My food plot plan for the year???

[wisconsinteacher]

My plot is 1 acre is size and looks like the letter L. Last year, I planted winter rye and it was used daily by multiple deer. My plan for this year is to spray the rye in late May and plant buckwheat in early June over the entire acre. From there, my plan is to divide the plot lengthwise and plant a brassica blend on one side and winter rye on the other. My fear is that due to the time that the brassica needs to be planted (July) and the time the rye needs to be planted (Aug) that when I spray the buckwheat, I will have over spray and kill some of the month old brassica. Is this a concern I need to worry about or do I just spray on a calm day and hope for the best?

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Also, what brassica blend do you recommend for northern WI (Sawyer Co)?

 

[chucker66]

Why don't you just leave the rye and roll it or mow it in July when you you want to plant the Brassica's? No sense spraying anymore than you need too. I am in Washburn right next door and I just let the rye go until the seed is viable and then roll it to get some free seed. I broadcast purple top turnips, groundhog forage radish and Winfred Brassica's right before I roll it and might spray if there is some weeds, but usually the rye keeps the weeds at bay. Then I come back end of August and broadcast rye into the brassicas. I have done this for five years on this same plot and it gets better every year. I have put a bit of clover in this plot and that is spreading. I might put in a lot more clover this year and plant another clover plot I have into brassicas for a few years. The deer at my place are still digging for the rye and brassicas.

 

[Barndog56]

I would mow both the rye and buckwheat rather than spraying them.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Barndog, you would mow and then seed over the top? Won't the mowed rye start growing before the brassica starts to grow?

 

[Angus 1895]

Round up ready alfalfa ?