??? about food plots.

[mikeSF]

This is my first year of planting food plots. The ground hasn't been worked in over 30 years, just bush hogged. I dragged a chisel disk over it using a 63hp Massey. Then I used a rotary spreader to broadcast the winter wheat seeds. It' the same spreader I use on my lawn. I then drug a 7ft telephone over the area hoping to get the seeds into the ground. The info I read on wheat seeds is they have be an inch into the ground. Well mine are pressed into the clay but no where near 1 inch deep. I also tossed in a few bags of turnips with the purple tops. Will the seeds still germinate or did I just put down a few meals for all the turkeys on the farm? Tips for how to do it next year is appreciated. Thanks for what you know.

[yetti462]

You should be ok. Turnips just need to touch dirt, that tiny seed is easy to germinate.

[BP in ME]

I have no idea what a "telephone" is used in this context. With enough moisture the wheat will germinate but some will fail to take root if not covered and the soil starts to compact. I found that the turkeys didn't seem to eat much of it until after it germinates. Not sure why that is. They pretty much ignore turnip but when 50 of them are in there making a dust wallow nothing really stands much of a chance. Still trying to figure out how to keep them out of winter peas. the state biologist recommended sparkle tape, coyote decoys and electric fence--keep mixing it up. Once I can demonstrate "loss" he might be willing to issue a depredation permit for lethal means but I don't wanna resort to that.

[mikeSF]

I have no idea what a "telephone" is used in this context. With enough moisture the wheat will germinate but some will fail to take root if not covered and the soil starts to compact. I found that the turkeys didn't seem to eat much of it until after it germinates. Not sure why that is. They pretty much ignore turnip but when 50 of them are in there making a dust wallow nothing really stands much of a chance. Still trying to figure out how to keep them out of winter peas. the state biologist recommended sparkle tape, coyote decoys and electric fence--keep mixing it up. Once I can demonstrate "loss" he might be willing to issue a depredation permit for lethal means but I don't wanna resort to that.

I left out one word. The word "pole" should have been after telephone. I even read it again before posting it and didn't catch the mistake. Thanks!

[SCfisher]

I always have used an old section of chain link fence to drag my seed in, always seemed to move the dirt around and cover the seed well.

[BP in ME]

I always have used an old section of chain link fence to drag my seed in, always seemed to move the dirt around and cover the seed well.

Yep, I like to put a little weight on it too. Never had much luck when there was a bunch of sod and junk in the soil though. Roots and clumps would get stuck in the fence or roll along in a ball

[SCfisher]

true, at the end of each pass I'd just pick it up to get rid of the clumps, rocks or whatever. Yep needs a little weight on it.