Am I missing something here.... Spring Plots

[Plottin'booners]

Spread your risk as well. I am sure your plan works well most years for you but I don't like to put all my eggs in one basket. Some years our rain turns off about mid July and brassicas are hard to get started without rain at that time. I have had them just lay in the dirt until we got rain again in September. Ever since that drought in 2012 I plant soybeans now where ever I want to put the brassicas and just till them under. If we are having a dry year I will just leave the soybeans and skip the brassicas in those fields.

 

[Bill]

If it doesn't dry out soon I'm going with the 4wanderingeyes plan. Talked to the neighbor today. He managed to get corn in a few weeks ago. It's being swallowed by weeds because they can't get on the fields to spray. His beans are still on pallets in the shop.

But as was just mentioned ^^^^^ that's when it will get bone dry until Sept.

The critters may have to fend for themselves this year. Worse case I'll do oats and rye in sept and call it soup.

 

[Baker]

One beauty of the deep south is that things can be actively growing year round.My philosophy is that I want my deer on 100% nutrition 365 days a year [ for decades ] Diversity is the key to accomplishing that.

In the fall the brassicas especially radishes jump up followed by the small grains. Deer are on the radishes immediately. Late winter into early spring the turnips are there as well as crimson clover taking off. The crimson lasts till late April early May. By then the other clovers are starting to flourish. Arrow leaf lasts into mid summer, berseem early summer, and with a lucky summer the durana and red clover can last all summer though certainly thinning out.

By mid summer the peas, beans and sunn hemp are going strong and can be a primary food source till terminated in Sept. By then the joint vetch, alyce clover, and chicory is in full and can be the best game in town till frost. All these cultivars have some overlap so not only is the table never empty prime crops are growing for all times. Compliment this with fruit trees, berry bushes and natural weeds/forbes growing in open areas and results can be impressive.

With high quality year round nutrition all metrics improve. Weights increase, fawn reproduction improves. Deer longevity increases. And yes antlers improve both annually as well as the entire bell curve improving over time.

And YES! I love playing in the dirt growing everything I can experiment with. Handy that the deer like it too.

 

[yoderjac]

If it doesn't dry out soon I'm going with the 4wanderingeyes plan. Talked to the neighbor today. He managed to get corn in a few weeks ago. It's being swallowed by weeds because they can't get on the fields to spray. His beans are still on pallets in the shop.

But as was just mentioned ^^^^^ that's when it will get bone dry until Sept.

The critters may have to fend for themselves this year. Worse case I'll do oats and rye in sept and call it soup.

Same boat. I thought I had a window today so I went to the farm last night. The prediction was for no significant chance of rain from about 6 am until about 6 pm and then the rain was supposed to return. I figured my fields would dry out this morning and I could get in early afternoon. Well, it rained all night last night so things were quite wet to start. We had no wind, and it misted all morning. They changed the forecast to significantly increase the chance of rain starting at noon.

Bottom line, I spent the morning grafting instead and then called it a day! Spraying will need to wait until next week.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[bueller]

I like seeing deer on my property during the summer. Our place is very recreational for much of the year and it never gets old seeing deer in our plots when we are walking or riding our trails. And watching trail cams photos/videos of deer (doe with their young fawns and bucks in velvet) feeding in our plots reminds us that we are providing them with something they want at a time they can use it. On top of that we don't have a deer behind every tree like some. If I want a good number of deer around for hunting, especially early bow season, I can't rely on solely on a late summer planting for attraction. Don't get me wrong we do plant late summer plots, but with the sandy ground we have they grow better because of us preceding them with spring plots

 

[Bowman]

I don't understand people and needing to get the foodplots in as soon as possible in the spring. Most fellas I see only plant one time, all season...... why plant anything for hunting season right now? I've been using the LC mix for years. My foodplots are growing great right now and I haven't lifted a finger this year. I won't be until at least July to prepare for the fall.

Currently The rye and clover are growing great, and are supplying food and cover.

Guess I am confused on why they do it.


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What is the LC mix?

