Beans or winter rye/clover?

[gunther89]

We have a 2 acre food plot and I'm hoping to get some advice on what to plant. 1 acre gets planted in brassicas and normally the other acre has been beans but I'm considering not planting beans and going with a rye/clover mix. The reason I'm considering changing things up is it seems like the only time our beans get used it during winter which doesn't help us much for hunting. I'm looking more so for something green during fall that will attract deer and also something that deer will feed on during winter. I've tried broadcasting rye into standing beans and it never seems to really work for us. Am I crazy for wanting to plant rye/clover over beans?

 

[yoderjac]

Where are you located?

 

[gunther89]

South Central wisconsin

 

[yoderjac]

I'm loath to make a recommendation for your area, but I don't think you are crazy. When you set out an objective and plant something that you think should achieve it but it doesn't. Only a crazy person would keep doing the same thing. I'll let other discuss if WR/Clover mix is the best option for your area, but trying something different is certainly reasonable.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[MoBuckChaser]

Your comparing two different things. The beans are great, but when consumed, there gone. The WR/Clover mix will continue to grow in early spring, which may be more important coming out of a long winter. If you only have one plot, I know what my choice would be!

 

[Diesel5610]

With only 2 acres that you are splitting, I would go with the WR/clover mix on the second half. We have a 2 acre plot where we do the same rotation and it always has deer in it. Beans have a place but usually it isn't as a do it all plot on limited acreage.

 

[Boone]

We planted rye/ladino clover late last Aug and there was deer in that plot every day. That said, beans are king in our area. I would plant the whole 2acres in beans in late June and broadcast radishes when leaves turn, right before a good rain.

 

[wiscwhip]

I would either do the whole thing in rye/clover and walk away(or possibly overseed with some brassicas in August and mow the rye/clover over your new seeding to preserve moisture) as MO suggests, or do the whole thing to beans and overseed later as Boone suggested.

Here's the thing though, if you are looking to try something new, consider this. If you go beans, amend your soil and plant them as early as possible(first or second week of May), go with a shorter maturity bean for your area, since I know approximately where you are located, I would say a 1.2-1.8 RM bean would be fine for your needs, but you could go as low as 0.8-1.0 RM. You are not necessarily trying to achieve maximum harvestable yield here, it is a deer food plot, so the later maturing beans will only hinder your overseeding efforts and not really help your overall "plan". Those beans should be fully mature about Sept 1st. I would then overseed a mix of rye/med red clover/gfr about August 1st-10th before a rain event.

 

[Bigshooter19]

Clover for me hands down. Deer go nut for clover.We have around 8 ac of standing beans(couldn't get them combined) and there is hardly any deer in there. Maybe couple doe. I don't know if the deer don't winter where the beans are standing but you think they would come from far to eat there if food is limited.My clover and brassica/turnip plot has deer 8+ daily like clock work every night. I also am in south central Wisconsin. But where we see the most deer on my property and all my neighbors is in standing alfalfa fields.

 

[Tree Spud]

We have a 2 acre food plot and I'm hoping to get some advice on what to plant. 1 acre gets planted in brassicas and normally the other acre has been beans but I'm considering not planting beans and going with a rye/clover mix. The reason I'm considering changing things up is it seems like the only time our beans get used it during winter which doesn't help us much for hunting. I'm looking more so for something green during fall that will attract deer and also something that deer will feed on during winter. I've tried broadcasting rye into standing beans and it never seems to really work for us. Am I crazy for wanting to plant rye/clover over beans?

I would plant both acres in beans. Then in July over seed with WR, brasiccas, and some clover. As the beans die off and are consumed you will have the others emerging and should have good sized turnips by fall. The WR & clover will pop up in early spring for an early green food source.

 

[Peplin Creek]

You can't go wrong with clover and deer use it 9 months out the year in Wisconsin. I find that it gets hit just as hard as my grain plots. Nothing competes with my brassicas though when the deer turn on to them.

 

[scott44]

Cereal grains are a good draw here in MI all fall and into the winter, they will dig down through snow to get to them. Like MO said rye and clover will be some of the first to green up in the spring.

 

[gunther89]

I'm thinking I will plant rye and clover together as that seems to be the best fit for what I'm looking for. Thanks all for the advice.

 

[Bigshooter19]

This is my clover plot. Going to add chicory and late summer plant turnips and brassica around the whole outside edge.

 

[Bigshooter19]

 

[westonwhitetail]

I would either do the whole thing in rye/clover and walk away(or possibly overseed with some brassicas in August and mow the rye/clover over your new seeding to preserve moisture) as MO suggests, or do the whole thing to beans and overseed later as Boone suggested.

Here's the thing though, if you are looking to try something new, consider this. If you go beans, amend your soil and plant them as early as possible(first or second week of May), go with a shorter maturity bean for your area, since I know approximately where you are located, I would say a 1.2-1.8 RM bean would be fine for your needs, but you could go as low as 0.8-1.0 RM. You are not necessarily trying to achieve maximum harvestable yield here, it is a deer food plot, so the later maturing beans will only hinder your overseeding efforts and not really help your overall "plan". Those beans should be fully mature about Sept 1st. I would then overseed a mix of rye/med red clover/gfr about August 1st-10th before a rain event.

This is what we do with good results as well. If you plant RR soybean, you can spray the weeds a couple weeks before planting and should get you a good stand of wye and clover

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