clearing for a food plot

deerhunter1 · Jul 12, 2009

I have an area about 1/2 acre or so that I want to clear for a food plot. Mostly overgrown weeds and some larger brush and small trees. I have a Kubota BX25 and will remove the large brush (autumn olive) and small trees with this. What would be the best implement to prep the soil initially ? Cost is a real concern because I just bought the tractor and not much money left so any cost saving ideas will be helpfull. Thanx

dirt ditch · Jul 12, 2009

Sounds like you may need to mow it before doing anything else.
What attachments if any do you have for your tractor?
Maybe a plow or disc would work.
Pictures would help.

whistlepig · Jul 12, 2009

I just did my first ever food plot this spring. Mine is about 1/2 acre also. Last fall I brush hogged all the honeysuckle, wild rose, blackberries, and saplings. It was a mess. I bought an old disk this spring for $100.00. A 1950's model with wooden bearings.This disk worked much better than I ever thought it would. It flat boiled the ground. I disked this ground three times to turn the sod under. I did do a soil test through Whitetail Institute. I didn't need to lime but I did have to fertilize. I would highly recommend a soil test. The soil test kit costs $12.00 from Whitetail Institute plug and play.

Here's the steps:

1) Disk the soil to a smooth powder. I did this with a $100.00 disk and it did an awesome job.

2) Fertilize it.

3) Disk the fertilize in.

4) Roll it or drag it smooth. You need a smooth seed bed.

5) Seed it.

6) Drag or roll over the seed so the seed has contact with the ground.

I planted this plot in Ladino Clover this spring. We have had a very wet spring and a very wet summer this year. Clover loves water. This plot has exploded in clover. As has my yard. With the $100.00 for the disk, $12.00 for the soil test and the purchase of fertilizer and seed I got this done for about $150.00 not counting the fuel for the tractor.

I have a very good trail camera that I put out in the fall. Last year after I mowed I got some awesome deer pictures. This year they will have something to eat and better pictures to come. Of all that I do in the country I enjoy my food plot and the trail camera pictures the most. Saturday mornings in the fall I switch out the chip out and download the the pictures Saturday afternoon. It's the real thing. Both my wife and I love it and look forward to seeing them.

deerhunter1 · Jul 13, 2009

Whistlepig, After you brush hogged how did you clean up the mess ?

GreenLawnFarm · Jul 14, 2009

clearing an overgrown field, i was able to cut down the trees with a chainsaw flush with the ground, save the larger branches for firewood and mow the rest with the brush mower branches, grass, bushes, etc. into a fine organic compost. then i pulled tree stumps out with a subsoiler. the tractor can put lots of force on such a small area. works better than bending the FEL.