 

[Ben Glantz]

I over seeded a couple plots with red clover and oats this spring into my clover/WR plots to help add organic matter and weed suppression. So far my WR is 4-5 feet tall and heading out, the clover is coming along at 1-3 feet and the oats are just taking off. Lots of green in the plots. This fall I am going to try the broadcast, spray and roll and with a similar mix of clover/WR/forage peas and brassicas. I also worked up a new plot left by the loggers. Planted oats, forage radish and clover. With working up the plot, I unearthed a mother load of weeds and the plot is about 50/50 weeds to what I planted. This July I will spray the plot and do the broadcast and roll since the ground is already worked up and I don't want to bring up any more weed seeds. On a side note- Has anyone used Avenger all natural herbicide? A couple of my plots but up against ag fields and the farmer is going organic. Avenger is certified organic and is said to work. The reviews are mixed and it is a bit pricey. I ordered a jug from Home depot to give it a go.

 

[alldaysit]

I don't remember ever reading that people spread winter rye into radishes and turnips in August, but I like the idea of that! How well does the rye germinate if the leaves from the turnips are big? Might have to give it a try this year.

Peter

I did this last year in early September, which is late for northern Wisconsin, because the deer hammered the radishes and turnips. I'll see if I can get a picture next week of the plots and how they are doing now.


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[bueller]

I don't remember ever reading that people spread winter rye into radishes and turnips in August, but I like the idea of that! How well does the rye germinate if the leaves from the turnips are big? Might have to give it a try this year.

Peter

I do it with great success every year. Too thick of a turnip plot is a fairy tale in my area.

 

[scott44]

What is the LC mix?

Paul Knox created a rotation for food plots, here it is.

Plant ALL in one plot in strips or blocks

Alice, Kopu II, Durana (or comparable) white clover 10% of plot, sow at 6#'s per acre with the rye combination in the fall or in the spring with oats and berseem clover. Correct Ph and P&K with soil tests

Brassicas in 45% of plot

Purple Top Turnips 3#
Dwarf Essex Rape 2#
GroundHog Forage radish 5#

Plant in mid to late July in most Midwest states, or 60-90 days before your first killing frost, Use 200#'s of 46-0-0 urea and 400#'s of 6-28-28 per acre. Follow the dead brassicas with oats and berseem or crimson clover in mid spring at 60#'s oats and 12-15#'s berseem clover and/or crimson and/or 50#'s of chickling vetch)

Cereal Grain combo in 45% of plot...we use 50# each rye, oats and peas along with radish and clover seed all planted in half of each feeding area

Winter rye 50-80#'s per acre (56#'s = a bushel)
Spring oats 50-120#'s per acre (32#'s = a bushel)
Frostmaster Winter Peas or 4010/6040 Forage peas 20-80#'s per acre

Red Clover 8-12#'s per acre or white clover at 6#'s per acre (or 20-40 pounds hairy vetch and 20-30#'s crimson clover on sandy soils)
Groundhog Forage Radish 5#'s per acre

Plant in late August to early September, if following well fertilized brassicas use 100 - 200#'s of urea, if starting a new plot add 400#'s of 6-28-28 but for best results soil test and add only what is necessary.

Rotate the brassicas and rye combo each year

 

[Jordan Selsor]

spring annual plantings have a draw like no other at my place.. Still trying to find time to plant beans an milo this yr

 

[Ben Glantz]

In the LC food plot rotation- Is there a down side to planting the whole plot in the mix and not breaking it up- Combine, the clover, WR, Peas and brassicas?

 

[Powder]

In the LC food plot rotation- Is there a down side to planting the whole plot in the mix and not breaking it up- Combine, the clover, WR, Peas and brassicas?

I think the two issues would be: 1. seed size. The peas and rye seeds are going to be bigger than the brassicas and clover. They should be planted at different depths. 2. weed control. If you want to spray for an undesirable weed, what can you safely use on all the plants?

If these issues don't concern you then I don't see what it would hurt.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

In the LC food plot rotation- Is there a down side to planting the whole plot in the mix and not breaking it up- Combine, the clover, WR, Peas and brassicas?

Another drawback is that brasiccas (and really many annuals) needs to be rotated every year or so to avoid disease, pests, and depleting certain nutrients from the soil.

 

[Eggman]

I started 5 years ago planting beans during the summer. Before I started this I would have 1 decent buck holding on my place and 2 or 3 passing thought. Since a summer bean program was started I hold several batchlor groups of bucks and several shooters stay close year around. Not sure if it is the beans or what but with no AG in the area other the hay fields and cattle pasture I am not going to change anything.

