burn/frost seed or wait and dics/plan
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: 88van
10-Feb-23
simple question- not simple answers I know. Which is a better way to start a new food plot in area that is now grass. should I burn it now and frost seed it or wait and 'roundup', disc, and plant. It is a new plot that is grass now and about 80 yards by 60 yards. I have a tractor and 5 ft disc, so I can wait until spring. I would like to do something now to get some green up by April turkey season. But don't know if the burn/frost seed is a good choice. All advice is greatly appreciated.
From: t-roy
10-Feb-23
What are you planning to plant in this plot?
From: 88van
10-Feb-23
clover, maybe with some chickory.
From: t-roy
10-Feb-23
Personally, I would probably burn it off and disc it up thoroughly ASAP, so the ground has a chance to hopefully go through a few freeze/thaw cycles, which seems to help break up the dirt clumps, somewhat. Then, I would wait until the remaining grass starts to green up, and hit it with glyphosate (on a warmer day, if possible) to hopefully kill all of the grass to the roots. Next, I would wait a week or so, then sow some oats, lightly disc or drag the plot, to cover the oats and smooth the plot a little more. If you have access to a cultipacker, even better. Then, sow your clover/chicory seed, and then cultipack that seed in. The oats will give you the green up you desire, plus it will act as a nurse crop for your clover/chicory.
That’s one option. This wouldn’t work in Iowa, but I see you’re in Kansas, so I’m assuming the lack of any frost in the ground and much warmer early spring temps in your area would make this plan feasible.
