Food Plots

[BuckmasterG]

Hey guys, it's getting late in the summer, but planning on planting something this week for a fall (deer) plot. Have only planted spring plots in the past, but wondering if anyone has any suggestions on some good seed ideas that will take off quickly and won't frost out in late September. Been doing alot of research and it's been mostly a mixed-bag of results. Any opinions on what might work best here in central MN? Thanks.

*Also, plot was just tilled and disked*

[bigbucks]

I'm doing the same thing, hoping to plant Labor Day weekend. My seedbed still needs some working. Planting winter rye & a clover mix. The rye for this year the clover for future years. Clover can be winter seeded I believe & would take off in the spring. They told me the winter rye needs to be in by about the 20th of September.

[LABS4ME]

Forage oats are great for fall greens and can take some cold. Mix in some turnips and/or canola and/or kale for after the real cold hits. Plant in the spring with cow peas for spring green and high protien and disk it inthe soil for green manure next July... plant fall plots again.

Good Luck!

Ken

[BuckmasterG]

I'm doing the same thing, hoping to plant Labor Day weekend. My seedbed still needs some working. Planting winter rye & a clover mix. The rye for this year the clover for future years. Clover can be winter seeded I believe & would take off in the spring. They told me the winter rye needs to be in by about the 20th of September.

Is this your first year trying the rye and clover?

Ya I've been doing alot of research on fall plots, but it's difficult to narrow down what would work best for us here in central, MN. What I found originally was Rye grass, oats and clover (white, red, yellow, sweet).. The more I read and different people I talk to, I hear about other good options such as: chickory, brassicas, turnips, rape, grains etc..

First of all I never knew there was so many different clovers. In short, what I thought I had as a good start has turned into second guessing and cluelessness. I started talking with the local feed mill and his suggestion came out about $80 higher than anticipated, next talked with another friend at a co-op whome sells Tecomate plot seeds and finally I been just comparing prices at the local stores. All advice is helpfull.

*Last year in the spring I planted the Shot-Plot Rape/forage mixture in one 1/2acre section, as well as mixing in a 1/2acre worth of turnips from a buddy. Those all came up great and worked ok. I also planted on the another 1/4 acre section some clover (not sure as to what kind) that came up sorta spotty, I hear sometimes those can take a year or 2 to germinate well.

[BuckmasterG]

Thanks for the advice, unsure of what Kale is, but with planting so late will the turnips take off enough this fall to be effective? Also, yes I hear oats are great, are Forage oats/oats the same thing or a something different? The reason I ask is because the guy at the feed mill made it sound like if I planted oats they will take off quick, but may die off end of September due to frost??

[LABS4ME]

Forage oats are not the same as regualr oats. They provide more tonnage per acre of green and are not grown for their grain but rather their leaves. They are a little bit more hardy, a hard cold spell will doom them, but by then one of your oher seeds will be the preferred food. Rape is Canola. Kale is Kale. Turnips are turnips... all are an annual Brassica. Chickory is the only perennial Brassica. Kale is great for real late food. stays green through the frosts and even under the snow cover.

I have learned that spring planted turnips are not favored by deer. The leaves get too woody and the root gets too large. Fall planted turnips that get a solid 6 weeks of growth are what they are after. They love the tops as the sugars get trapped after several frosts and with good soil you will have golf ball sized roots... again the size they would want. I don't really care how big or how many roots I have... what ever they produce is fine by me... i'm looking generally for the tops.

Lots of good elevators around some more helpful than others.... I know longer buy the mass produced seed in the sporting goods stores. Soil tests and fertilizer make all the difference in the world.

Good Luck!

Ken

[BuckmasterG]

Thanks Ken, lots of good info! I appreciate your input

[Jameson]

...was Rye grass, oats and clover (white, red, yellow, sweet).. The more I read and different people I talk to...

Rye grain not rye grass. I don't recommend planting sweet clover either. I'd choose between a mix of rye grain and white clover, or a brassica mix.

[northspear]

I did a fall food plot and i used turnips and brassica mix. the big leaves with get a high sugar content when it freezes or get a good week of frost. the deer go crazy over them. i had deer digging the turnips into mid winter.

[BuckmasterG]

Thanks guys good info here. Anyone know anything about Trophy Clover Mix by Antler king, or Bucks and Beards by Evolved Harvest?? Was being pitched on each of them today.

[Jameson]

"Buck on the bag" seeds. They are usually not that good of a deal unless your plots are small and you only can use a small amount of seed. I don't know anything specific about those BOTB mixes, but I would bet that the trophy clover mix is mostly cheap annual clovers that will grow real good now and be dead soon down the road. The bucks and beards likely has a lot of grain seed in it that can be bought real cheap many places. The back of the bags have a seed list on them. If you could tell us what those are and % it would be very helpful.

[archerystud]

Tried to get mine in last weekend. First I got the tractor stuck trying to get to my spot. Used the bucket to get myself out and then when I tried to haul some fill back down the bucket broke on an old weld. Arrrgghhh.

So I need to get the bucket fixed or hire someone to fill in my road and THEN get something planted. I will still probably put something down, it just might get in a little late this year.

Not sure if I'll get anything in this year or not but I'd like to get something in the ground.

[LABS4ME]

I will not buy a mix that has a ton of marketing attached to it. You are paying a premium for the seed to cover advertising costs, packaging, sponsorships blah blah blah.

As I said before, find an elevator that you can trust and buy good quality seed from them. You cna custom mix your own blends and get a lot more for your money!

Good Luck!

Ken

[bigbucks]

Wow does that sound like about 20-25 of my experiences with my tractor...

Got stuck.

Sheer bolt broke in mower.

Loader frame pin came out, too much pressure on weld, weld broke on loader.