 

[sandbur]

My goal is to have year long food sources for the deer and every other critter that wants to use the plots. My RR corn and soy beans are no till planted by my farmers. So I have no control over the planting times. They are usually donde in the second week of May. They rent a 12 acre field in which they grow alfalfa. The corn and soy beans are meant to be over winter food sources. I plant 15 acres combined and the fields are completely stripped clean by February. The alfalfa starts greening up in early spring and is a great high protein source for the deer in the months right after winter. I hunt over the food plots or on the trails to them in the late season.
My food plots are adapted for the needs of the deer in Central Wisconsin.

Very similar to my situation. Corn and beans have to be planted in the spring and are great for fall and winter food sources. I feel nothing else matches them in my area. Brassicas do not get much use. Rye does.

Unlike others her, I do NOT like playing in the dirt. I much prefer planting conifers and apple trees. I am lucky enough to get real farmers to plant my row crops.

 

[Bowman]

Paul Knox created a rotation for food plots, here it is.

Plant ALL in one plot in strips or blocks

Alice, Kopu II, Durana (or comparable) white clover 10% of plot, sow at 6#'s per acre with the rye combination in the fall or in the spring with oats and berseem clover. Correct Ph and P&K with soil tests

Brassicas in 45% of plot

Purple Top Turnips 3#
Dwarf Essex Rape 2#
GroundHog Forage radish 5#

Plant in mid to late July in most Midwest states, or 60-90 days before your first killing frost, Use 200#'s of 46-0-0 urea and 400#'s of 6-28-28 per acre. Follow the dead brassicas with oats and berseem or crimson clover in mid spring at 60#'s oats and 12-15#'s berseem clover and/or crimson and/or 50#'s of chickling vetch)

Cereal Grain combo in 45% of plot...we use 50# each rye, oats and peas along with radish and clover seed all planted in half of each feeding area

Winter rye 50-80#'s per acre (56#'s = a bushel)
Spring oats 50-120#'s per acre (32#'s = a bushel)
Frostmaster Winter Peas or 4010/6040 Forage peas 20-80#'s per acre

Red Clover 8-12#'s per acre or white clover at 6#'s per acre (or 20-40 pounds hairy vetch and 20-30#'s crimson clover on sandy soils)
Groundhog Forage Radish 5#'s per acre

Plant in late August to early September, if following well fertilized brassicas use 100 - 200#'s of urea, if starting a new plot add 400#'s of 6-28-28 but for best results soil test and add only what is necessary.

Rotate the brassicas and rye combo each year

Thanks.

 

[yoderjac]

Another drawback is that brasiccas (and really many annuals) needs to be rotated every year or so to avoid disease, pests, and depleting certain nutrients from the soil.

That may be a bit overstated. For example, brassica recommendation is no more than 2 years, but it is focused at farmers that plant monocultures and can't afford a crop failure. The plant density is significantly reduced in a mix and thus disease chances are reduced. A good mix includes complementary plants and doesn't deplete the soil like a monoculture and instead participates in nutrient cycling. Keep in mind that a farmer harvests and with food plots what is not eaten by deer goes directly back into the soil and what is eaten by deer simply takes a longer path through the digestive tract and ends up back in the soil.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Natty Bumppo]

That may be a bit overstated. For example, brassica recommendation is no more than 2 years, but it is focused at farmers that plant monocultures and can't afford a crop failure. The plant density is significantly reduced in a mix and thus disease chances are reduced. A good mix includes complementary plants and doesn't deplete the soil like a monoculture and instead participates in nutrient cycling. Keep in mind that a farmer harvests and with food plots what is not eaten by deer goes directly back into the soil and what is eaten by deer simply takes a longer path through the digestive tract and ends up back in the soil.

Thanks,

Jack

That makes sense for sure Jack. Never thought of it that way...focused more towards farmers. What is LC's logic for the rotation then? Was it just a seed size and weed control issue as powder mentioned?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I plant oats in early spring to act as a cover crop before planting soybeans in early June in SE MN. I've tried planting every type of food plot type, but soybeans draw in the deer during hunting season better than anything else. I have a lick creek type mix planted along one field edge that looks great, but it isn't much of a deer draw.

It would be nice if there was a way to build up soil and also plant soybeans for their fall attraction, but it isn't easy. I've settled on my oats/soybeans doublecropping rotation and it works really well for me.