recommend new food plot planting

[ToddG]

I have about a 1/2 acre new food plot I just tilled up and was wondering what I could spring plant that the deer will eat. I would prefer planting something other then buckwheat. I have planted that many times before and would like to try something different. I had a soil test done in the fall and the dirt is in great shape due to this being an old hog lot. I will most likely replant this fall into a clover/chicory plot.
Thanks,

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Annual clover? Lab Lab, Cow peas, Sun Flowers, and Sun Hemp mix?

 

[scott44]

Plant oats and red and annual clover now and let half of it go and the other half come last of Aug. plant a mix of oats, rye, radishes and clover.

 

[Charles Clear]

Sainfoin always interested me, but I hear its tough to establish

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I am guessing those that have planted it haven't managed it properly. It isn't supposed to be grazed/mowed for two years so if its in a mix and your mowing it......

 

[SD51555]

Put in the B-Team (Barley and Berseem) with some sunflowers.

 

[ToddG]

Thanks for all the great info. I'm think I'll try a mixture of your suggestions and see what does well in this area.

 

[yoderjac]

Thanks for all the great info. I'm think I'll try a mixture of your suggestions and see what does well in this area.

Todd,

I've had some marstail problems so I'm spraying with 24D Ester this spring. It has some soil residual effect and I have a narrow planting window for soybeans. If I plant them too late, does and dropped fawns and they hammer the beans before they are established. Last year I planted buckwheat thick because of the wide planting window and it's smothering effect. This year I plan to mix buckwheat with sunn hemp at 10lbs/ac each and surface broadcast that in early to mid-May. I'll then use my Kasco no-till drill to drill wide rows of sunflowers into that. The cultipacker on that designed to close the rows will also push the sunn hemp and buckwheat into the soil. I'll then spray it with gly the same day or next (before any seed germinates).

Here is why I chose the combination. Sunn hemp has very good nutritional value for deer. Maybe not quite the same as soybeans but close. They are attracted to it like soybeans. I'm hoping the buckwheat has some protective effect until the sunn hemp can be established as well as the sunflowers that they love. Sunflowers are a grass, buckwheat scavenges P and other nutrients, and sunn hemp is a legume that fixes a lot of N into the soil. The buckwheat has food value for deer for 60 to 90 days, but once it goes to seed, turkey love the seed. I understand sunn hemp can be mowed and will produce a second crop as well (haven't tried it myself yet).

This is the first year I'm trying this mix. I'll let you know how it works since we are in the same general area.

Thanks,

jack

 

[Telemark]

Can you frost seed sunn hemp?

 

[yoderjac]

I don't know for sure, but I doubt it would make sense. It is a tropical plant. It is frost sensitive like buckwheat.