food plot?

[jay83196]

I am planning on setting up a small food plot and just wondering if anybody has a suggestion on whaqt to plant for the deer, I would lik esomthing they really like and that is a perennial so I dont have to plant it every year. I was just planning on tilling useing some weed killer and then fertilizer and seed of some kind.

Thanks

Jay

[DHost21]

I have used Frigid Forage before and really liked the results. Also its a MN company so it seemed to stand up to the cold weather really well. Granted I was planting annuals so I dont know a lot about their perenials but I have found their products to be really good.

[Jameson]

I would try not to till. Start killing off the vegetation in the plot now (Round-up or generic equivalent.) In a couple of weeks get the dead matter off of the plot somehow, fire or rake or... exposing the dirt. Keep the plot clean until late August than broadcast a mix of perennial white clover and some annual rye grain. Pack it the best you can, ATV tires work well in a small plot. Hope for rain.

[PerchJerker]

For perennial food plots in this area you're probably looking at clover and/or clover and chicory together.

The idea about not tilling is a really good idea, although I have never had much (or any) luck with perennials planted in late summer / early fall. Clover is slow to start and get established ... when I've planted it in late summer / early fall it has started, but has not made it through to the following spring. Although the last time I tried it was a few years ago, dry years when we didn't get much rain in late summer and fall.

[jay83196]

Somebody recommended sugar beats, any thoughts?

[Jameson]

Never have tried them, but from what I've read weeds are tough to manage in a suger beet plot. Monsanto did re-release RR sugar beets this year, but they may not be used in a wildlife plot.

[hockeybc69]

I am chomping to try sugar beets, but until the roundup ready ones are available to me, I wont waste my time.

You said you wanted perrenials, but sugar beets are an annual.

How big is this plot you are targeting?

You are pretty limited with perrenials. Clover is awesome, but has little draw by about firearms season.

[jay83196]

Not very big half acre maybe or less just messing around a little. Round up ready meaning can't use round up before planting them? I was just going to add them in late summer along with clover I most likely will use first. Why won't clover work for firearm season?

[hockeybc69]

Roundup Ready plants means you can spray roundup on the plants and everything is killed except your Roundup Ready corn and bean plants for example.

Why isnt clover good at firearms time? Its been frozen, and gone dormant.

the deer will still eat it, but not like they do over the summer and early fall.

Your better off going with some winter rye in my opinion. But you will have to work that annually.

There is no magic seed to put on a half acre thats going to pull deer year round. You need diversity to keep things going.

[PerchJerker]

There is no magic seed to put on a half acre thats going to pull deer year round. You need diversity to keep things going.

Yep.

If I was limited to one thing only, it would be clover. It still draws in deer during firearm season, although as said it won't have as much draw as earlier in the year, and other things will have more draw during firearms season.

I've tried sugar beets and had really poor results with them. I'd look at turnips instead. Turnips will be a great draw in firearm season if they last that long --- the deer won't eat them until there's been a few hard frosts, then will clean them up quickly. Small plots will not last long.

[TooTallTom]

Keep in mind that, if you do plant a brassica like turnips or some such, the deer will be digging in the dirt to get the roots up. This will be a bit hard on your perennials.

Maybe put chicory or clover on one side, and turnips or rye grain (not grass) on the other? Or, work on expanding your food plot or adding one or two more.

FWIW, I planted a small plot of chicory last summer, and it attracted deer that fall and is now growing back. This is about 15-20 miles south of the Canadian border.

[hockeybc69]

Quote:

Maybe put chicory or clover on one side, and turnips or rye grain (not grass) on the other?

Tootall,

Speaking from my own experience on this... if he has a 1/4 acre of clover and a 1/4 acre of brassicas(turnips); if there are any number of deer they will clear out that 1/4 acre of brassicas in no time at all.

With the turnips, my experience has been that they dont even hit the bulbs till late winter/early spring(well after deer hunting has been closed). They will eat the tops off around firearms season, but thats not much forage to keep many deer going for very long.

This one isnt an easy answer. It just comes down to the fact that 1/2 acre is very limiting from the start with what you can accomplish.

Clover and some rye grain is probably as good of an idea as any.

[TooTallTom]

hockeybc69, I agree, it's kind of a tough problem.

I'm not so much in favor of the brassicas in this case as trying to think of a possible way to include them (since the OP seemed to want to) and make sure that they don't mess up any perennials planted. As you mentioned, they would provide food outside the firearms season. Having a good, dependable food supply will keep deer in the area year-round, which also means firearms season.

For some reason, I was thinking he had a full acre to work with... It's hard to come up with a good solution when you don't understand the problem correctly.

[B. Amish]

if it's a first year plot, go with a grass like wheat, rye, oats etc. that way you can control broadleaf weeds without harming your target food source. keep it green and the deer will eat it.

[sticknstring]

My best plot has been a 8-9 seed clover variety jug that will last the better part of 5 years or more before weeds eventually take it over. Deer will browse all summer and early fall. I've tried oats, brassicas, & others and nothing has worked nearly as good as this clover blend.