Best equipment for starting food plots?

[HK45]

I have a few acres I would like to start to plant on it. Ive been reading a lot of posts, But I'm not sure if its better to buy A plow and disc or plow or tiller or a cultivator. Im in Pa I have a kioti NX6010, Any help or suggestion would be appreciated

 

[YLee Kioti]

Personal anecdote.
Root plowed about 3/4 acre of weeds and trees stumps.
Broadcast a seed combo called bird buffet, of sorghum, Egyptian wheat, brown top millet and sesame.

Walked the area down with a shoulder held broadcaster. Used bucket to back drag area to help with soil contact.
Presently the wheat is 3 foot tall and the deer are now grazing in our back yard every evening.

After watching countless videos and looking at all the implements used , was thinking shoot man. Don't have all that.
So very pleased this worked and now sip tea smoke cigar and watch the wildlife, kindah nice.

There seems to be a lot of different views on this. Stoney Ridge Farms did a video like this without all the plowing and tilling.

HOW DOES A NO TILL SEED DRILL WORK..SEEDING NEW PASTURE TIPS, IDEAS AND THOUGHTS - YouTube

hope this helps yah get started.

 

[jeff9366]

The two objectives in planting food plots is to expose earth to the seed and pack the seed into firm contact with the earth after sowing.

Food Plot seeds are eager germinators. Land does not have to prepared too thoroughly. It is important to plant when the soil is moist and intermittent rain can be expected until seed germination.


For exposing earth to food plot seed Disc Harrows and tillers are often used. Kyoti NX6010 can pull a Disc Harrow with 22" diameter pans, 24" diameter pans in loamy soil, which will do a good job chopping surface vegetation.

For packing seed, a Cultipacker is the most used implement. Rather than buy a Cultipacker, which has the additional benefit of reducing surface erosion, many use a section of chain link fence, with some tires on it for weight, to increase seed/soil contact.


Kioti NX6010

2014 - NX Series
Compact Utility tractor
Series back: Kioti NX5510

Production:
Manufacturer: Daedong

Kioti NX6010 Engine:
Daedong 1.8L 3-cyl diesel
Engine (gross): 60 hp [44.7 kW]
PTO (claimed): 48.3 hp [36.0 kW]

Capacity:
Fuel: 14.8 gal [56.0 L]

3-Point Hitch:
Rear Type: II/I
Control: position and draft control
Rear lift (at 24"/610mm): 3177 lbs [1441 kg]

Power Take-off (PTO):
Rear PTO: independent
Rear RPM: 540 (1.375)
Mid PTO: optional
Mid RPM: 2000

Dimensions & Tires:
Wheelbase: 75.6 inches [192 cm]
Weight: 4211 to 4548 pounds

 

[3gunr]

IF you are on a tight budget and can only afford one implement, get a tiller. A six footer will work on your tractor no problem. The key is to kill off the weeds and sod, spray with glyphosate after mowing as low as you can, then wait at least 3 weeks before tilling. It also helps to have some moisture in the soil.A firm seedbed is amust so roll or drag it before planting.Qdma has lots of videos on the subject.

 

[Oldoak]

IF you are on a tight budget and can only afford one implement, get a tiller. A six footer will work on your tractor no problem. The key is to kill off the weeds and sod, spray with glyphosate after mowing as low as you can, then wait at least 3 weeks before tilling. It also helps to have some moisture in the soil.A firm seedbed is amust so roll or drag it before planting.Qdma has lots of videos on the subject.

I agree and I also spray with generic Roundup first. And rota-tiller is what I use and would have suggested too. Twice over, once in one direction and then again in the opposite directions and the soil is ready for seeding. The seeds will fall in the loose soil and most of them will be buried just enough if you roll it after seeding it and will have firm soil contact.

Many years ago when our family raised a very large garden or seeded a new section of lawn, we used a discarded set of old fashioned bed springs with rocks on top to drag it with. Or we would throw a plank on to the the springs and us kids would take turns riding on it. The younger generations today probably don't even know what bare bed springs look like.

 

[HK45]

Thanks for all the info? Seems like a rota-tiller seems like a good thing to have. Is it good to plow and till? Or is having both a waste of money? Any natural was to kill the grass and weeds? My wife would like me to plant corn and vegetables so I was hoping to not spray anything lke round up

 

[Oldoak]

Plow or till is just a matter of choice, your choice.

Plowing is fine too but if you use a plow, you should have a set of disks to go over it or at least a good set of drag harrows and will have to drag it several times before it is ready for seeding.

The main idea when plowing is to have the plows adjusted properly in order to turn the soil completely over, not just cut it and leave and sod standing up on edge.

 

[jeff9366]

HK45

A roto-tiller seems like a good implement to have.

Is it good to plow and till? Or is having both a waste of money?

Not many plow today, which is an advanced tractor skill. Plows leave deep furrows. A Disc Harrow is used after plowing to reduce plow furrow heights from 12" or more to 6" or less. If you acquire a Tandem Disc Harrow with 22" diameter discs, or a PTO powered roto-tiller, you do not need a plow.

Disc Harrows and PTO powered roto-tillers both mix and smooth soil, but in distinct ways.

Any natural way to kill the grass and weeds? My wife would like me to plant corn and vegetables so I was hoping to not spray anything like Roundup

Disc or roto-till, let weeds desiccate and die. Repeat. Repeat.


MORE: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ing-three-point-hitch-mounted.html?highlight=

 

[jeff9366]

I have a few acres I would like to plant.

How many acres for food plots? What size will the average food plot be?

How large will your vegetable garden be?

 

[skipperbrown]

I have been planting 20+ ac for food plots for 15 yrs in south AL. All we use is a brush cutter, disk, and a PTO spreader although the last 2 years we have also sprayed roundup with good results. Mow, spray, disk, spread seed/fertilizer, disk again lightly with straight blades, hope for rain. Wheat/oats are very opportunistic. I can grow it on my trailer and the bed of my pickup!