About to plant a food plot...need tips.

[bassfisher315]

Hey yall im about to plant my food plot for this comin up deer season. I aint sure on what kind of seed to use yet. Whats the best seed for a kinda cheap price to use? Its only gonna be about a 1/4 acre big. Please help.

 

[BUSTENBASS]

I HAVE HAD REAL GOOD LUCK WITH BUCK FORAGE OATS. THE DEER WILL MOW IT TO THE DIRT.

 

[Bobbyjack]

I use austrian winter peas deer will hit this around bow season , then i also put out perennial white clover and also turnip greens deer will hit this after a good frost. I make section that i put each one.

 

[Justfishin]

I like the clover but its harder to get to come up but oats or winter wheat are good and easy to plant and also turnips do real good after a frost

 

[Jmax]

Churly is about as good a food plotter as I know, ask him emoThumbsup Jmax

 

[bassfisher315]

Thanks. Im plantin 2 or 3 kinds of cloce, some oats, some turnips, and some other things that my grandpa is gettin me to plant in with it. But im thinkin about somethin like biologic or somethin in with it.

 

[AThornton]

White clover. You can mow it each spring and it will keep coming back. Don't mow it to the ground, just clip the buds of the top.

As for a cheaper alternative, just go with a wheat/rye mix. It will come up green and deer will tear it up after the first frost.

Biologic, LabLab and such work, but you pay for the name, not the seed. Do some internet research and study the mixes and compare with others. You can find cheaper seeds that have just as good of a success rate. Find you a good mix of brassicas, clovers, wheats, oats, winter peas, etc and you will be in business. Just my $.02

 

[churly]

My first advice would be to wait! I like to plant my fall plots in mid September. If you plant now you run the risk of having the tender sprouts dry up in this dry heat. And that clover seed is super expensive! I use clover for my plots that are hard to get to. As Adam said it is a perennial, that will come back if you mow it when it developes seed tops. Clover is a legume, meaning its a protein based plant. Deer seek protein in warm months, carbohydrates in cold months. A good source of carbs is cereal grains like oats and wheat. Also once a frost hits clover the nutrients go to the roots and deer quit hitting them. My favorite seed blend a mix of winter wheat, oats, and purple top turnips. Plant them right in front of a good rain, and you will have a neon green carpet to hunt over from Oct till January. Post a pic of that begun when you get him.

 

[KYBoy]

Like the last post i would wait till the middle of September to plant. Then iwould plant turnup green about 1-2 lb will be plenty for the area you are planting.
I am leaving for KY in the morning to prep my fall food plots. I will be planting about 10 acers on my farm there. I have planted food plots up there for the past 20 years and have planted about everything on the market. The best thing i have found is the Greens of some type, you want to make sure you get them thick enough so they will last well into deer season. If you get them thick enough they will last you till Christmas. The deer will really begin to hit the greens after you get a good frost. Next spring try planting some peas on the food plot it will bring and hold the deer in the area till you are ready to your fall plot. Good luck and great hunting.

 

[bassfisher315]

So i should wait till Septemeber. Thank yall. That really helped. And its good to hear about the payin for the name. I could probably find the same mix at a co-op thats just the same as bioligic. And ill post pics on this thread of the food plot when its done, and also on this thread if i get i monster off of it.

 

[Kirk]

More seed is wasted on Labor day than any other day of the year. I wouldn't plant until fall rain is eminent and that might be late Sept or early Oct. The oats will jump out pretty quick even late. i like to mix in Rape and some turnips just give it variety. Clover is good if you can find some that is innoculated.

 

[kevinmays]

Plant Sept 15-25
by your seeds from co op or seed dealer no high priced advertised bagged mixes
Per Acre Mix this
25lb wheat
25lb oats
15lb austrian winter peas
7 lb wrape
5 lbs crimson clover
5 lb ladino clover

This plot will get you thru til late spring..they will hit the wheat, oats, and peas first...after the first frost they will tear up the wrape and early spring deer and turkey will love the clover and volunteerreseeded wheat and oat growth

Next yr do it again!!!!!!!!!!!!same thing...i dont shoot deer in tn but my boys burn their hind ends up over this recipe...