Lime

[Demoderby4]

Alright, got my soil tests back, 1 was neutral and the other was alkaline. How much lime should we use on the alkaline soil? The soil kit it said no more than 3-4 lbs per 100 sq ft? Does that sound right? Just wanted to hear your guy's input before we start laying it down! And should we even worry about using lime on the neutral site? I just want to do this right the first time lol!

[PrairieShadow]

Im gunna be going through this learning experience this year also. Maybe we can get it done right with each others help.

You are liming already? the frost is out of the ground in MI? From my readings you are supposed to put the lime down when you are breaking up/tilling the ground so its gets mixed into the soil and not just on top.

[Demoderby4]

Yes hopefully we can Prairie!

No we are not doing it yet, were waiting a few more weeks or so. Right now I'm just trying to get a feel for what to do when the time comes. We planned on tilling the ground, adding lime and then tilling again as to mix it into the ground.

[PrairieShadow]

alright good to know, we are on the same page their for sure. Just curious, what you gunna plant?

[Demoderby4]

Man i wish i knew for sure haha! [:D] My buddy and I have some differences of what to plant and where so were both taking 2 each and doing what we want with each and seeing what works best for us.

For the ones i got...

Summer/Fall Plots

The one in particular is going to be a small field with a creek running at end of it surrounded by some woods on all sides. I'm thinking I'm going to go with clover, alfalfa and some sort of taller grassy plot all mixed together.

The other is just going to be part of a big field that I think I will Do just clover with a mix of something like Monster Mix or something like that, I really don't know haha! [:D] I have thought a lot about it but I just cant decide!

Other than that if I do any other like in woods stuff iI will be using "Secret Spot" or some sort of no plow stuff, and see how that works!

Winter Plot

Were gonna go with turnips, rape, and brassica all in a field and hope for the best, the stuff is called "Shot Plot" and is pretty cheap, as well as turnips the seed is really cheap for em!

How about yourself? Hopefully we can give each other some good feedback on what we use and how it worked for us!!

[PrairieShadow]

Yeah sounds good, We are not in the same hardiness zones but close. Im planning 3 different small plots that are totaling right at 1 acre.
 
They are in some clearings along the edge of a old homestead shelter belt. There will be roughly 600-700 acres of corn surrounding the plots this year. and the only access will be .5 mile walk along a fence line once crops are in. Im planning on putting in one larger plot (1/2acre) of imperial clover, the other 2 plots will each be about 1/4 acre and they are going to be winter greens. Im going to be doing soil tests and fertilizer/lime accordingly beore planting.
 
Last fall i mowed all the plots down and sprayed them all with roundup. At green up im going to mow and spay them again at least once and then till/disc the snot out of the plots as im sure i will have tons of old tree roots to dig through. 
 
Keep in Touch!
 
 

[buckhunter21]

I have two different clover plots that I started last year planted in Whitetail Institute's Alpha Rack Plus.  Have a bit of a weed problem so I have to take care of that this spring (any hints on a good way to do that will be appreciated.  i was thinking of just buying some herbicide from Whitetail Inst.).  Also going to overseed these plots with some Whitetail Inst. Extreme since I have a feeling the pH. is still pretty low.  Planting some Biologic BioMaxx (soybeans/corn) again, and some Maximum(brassica).  Not sure what else.  Was thinking of 'shot plot.'  Has anyone ever planted that at all?  Maybe some oats too.  The area I hunt is my parent's hobby farm so he'll be putting in beans, corn, etc, as well as has some hay fields.

[Demoderby4]

Sounds like you got a pretty good idea of what you want to do Prairie! I still need to plan out trails to and from my stands at each plot yet, one is thru a section of woods so i will have to clear those paths soon, the other is all open fields to the spot, that will be a little more difficult to get to undetected but im working on it lol! I wish i would of took care of some stuff last fall since we didn't really hunt the area after bow season but oh well, live and learn! Well actually I take that back he has a few guys hunting the land during gun so it's prob best we didnt lol! I'm not sure if i will have any surrounding crops, if anything i think we'll have a 15-20 acre corn field near by but not on the property, hoping to keep em on our property with our plots!

Buckhunter- hopefully i'll have some luck with Shot Plot, and if you use it hopefully you do too! I know we talked a little about it before. How did the Alfarack Plus work for u? I was thinking about buying some for one of my plots this year, i thought it was kinda pricy though, thats the only thing holding me back lol. Thats cool you will have corn and beans too! If they are up long enough that should be a prime late season spot! I love hunting over beans and corn in December! Cant beat it!

[buckhunter21]

The Alpha Rack Plus worked out well besides the fact that my pH was not where I needed it to be.  I'm overseeding with some Extreme (works in lower pH soils) this spring.  We put about 3 or 4 tons (can't remember now) per acre of lime down on the field last fall though so I'm sure it's up a bit, but this takes a while to work in.  This used to be an old CRP field for the last 25 years.

[Demoderby4]

I'm glad it still worked pretty decent for ya even though the PH was out of whack some. Sounds like it should be in better shape for this year! Hopefully it works out for ya! I just got my schedule revealed to me at work today and the weekend I took off to lime and till some is cut in half so that sucks, but i'll still work on it that Saturday. I have a day off during the week after that and i plan on setting up my stands and cutting lanes and trying to establish paths to and from the stands then im thinking.