Lessons learned-Buckwheat / Iron-Clay Cowpeas / Chicory

Disked up 2 acres Mid-April, spread #25 of buckwheat on this plot. Lesson: Wait till the weeds come in, then hit it with Roundup, wait 10 days, then plant. I also think #50/acre would have been better. They seem a bit thin but the growth is great, so, I note it for the future. I put down no fertilizer, by the way, just as a test. The soil isn't all that great, but so far, they look good. Buckwheat is a great annual, smothering out some weeds, growing rapidly, handling heavy grazing pressure, and tolerating most any soil. Additionally, they bring up potassium and phosporus so that future crops do better.
I broadcast seeded them over disked soil, then ran the cultipacker to press them under. They are best planted 1" down, but I have no planter, so this worked pretty good, but some areas are somewhat thin. You can see the weeds there also...




Chicory-This hearty perennial has a long tap root and tolerates drought very well. I have some plants that are a foot tall! I now have to mow this field because I made the same mistake I mentioned prior: planting immediately after disking. RULE-anytime you disturb the soil, you will get weeds. Hopefully the repeated mowing will keep the annuals out in the future, as I cut the tops off before they go to seed. I have hardly any grass weeds, but a lot of broadleaf. We'll see how the mowing does next year specifically. Here's a shot showing the very nice growth. My soil is very average, and this stuff germinated easily, and grows very strong.



The best way to have a perfectly clean perennial plot for planting is to think in terms of 2 years. Start in April of the year.
Pick a plot and spray Roundup on it until most of the weeds are dead (You cannot easily disk a heavily weed-infested plot, unless you have a big tractor. If so, skip that first step).
Put down the proper amount of agricultural lime to per a soil test, and incorporate it down 4-6" into the soil by disking, and then roll it smooth.
Wait for weeds and spray Roundup in May, June, and then again in Sept, never disturbing the soil.
Then, in the next year, put in a early 'frost seeding' of a good clover mix like the one from the WhiteTail Institute right after the snow is gone the NEXT spring. Overseed, fertilize, roll it like mad, and let the spring rains do the work. You'll have virtually no weeds, and the lime will have had time to activate. The results should be stunning.

I'm playing around with buckwheat because I need to improve my soil. Plus, it's just fun.