Putting in a small food plot

[police women of America]

Put down your plants then add some Miracle Grow it could grow a tomato on concrete 
also rake the cleared areas before planting the seeds (even though I'm sure you already know that).
it should work out great! 

[CP]

Update:
Mixed results so far; thick in places but some spots have no growth at all but.  Overall it’s growing slower than I expected.  The soil is inconsistent and where there are rotting cedar trees in the mix it seems to retard the growth.  The deer have found it and have plucked a couple of spots clean. 

[h20hunter]

I'd say you can call that some early success. 

[jackelope]

Update:
Mixed results so far; thick in places but some spots have no growth at all but.  Overall it’s growing slower than I expected.  The soil is inconsistent and where there are rotting cedar trees in the mix it seems to retard the growth.  The deer have found it and have plucked a couple of spots clean.

I wonder if the acid added to the soil from the cedars is affecting the soil enough to hinder the seed from sprouting.
As cryder said....ph is too high.
 

[CP]

Update:
Mixed results so far; thick in places but some spots have no growth at all but.  Overall it’s growing slower than I expected.  The soil is inconsistent and where there are rotting cedar trees in the mix it seems to retard the growth.  The deer have found it and have plucked a couple of spots clean.

I wonder if the acid added to the soil from the cedars is affecting the soil enough to hinder the seed from sprouting.
As cryder said....ph is too high.
 

Maybe - I know that I put cedar bark in the flower beds to keeps the weeds in check.   

[Chesapeake]

Acid is low PH, not high. Alkaline would be high. Cant say I've ever seen alkaline soil, but I don't go around testing lots of soil.

Cedar tree's drop a lot of limb ends creating acid soil due to the tannins in cedars.

I'd go lime (an alkaline) to neutralize the acid and bring the soil more toward a 7 ph and then add fertilizer.

Guess I already said that in this thread.

[KFhunter]

If you get more serious do soil tests and add soil amendments like sulfur according to the results.   The problem with PH above 7ish is the plants can't draw potassium and phosphorous and manganese and die off.  You don't want anything over 7 or under 6 generally,  6 is 10 times more acidic than 7 and 100 times more acidic than 8.  Plants need a certain amount of acidity to utilize the minerals mentioned - depending on the plant.  You can plant in around cedar trees, but you'll need soil amendments to do it properly. 

Also just don't guess and spread out soil amendments as you can really change the soil wildly, it's like adding chemicals to a hot tub...little bit too much of this then a little bit too much of that.... and next thing you know you've got a cocktail of chemicals in your tub and you gotta drain and start all over. 

[CP]

 It’s pretty much all dried up now.  Need rain soon or this is a bust.

[huntingbaldguy]

Can you take a drum in there and attach a garden hose to it and give it a little water?

[CP]

I hauled some water in trash can on the ATV and watered with a bucket.  Too little, too late probably but we will see.  Still no rain in sight.

[Jonathan_S]

I hauled some water in trash can on the ATV and watered with a bucket.  Too little, too late probably but we will see.  Still no rain in sight.

Not too late, too early.  Clover is something to plant in the fall    Give it another shot in October.  Broadcast some seed and judge the results next year.  Clover relies on a pretty significant root structure.

[CP]

I’ll do that. 

I thought getting it in early, as soon as the snow melted, was key.  If this crop doesn’t work I’ll try again for next year and be ready with soil tests, fertilizer and some means of irrigation.  Maybe switch clover varieties.  I see some natural clover patches nearby and they all seem to be arrowleaf. 

[Maverick]

tagging. great post!

[CP]

Tough winter this year.  Several trees down - snapped off under snow load and high winds.   I'll have to clear them out and clean the plot up to try again.

[fishnfur]

At least you've got firewood to cook that elk with.

Perhaps just a bunch of apple trees would be best if the clearing gets direct sunlight.  You'll have to cage them for several years.  I had an elk clip the top of one of my 3 year-old apple trees at about the 6.5 foot level.  He smashed the chicken wire fencing and bent a T post getting up there to get that single bite.