Pond Boss Forums Thread Like Summary - Word to the wise re fertilizer

If you want pond fertilizer but are waiting to buy, I suggest you wait no longer. Russia -- yes, that Russia -- is the number one producer of fertilizer in the world. Less supply, higher prices.

Heppy,
I have pretty good soil. I like mixes such as yours (actually love the sunflower/milo/millet/bean mix), rotate legumes for nitrogen fixation with nitrogen lovers, and every few years throw a complete curveball at it. Nature doesn't seem to like a routine so I'm always mixing it up. I also don't mind weeds all that much as they usually tell me a story of what the soil needs and points towards what to do next. But, an example of one of the things I do to combat things I don't want is I'll throw cereal grains and chicory into my perennial clover plots every fall to use up excess nitrogen... discourages foxtail or cool season grasses (nitrogen lovers). No secrets.

catscratch,

Are you doing deer food plots? If so, what have been your most successful additions?

I know my soils are different than yours, but my climate is similar (with less rain).

catscratch,
I don’t fertilize my no till sunflower/milo/millet/soybean or broadcast/drag fall cover crops only for perennial ladino or durana clover. I’m not sure how you do it seeding in red clay. Lime 2 tons/acre as well. Please tell me your secret.

I have so many favorites! Awnless wheat has been a big hit. Deer graze on it all winter then hammer the heads mid summer. Ladino, arrowleaf, and med red are some of my go-to clovers. Chicory gets thrown into all my mixes. Chicory and alfalfa are drought resistant and loved by my deer. I'll also buy grocery store beans to plant. You can get a huge selection of beans/peas for around $1 per pound. They won't be round-up ready or liberty-link, but they add diversity and are cheap. Sunflowers can't be beat for summer grazing and if you can grow pumpkins without squash bugs hammering them you'll have a great fall attraction. Connecticut field pumpkins work well. If you're looking for ideas check out some of the cattle forage brassicas/clovers/grains. The cattle industry has a lot that works for deer too.

anthropic,
I just picked up 20 bags of 10-20-20 for $28.11 each for durana clover I frost seeded. Thanks for the heads up!

I can't get seed-grade black sunflower here, so I use a striped variety, the name of which is completely evading me at the moment.

I've planted purple-top turnips on the same patch after the sunflowers have served their purpose. By springtime there won't be a
turnip to be found, and the field looks like it's had hogs running on it.

Catscratch, it appears that we will all have hogs in the next xx years. There’s nothing to stop their migration. Heck, I’ve got some that I can drive up to on a 4wheeler.