Ladino and Winter rye

[bueller]

The rye doesn't look to thick. I'd leave it. On my dry sand the standing rye helps shelter the clover and ground. Also the deer seem more comfortable feeding within the taller rye and clover during daylight hours compared to a low height clover field.

 

[Ben Glantz]

Here's a crazy question- I have WR and clover growing right now. I am going to broadcast WR/Brassicas/clover again this fall. I have heard deer do not like tall clover, they like it when it is mowed. I am planning on not mowing the plot, just broadcast seed, roll and spread fertilizer. The WR will be dead but the clover should still be going strong(depending on the summer rains) If the clover is still 1-2 feet tall in late July when I replant, will that hurt?

 

[Tree Spud]

Here's a crazy question- I have WR and clover growing right now. I am going to broadcast WR/Brassicas/clover again this fall. I have heard deer do not like tall clover, they like it when it is mowed. I am planning on not mowing the plot, just broadcast seed, roll and spread fertilizer. The WR will be dead but the clover should still be going strong(depending on the summer rains) If the clover is still 1-2 feet tall in late July when I replant, will that hurt?

You have heard ....

Deer are constant browsers. The reason you mow clover is to stop long branching and cause the plant to bush out. There are may clovers that grow from 5-6" to 2-3'.

Don't over think ... the deer are always looking for fresh new growth that is tender.

I will tell you that a large plot with tall stuff always makes them feel more comfortable when grazing ...

 

[Ben Glantz]

I have a slight problem of over thinking stuff :) On the farm where we hunt, the farmer has recently gone organic and started a new crop rotation. It is currently in WW and I am not sure if they will plant a cover this fall. I am guessing we are going to have a fields of harvested winter wheat with not a lot growing in it. If the WW does sprout from volunteer in August, I am thinking it wont be palatable come mid to late September. I want my 4 plots(total of about 2 acres) to have as much food as possible and hopefully food the deer like :)

 

[Tree Spud]

I have a slight problem of over thinking stuff :) On the farm where we hunt, the farmer has recently gone organic and started a new crop rotation. It is currently in WW and I am not sure if they will plant a cover this fall. I am guessing we are going to have a fields of harvested winter wheat with not a lot growing in it. If the WW does sprout from volunteer in August, I am thinking it wont be palatable come mid to late September. I want my 4 plots(total of about 2 acres) to have as much food as possible and hopefully food the deer like :)

Paul Knox, known as Lick Creek had a very good plot mix that might be worth considering ....

He recommended a rotation for food plots, where you plant all in one plot in strips or blocks, here it is.

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

 

[TreeDaddy]

A timeless classic^^^^^^^

bill

 

[Boone]

This weed is in my rye/clover plot. Anyone know what it is? Little white flowers on leaves.