I agree. I've seen a significant change both visually as well as on soil tests in just a few years. My test plot is growing much, much better.

Sooooo ... I want to try this on a few fields, particularly some where the soil is poor. What is step one this spring? Soil test? If so, do I till in the lime? Leave the lime on top? then plant a cover crop like BW? Then mow once or twice to let it reseed? Then what? Let it sit?

In the fall, spread rye, and clover, fertilize per the soil test, and then mow over the seeds? Or do I need to spray, seed, and then mow?

These plots are small - .5 acres.

Thanks.

If you have sandy soils, lime will leach down thru the profile. I would do a soil test and amend the soil. Disk in the ammendments, unless on sandy soils, then plant buckwheat and try and triple crop it. This should get you into september. You will have plenty of weeds and grasses in your buckwheat by the 3rd time you cut it, which will provide you with carbon credits and thatch. Spraying gly, is a personal choice, although if the standing vegetation is real thick, i would spray 2 weeks before seeding. Add some radish or ptt to your mix to help with hardpan soils, plus it will feed the soils.

Like Blumsden said, spraying is a personal choice. I didn't spray any of mine and they all turned out very well. I wanted to leave the current vegetation (SH) growing while my seed was coming up. The weeds got bit back by the cold, the remaining SH that was still growing after I bush hogged eventually died out as well, and the plots came on strong.

If your turning the plot into a perrenial clover plot, then i recomend spraying to kill whats there, so it wont return in the spring.

I agree with what blum has said as well……The only thing I would add is that I have come to the opinion that planting buckwheat, etc in the summer is really a personal choice too. I’ve tried several different things and I have to question if I’m any better off doing all that versus just growing biomass and natural browse during the summer. Most of us are dealing with small plots, relatively speaking, which makes it really hard to grow any significant amounts of ice cream type “crops” such as the previous mentioned. If in the end your efforts just end up being nothing more than a novelty….then you really haven’t accomplished too much.

I didn't have any luck loading the soil test results but here is the summary:

pH was 5.8 and CEC was a 5,

Recommendation was for 30lb/M of dolomitic lime and 2lb/M of P and K for the

upcoming year. I would say that we need to increase our OM to help with the

CEC. I will add some 11-52-0 and potash to meet our P and K needs as well in

the next few weeks and test again in the fall.

Please feel free to make any other suggestions.

What CEC do y'all shoot for?

Has anyone on here ever tried to plant any Whitetail Imperial clover? The field I am thinking about trying it in has moisture in it pretty much year around. Its located in a river bottom. I do have my green fields turn yellow towards the end of season although I fertilize them periodically throughout.

I haven't done it personally, but know someone who does with great results. You could try a small area to see how it goes, instead of jumping in with both feet. Cause I know it's expensive.

Yes it is N2! I have to confess to planting about 2 acres of it last year but covered it up too deep due to a mistake I made. What did come up looked great. I thought after turkey season goes out I'd try to do a better job at it this go around. If you ever want to go on a hunt let me know. I am covered up in birds.

I would like a CEC of 15-20 but I am not sure it will be attainable in this sandy soil.

The sandier the soil the more likely for your nutrients to leach out. Organic matter can

help hold that fertilizer around so your plants can utilize them.

I hate that happened. Thanks for the invite.

The person that you know did he say if the deer hit it hard or not? I figured the turkeys would like it, although not as much as the chufas I plant.

I believe the deer ate it too.

Imperial clover is a great clover and deer and turkey love it. Only problem i have is that it is so expensive. A lot of the bag you buy has inexpensive berseem clover in it as well, but your still paying a premium price. Plant it in the fall and get a control on all your weeds and grasses before you plant it. I would use the throw and mow method that way you cant get it too deep and your not bring up new weed seed.

Was thinking about throw and mowing in the next two weeks with some buckwheat, turnips, and radishes. The cereal grains are finally starting to get some height to them. Figured a throw and mow in a couple of weeks would be a good idea.

Not sure where your located, but i wouldn't plant any warm season plantings before April 15th, in Alabama. Late frost will kill it, plus soil temps are not where they need to be. I don't plant until the end of April, just to make sure. The brassica's would be ok, but buckwheat is easily killed by a lite frost.

Well I tried this another way and I think it worked.