Food plot varieties planted together?

[esox49]

BLB, this one is for you or anyone else! Has anyone tried to plant different varieties of food plot seeds all on the same plot? For example, if you have one acre, have you ever tried 4 different brannds/varieties in the 4 quarter acre plots? I thought this would give the deer a choice of what they liked, and hopefully they would show a preference over one or another. Or, have you ever mixed a bunch of the seeds together and plant them all together? Anyone try this? Pros/cons? Thanks!

[PerchJerker]

I have done a lot of what you describe. Some of my plots at times are divided into distinct sections, with something different in each section. And sometimes I make my own blends by buying the seeds I want and combining them.

Advantages - great way to experiment to see what grows or doesn't grow for you, and to see what your deer like and what they prefer (there is a difference). By combining my own seed mixtures I get exactly what I want, and usually cheaper than you can buy the commercial blends (and I don't like seed blends that combine perennials and annuals, but there is a lot of that in the commercial blends being sold). One more thing, you can try to plant plots that will attract deer during hunting season, and try to locate them strategically in good hunting areas.

Disadvantages - having mixed plots can be a lot tougher to manage -- an example is spraying with herbicide --- chances are you'll loose something you want to keep.

After several years of experimenting with a lot of different seeds, I have narrowed my plantings now to about a half-dozen differnt types of seed.

Good luck and have fun.

[BLACKJACK]

Its fun to try different plantings to see what deer eat and at what time of year, for instance they won't eat the brassicas until late in the fall after a couple of good frosts. I would caution against mixing too many types of seeds together because of what perchjerker said, you can't spray it or mow it because it will kill off some of the other seeds planting. Also if you plant one of the perennial seed blends that have clover and brassicas mixed together, you have to make sure that you don't plant it too thick or else the annual portion - the brassicas - will choke out the clover.

I say go for 4 plots of different types and let the deer tell you which they like the best. Goto the Albert Lea seed house web site, they will sell some of the individual seeds like rape, turnips, rye, etc.

What I've been doing is planting some of my plots in all clover, but I've used some different mixes - some straight red clover, some Imperial clover, some of the MDHA clover, to see which ones the deer like the best. So far I can't see any difference - by late fall they're all eaten down.

I've contemplated planting roundup ready corn and soybeans in the same plot - four rows of beans, four rows of corn. It would be interesting, and then when it comes time to hunt for pheasants, you could walk the bean rows. I also read about people planting roundup ready soybeans, then after they hit it with the roundup, broadcast planting clover. That would be interesting to try and I'm sure the deer would like it.

I'd also like to put in a plug for the MDHA seed that BLB is pushing, you can't beat the 1/2 price deal and they work good.

Have fun and good luck!

[Mark Christianson]

Hey now, I aint pushing the seed. Just offering it up for those wanting to try plots for a great price.

I second and third what Perch and Blackjack are talking about 100%.

Perchjerker is the guy that really got me going on all this, so a ton of what I am doing today is because of his experiences.

If you or anyone needs seed, see this post.

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=736056&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

[BLACKJACK]

Quote:

---

Hey now, I aint pushing the seed. Just offering it up for those wanting to try plots for a great price.

---

I stand corrected. How about 'the seed that BLB is offering'?! And it IS a good price if you compare it to what other seed blends sell for.