food plots

[jdkeehl]

Land is in mid state and is kind of sandy what would be the best food plots to put in?

[vister]

Chicory, it has a deep root system, is drought tolerant, regrows fast, it's a perennial, deer love it. Prefers sunlight

[maddowg1192000]

I have been wondering the same thing but that land is the rocky soil of the ely area

[beierman]

If you are just getting started take a sample of the ground to a local CO-OP and have it tested for PH and they will let you know what you need for fertalizer. Or just put in rye grass it will grow and the deer eat it up, the cheap way to plant rye is to go the CO-OP and buy the grain and plant it. I have been alternating rye and other plot seed around for around 5 years now rye is the way to go.

[FishingwithJake]

We're planting food plots for the first time and we have similar soil conditions. Our land is near Little Falls, MN. We're going to plant soybeans due to their ability to withstand round-up. Good luck!

[BLACKJACK]

Rye or clover for a first time food plot. Make sure its rye grain and not rye grass. Fertilizer is your friend when doing food plots, especially if its rye or one of the brassicas that use a lot of fertilizer. For LOTS more info on food plots go out to the QDMA food plot forum.

[BLACKJACK]

We're planting food plots for the first time and we have similar soil conditions. Our land is near Little Falls, MN. We're going to plant soybeans due to their ability to withstand round-up. Good luck!

The deer really liked the soybeans that I planted last year, they hit them hard, even before the corn, until they got buried in a heavy snow. Then they came back and cleaned them up after the snow melted. They will be in my food plot rotation from now on.

[vister]

We're planting food plots for the first time and we have similar soil conditions. Our land is near Little Falls, MN. We're going to plant soybeans due to their ability to withstand round-up. Good luck!

gotta be round-up ready beans!!!!! You can get round-up ready corn and alfalfa too!

[elkmaster101]

yep just finished mine this weekend,

shes shaped like barbell, 2 acers each end and a long bent connecting corrador between,

total just over 5 acres.

planted food groups in swatches, 20' X 90'

7 different seed groups.

mixed the plots randumly.

ended up W/ like 90 different sections.

should be spectaculay.

going to set up the cams this weekend,

[Muskie456]

Blackjack nailed it imo. I have put a lot of time and money into food plots in the past 6 years. Both northern MN and SE MN and rye clover blend is money. If you want to kick it up a notch throw some peas in there. Work on your fields now and plant in late Aug. and you will be amazed. Do your homework or you can waste a lot of time and energy. The QDM forums are a great resourse for this. These guys know what they are talking about.

[bigbucks]

I planted winter rye about Labor Day last year. It's headed out now, but I've got some that's 4-5' tall on my trails in the woods. How long do I have to wait to cut it so it will reseed itself or won't it anyway?

I can't believe how tall that stuff got. Some of the trails I've driven on because I needed to get to firewood, there it's maybe 3' tall, except in the tracks of course.

[BLACKJACK]

How long do I have to wait to cut it so it will reseed itself or won't it anyway?

You have to wait until the seed head is 'mature', this will be when the plant dies and turns yellow. Or watch when the farmers around you start taking down their small grain/oats/wheat, then you can do your rye. It might reseed it self with just mowing if you get a heavy rain but its better if it gets worked up. Disc it down lightly in mid-August and you'll have nice green plot in early Oct for early bowhunting. I've done this 3-4 years in row with rye before it gets too weedy and I have to rework/reseed. Don't do it too early or it will be too mature in the fall and won't attract the deer. Good luck!

[jdkeehl]

when is it to late to plant rye grain i was going to go up this weekend and plant we finely got all the weeds to die!!! we were also goingt to do some clover on the edges

[InTheNorthwoods]

From what I know, most guys who are planting rye for a hunting plot are planting the first half of August. I know the deer love it when the rye grass is young and tender. If you plant to early and the rye starts to head out, I don't know if it is as attractive to the deer (no experience with that).