Mid July Planting

Because of all the rain, my dozer work is getting pushed back till mid July. I want to get something growing pretty quick. It's a little too late for a summer plot, but probably too early for a fall plot. What should I plant? The dozer guy suggested millet because it's cheap and easy, then I could go back in a few months with cereal rye and clover.

Ic peas would grow well and even in mid july you'll still has 100 dasys worth of growing if they make it to mid october. brown top millet would work just as well I guess

Chufa's, iron clay peas and brown top millet

This scenario is where Sunn Hemp shines. It's fast growing, deer love it, and it adds nutrients back to the soil when you mow it down and disc it in later.

I bet milo (grain sorghum) would still do well.

Sunn Hemp and buckwheat is what I would do right now. Buckwheat has a second crop come in around mid july on its own anyhow. If I had a good sized field I would throw in IC peas with it. Plenty of nutrients and nitrogen going back into the soil plus BW is a soil builder as well.

What are you wanting to accomplish, Toothdoc? If you're primarily planting for deer, browntop is a waste.

IC peas would still do well (provided the rain stays) and would probably be your best bet for a summer plot at this stage. I haven't done sunhemp, so can't speak for it, but would definitely listen to the guys that have.

Primary goal is to just get something on it to avoid erosion. Secondary is to improve the soil for future greenfields. Primary target will be deer. Sun-hemp is sounding very attractive.

Sun-hemp would be great for what you're wanting.

I will disagree with some suggestions……I think you should go with a heavy crop of millet for erosion control and to establish and initial crop of “hay” biomass. How many “stems per acre” will you have with the millet as compared with sunn hemp??? Which will slow down water flow across the soil surface better……a LOT of stems packed closely together or fewer stems with space between them???? You need a heavy “grass” crop right now. Worry about those other things later on.

More thoughts on this subject: chances are high that your soil is going to be in pretty bad shape after this work is complete. Dozer work usually removes some valuable topsoil and leaves you with the subsoil that is void of nutrients and probably a high pH. Your first step should be to take a soil sample on the day the dozer work is complete and plan to lime ASAP. I'm not sure you'll get a good clover crop going this year. Your soil will probably need amending before you get much to grow well.

Absolutely. That's on the to-do list. He's using a mulcher for any of the small stuff and just using the dozer for roads and bigger trees. I'm having about 3-4ac of plots pushed out and/or mulched. He's then going to take samples, spread lime, fertilize, and plant. I just need to tell him if I want to plant something different than millet. I know the area close to my pond I want millet, and a field I'm curious if doves will come to.
This fall I will come back in and put Cereal Rye Throw and Mow.

Millet where you need erosion control or want to attract birds. Sunn hemp anywhere where you want to fixate nitrogen for future crops.

Sunn hemp and pea combo would do well. An added benefit would be that you can plant your fall plots behind them without having to fertilize them if you use innoculant on hemp and peas. They use the same type innoculant

I planted 3 acres of buckwheat last week. A good bit of it is already up. It's known as a good soil builder and it grows so quickly it will definitely help with erosion.

The Buckwheat also takes some browse pressure off whatever crop you grow with it. It shoots up and the young plants are eaten by deer long enough to about the point where it won't hurt the sunn hemp or whatever you put with it. I've seen buckwheat do well holding soil and creating a top layer. I just would not plant too much of it per acre.

I'd go with buckwheat and millet. Both are easy to top sew and grow fast. Both will feed birds, and the buckwheat will feed deer and add 30lbs/acre phosphorous to your soil. You can get a second crop out of both of these. When they mature, bushhog them and the seed heads will sprout. This will really help building your soil.

Not to hijack but. I am hopefully about to get a parcel and need to get some green fields planted asap. I was hoping for a dual usage plot doves and deer if possible. If I go the buckwheat / millet route should I bush hog and replant for a more deer centric plot in October, or mix in something with it from the beginning so it is good for bow season?

No hijack at all. Great question.

Disc up your plot. Top sow wheat in the plot in late August. The top sowed wheat will attract doves but also sprout after it rains and become a good food plot if you fertilize it.

Remington, assuming we don't go into drought mode again this year around September wouldn't the wheat be pretty tall and tough? Or would you bush hog it right before bow season?

Also dropping the wheat in August is it worth even planting the buckwheat/ millet this late?

If you're top sowing a few weeks before dove opener, that puts you in mid-late August. A lot of folks plant plots Labor Day. Yeah it's early, and I wouldn't do all my plots like this.

If it were a decent sized field I would plant millet and buckwheat asap and then come back right when Remington is talking about and disc checkerboard patterns through it and throw down wheat. Then I would come back and disc the other part in October and plant cereal rye/oats or wheat. Just something I would try.

I like that good idea.

BLM will get you for planting Buckwheat. I'd plant brown top millet for doves.