR soybean plots have lots of possibles, like over seeding with rye and or brassicas if you don't want to till it and plant clover. If weeds and grass come back hit it with Roundup again so you have a good clean surface to work with though.

The worst problem is always to kill the grass in any new plot. Hitting it several times with Roundup to make sure it's dead is well worth it...or one will pay for it later

Broadleaves won't last...but grass is like the Eveready bunny...it keeps going and going

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, so I believe I will do another burn down for grass and try a broad cast of rye and turnips. My question is this, with the notill into sod, that was done with my soybean plot, will the broad cast seeding be effective? When should I burn and when should I spred seed? Can I buy a quality seed locally or where do I get the best price on seed?

[/ QUOTE ]

Over seeding can be like frost seeding...it may work great or it might be a flop...or anywhere in between.
You need little soil residue and good moisture conditions, but you should get some results either way. Compared to tilling and cultipacking though...it may not be what you see in the "pictures"

I like Welter Seed...the price is right and it's an Iowa company. Look over the brassica page and put together a mix of forage turnips and rape with some Purple Top turnips for "root" food later. Don't buy swedes or kale...they need to be planted in spring as they need about 120 days.
Your beans may still come along although you may want to check them closely to see if they are being eaten....if they are then weather isn't going to help.
If they fail completely...you can also no-till brassicas and rye right over the bean patch.
Re-spray if and when weeds/grass get 4-6" tall....(before you plant anything else...that should be obvious...but some people have been known to spray their whole lawn...

)
Welter Seed Company

TallTines...clover can be just right...tasty and tender by hunting season...IF weather and conditions cooperate....it's always a bit of a crap shoot, but any I have planted has always had deer feeding in it by late fall.

 

[bjkpharmd]

Last year I had sprayed the back plot, drilled beans and they were ate off and didn't get the best growth because of weather. Went back and drilled oats and rye- fall plot was great. I frost seeded about 5 acres with ladino, jumbo ladino, and a small amount of red clover from Welter seed.
I have put off clipping the rye because of nesting and fawning but this is making a great clover plot.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
Last year I had sprayed the back plot, drilled beans and they were ate off and didn't get the best growth because of weather. Went back and drilled oats and rye- fall plot was great. I frost seeded about 5 acres with ladino, jumbo ladino, and a small amount of red clover from Welter seed.
I have put off clipping the rye because of nesting and fawning but this is making a great clover plot.


[/ QUOTE ]
That seeding looks like it turned out great pharmer!

Do you recall how many #'s of rye you put on per acre? I normally use 80-100#'s and it would have been way to thick to not have clipped it a long time ago. Yours doesn't look to bad and it looks like the clover is thriving!

 

[locust]

I'm going to try frost seeding clover this winter from Welters for a small food plot and for a fire break around some natives. I was going to go with a ladino/red mix. Do any of you know if it is a must to innoculate for a frost seeding? Any tips on how to innoculate(I've never done it)? I see on the Welter home page they sell it, but I've never done the innoculation. I frost seeded some red clover last year and it was pre-inoculated and it is growing thick...I wish I would have planted more.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm going to try frost seeding clover this winter from Welters for a small food plot and for a fire break around some natives. I was going to go with a ladino/red mix. Do any of you know if it is a must to innoculate for a frost seeding? Any tips on how to innoculate(I've never done it)? I see on the Welter home page they sell it, but I've never done the innoculation. I frost seeded some red clover last year and it was pre-inoculated and it is growing thick...I wish I would have planted more.

[/ QUOTE ]
Most of Welters clover seed is pre-inoculated. Mixing it with the seed yourself isn't hard, depending on the type it may just be mixed dry (dump it in a pail and mix it up with the seed) some may require you make it moist so it will stick to the seed...but still just a matter of stirring it into the seed good.
Just another reason I like seed from Welters...I don't have to mess with it. A lot of places don't pre-inoculate their seed and don't even mention that you should do it...and you often end up paying a premium to boot

 

[loneranger]

So when is best time to cut down and then spray an area with round up for a late summer early fall clover planting? I have two spots and after spraying plan to have it plowed and disked?

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
So when is best time to cut down and then spray an area with round up for a late summer early fall clover planting? I have two spots and after spraying plan to have it plowed and disked?

[/ QUOTE ]
I would get your spots mowed asap...hopefully you'll get a rain and it will start to regrow which is the best time to spray it. Best if you can leave it for a least a week before tilling.
If you start right now for instance, mow, wait, spray, wait, then till...your right around the first of August already. I would seed anytime in August, if at all possible...just ahead of a rain.
Remember...cultipack (roll)the seedbed, seed...and re-cultipack...don't disc or harrow the clover seed in...you'll bury it. An old bedsprings will work in a pinch too.