Got stuck.

Hit a big rock going up a hill in a shooting lane, had to take the trees going backwards down the hill since the brakes are bad. Put the mower in the low crotch of an ironwood tree, bent the rear wheel all to heck. Tractor's stuck in first gear, but let the clutch out & it's actually in reverse... On top of that I'm 4 miles from home where I'd driven the tractor too & my cell battery died...

Got stuck.

Sheer bolt broke in mower.

Bolts broke that connect the loader pump to the drive shaft, loader shaft got bent.

Hand thistle cutter fell out of loader, went through brush hog. Buy new thistle cutter.

Hat nocked off by tree branch, goes through brush hog. Happened three times to same hat I think, still wearing it, looks rough.

Got stuck.

Tree flag stabbed front tire, tire went flat...

Got stuck.

Then you've got the standard stuff, battery terminal corroded won't start. Battery cable broke. Battery went bad. Sat out in an ice storm, ignition frozen, throttle frozen. Piece of old carpeting the dog drug out got covered up by snow, got wedged in the snowblower PTO. Gas was getting low, tractor killed going downhill because all the gas ran to the front of the tank, 500 yards from the house...

Isn't play farmer fun?

Oh yes & one more thing, got stuck.

[BuckmasterG]

Thanks guys please keep the suggestions coming, as I have a couple days before judgement day. Jameson I will check the ingredients over lunch break today and let you know the exact %s. Off the top of my head I believe

B&B= 40% magnum oats 35% wheat of some sort then small percentages of clovers....

AK Clover mix= 30% Alsike Clover, 20% Red Clover 10% DER (dwarf essex rapeseed) ....

At this point guys is it better to plant a perrenial or annual?

[gurkster]

HaHaHa bigbucks - Boy have I been there. You may have me beat though, but being a weekend warrior farmer can be tough. One time I got to my land early sat morning, got the tractor stuck in the swamp right away, then got the truck stuck trying to get it out. Sunday about 4:00 I had everything out and the tractor back on the trailer. A full weekend and all I did was get stuck and then unstuck to turn around and head for home.

[LABS4ME]

Planted my forage oat, turnip, rape mix 11 days ago, it was up in 5 days and it is still coming slowly... need some rain on it. Missed the rain by 2 days! I like annual plots. One in the spring and one in the fall, much more attreactive to deer and better nutrients for them also. We do have permanent clover all over and though it gets hit... the annual plots are hit harder.

Good Luck!

Ken

[BuckmasterG]

Planted my forage oat, turnip, rape mix 11 days ago, it was up in 5 days and it is still coming slowly... One in the spring and one in the fall, much more attreactive to deer and better nutrients for them also. We do have permanent clover all over and though it gets hit... the annual plots are hit harder.

I think you are onto something there.. Pretty sure I've decided to forsure plant the Forage oats/Wheat mix, wondering if there is anything you'd suggest to accompany it for the remainder 1/4 acre to fill?

Think I'm going to skip the turnip this year, if I chose rape as the secondary is it gonna be too strong and take over?

[LABS4ME]

The oats are pretty aggressive... you should be fine with the rape. If you can find some Kale, throw a pound of that in too... the deer will eat well into december.

Good Luck!

Ken

[BuckmasterG]

The oats are pretty aggressive... you should be fine with the rape. If you can find some Kale, throw a pound of that in too... the deer will eat well into december.

This sounds like what I need. Suggestions on where to find Kale? Is this something elevators usually have in stock or need to be ordered?

[LABS4ME]

My elevator has them. Call Elk Mound seed company in WI and get a price to ship a pound to you...

Good Luck!

Ken

[sparkyaber]

Last year I planted a product called "triple threat" from trail's end. It is made right here in minnesota, by a very helpful and friendly man and his wife. Vicki and Phil Hoss. It is a mixture of turnips, lettuce and forage rape. I planted it in late July or early august. I could not believe the way the deer hit this plot. They were in it until all of the turnips were gone, or the snow was to deep to dig them out, about the beginning of december.

My hunting area may be different so YMMV. I have a 10 acre clover/grass/prairie field surrounded on three sides by woods and the last side with the homestead. I took one corner(one acre) with woods on two sides and planted this product.

This year I planted the same acre with field corn boxing in the other two sides of the plot with a product called "Red Zone" inside the corn and "triple threat" inside of that. (about 1/2 acre). In fact, there are two dear on the plot as I type this. I figured the corn would give some more cover, and the "red zone" a variety for earlier and later in the year. I don't think I will plant that "red Zone" next year, it was mostly buck wheat and a few sun flowers. Next year I may just buy the peas, beans and sunflowers separately.

Lastly, I think you may be pushing your luck with the time. I woke up this morning and it was 49 degrees out. I may get frost in a few weeks..... will see. This year has been strange weather wise.

[BuckmasterG]

Lastly, I think you may be pushing your luck with the time. I woke up this morning and it was 49 degrees out. I may get frost in a few weeks..... will see. This year has been strange weather wise.

Thanks for your input sounds like you found your go-two. Sounds like our plot locations are much the same, and yes I know we are cutting it close, but the good news is checked my camera tonight, since Saturday afternoon 55 pictures of deer, many of the same, but also a good amount of different does and bucks. EXCITED. Good Luck All.

[BuckmasterG]

I got the forage oats and wheat planted yesterday, will update everyone in the upcoming weeks with pictures

[BuckmasterG]

Welp 9 Days down since planting, 0 rain, and luckily >60% of the seeds have already germinated and have sprout to about 2" high, the possible rain on Sunday and Tuesday would do wonders! And without it reaching freezing temperatures last night and the 10 day forecast looking a bit warmer I have optimism that this plot may actually take off in the next 2 weeks.