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Thread: Planting in red clay …..

  1. #1
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    Default Planting in red clay …..

    Two questions for y’all:

    Our lease has some old logging decks …..we have cleared/pushed them as well as bush hogged and sprayed.

    Mostly red clay type of dirt…….have access to a tractor and some equipment but I don’t expect to be able to get more than 4-6 inches of dirt turned over.

    Wanting to plant something (if possible) for deer….not necessarily to hunt over but to add some food supply. Suggestions…mostly full sun dry areas.

    Also have a small river bottom that is almost full shade most of the day…..better soil and damp….thoughts on what to plant there?

  2. #2
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    Chisel plow first. A disc will do nothing but roll across the ground. Our experience in Fairfield county is if it ain’t growing weeds on it, you ain’t growing food on it. That is unless you want to spend a fortune on lime and fertilizer.

  3. #3
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    Just be cognizant that if you disc it wet, leave clumps, and the clumps bake in the sun, you now have rocks

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    You planting for fall winter or summmer?? Clover does well in shady moist areas.

  5. #5
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    Driller radishes and rye broadcast on top shortly before a good soaking rain might work. I’ve had them sprout on hard packed roads when we’ve spilled some filling the hopper. Our deer love those radish.

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    They grow weed and grasses somewhat….was thinking a mix of rye grass and something else.

  7. #7
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    As far as tillage goes, drop the 2 blade bottom plow on that red dirt and you WILL show that red clay who is the boss.

    Then run the cut away harrows and then roto tiller, and you will have a nice spot to plant.

    Add fertilzer and lime based on what your soil test says you need

    Easy peasy
    I am a nobody, that met somebody, that can save anybody.

  8. #8
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    I deal with these a lot in the upcountry.

    If it is a multi generational logging deck, watch out. We had one with old logs underneath and a random stump or two. It was hell on the bottom plow.

    They also tend to have hard pack from the equipment. Lastly, they have a lot of bark around them that is decomposing. That makes it hard to grow stuff.

    The easiest plots to plant (next to millet) are fall food plots. They don't need to go deep either.

    Your logging decks are probably less than 1/3 of an acre. I would spend money on lime and then do 150 to 200 lbs of fertilizer. I would use a disk harrow to roll over all the damn sticks. Then I would plant cereal grains. I would also consider radishes or some brassica that will tap into the soil. It helps break it up. If you want something to hunt early season, then throw in some soybeans for the deer to nip before the first frost.

    In the shade of the bottomland, I would definitely plant some clover.

    Feel free to call or message me if you want eyes laid on it.

  9. #9
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    Steer clear of rye grass. You want cereal rye. Two very different things. Sportin' is spot on about not working it when it is wet. The good thing about red clay ground, once you get it amended, it will hold those amendments for a long time and can grow some pretty good forage. If it was me, I would get a soil test from each plot and figure out how much lime you need and get it spread as soon as possible. If you run the numbers, it'll be the cheapest thing you do, with the best return. Get a lime truck to deliver and spread it for you. If they could get a log truck to those loading decks, chances are a lime truck can get there too.

    Forget trying to grow something this summer on an old loading deck. Get the soil amended, get the lime worked in as best you can and be ready to start on the right foot in September. I would start with a simple mix of cereal rye, crimson clover and daikon radish and put the correct amount of fertilizer on it. You may need more lime next year, so don't blow you budget on seed this year. Once you have your soil amended, then you can make it as complicated as you want. For warm season planting on small plots, alyce clover is about the only thing that deer don't wipe out in a small plot.

    In those low shaded plots, some perennial clovers like ladino, durana are good later down the road when you have your soils right. Just stick to annual clovers for now.

  10. #10
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    3/4 of our plots in Fairfield are red clay. Full sun/ red clay has taken a few years with a lot of fertilizer and lime.

    On roads, we have been able to get fescue, wheat and clover to grow from the beginning. Now, we are able to get peas as well since the soil is conditioned a little better. Can't disc it wet and don't get too deep. But I would get the soil tested and then make a pass with lime and fertilizer.

  11. #11
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    Hell about anything will grow in red clay. I have planted a lot of different stuff. Just get the ground broken good.
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