Disk or No-till Drill
Filed under: Ask Grant, Food Plots
I am getting ready for planting fall food plots and usually plant a mix of brassicas/turnips with strips of oats. I am looking to rent a Great Plains drill to get the job done but I am confused on how I should fertilize. I usually spend many hours working the soil, then fertilize and then disk in before seeding. I want to avoid working the soil but if I just top dress won’t I lose a lot of nitrogen? I am in Michigan so Antler Dirt is not very conveniently located. Waiting for rain is hard because I live a distance from my hunting land. What would you do?
Thanks and love your show.
Brian
Brian,
If a current strategy is meeting the objectives, I don’t suggest changing your food plot preparation strategies in all the plots at once. I realize it is a hassle to use two different food plot preparation strategies, but improvement usually results from experimentation.
With that said, I’ve used a no-till drill in many soil types with great success. There is a trade-off of using a no-till drill and building up organic matter (which stores nitrogen) compared to disking which decreases organic matter and stored nitrogen. I don’t know if the amount of commercial nitrogen that would volatilize is more or less than the amount of nitrogen stored in the form of organic matter in your situation. However, overtime I’m confident the no-till drill option will yield better results.
Another variable is the type of nitrogen used in the commercial fertilizer blend. Some types are much more volatile than others.
If soil moisture tends to be a limiting factor in your area, then the odds of success are stacked in favor of using a no-till drill as disking results in huge losses of existing soil moisture. If the soil remains wet throughout the growing season, then disking may have an advantage over using a no-till drill.
I hope these guidelines help you make an informed decision.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
