Spring/Summer Plot Ideas

[PatinPA]

I'd really like to put in a spring/summer food plot to build some OM. I currently have WW and WR in the plots but it ends up pretty sparse by the next summer. Tried to establish various types of clovers. Tried spring broadcasted buckwheat but might've spread it too early. I also tried some sweet corn and sunflowers but not sure if the deer ate them off immediately or they never grew. I have 3 small plots. Two are in the woods with a thin layer of topsoil that dries out quickly over the summer and the camp yard plot that has much more topsoil but is clayey and stays pretty wet most of the year. That one I'm not as worried about because it actually has soil there.

Any ideas what I can grow that will not burn up when it's hot and dry over the summer? Tired of just nuking all of the smartweed that's there every year. Limited to broadcast for the most part. I do have an old school wheel hand planter which isn't bad since my plots are small.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If your pH is above 5.8, I'd plant a mix of Alsike clover (it grows in poorer soils & less-than-ideal conditions) red clover, chicory (it grows a deep taproot that helps it stay green in dry conditions), and grain rye. At our camp in NC Pa., that mix has done well for us even if it gets dry in summer. Chicory is the greenest thing then, because of the deep taproot. If you get enough rain - good to go with that seed mix. Rye does a lot of good things in the soil. Rye's big root system builds OM when it decays down after mowing or eaten to the ground, and roots break up soil for better aeration. I saw a good video on rye roots in an actual soil profile where they sliced the soil open. We plant grain rye every year in a couple different plot mixtures. You can mow it or roll it down after overseeding in late summer with brassicas or more clover. Learned its value on this forum, mainly from AG guys & long-time plotters. Hope this is of some help.

 

[SwampCat]

I would plant japanese millet since you mention smartweed - is it wet in spring. If not wet at planting time, would plant browntop millet or proso millet. Both have fairly short maturity dates and would allow you to plant your regular fall plantings.

 

[SD51555]

If you've got dry concerns, I'd go all biennial and beat the heat with biomass before it gets hot. Gun to my head today, I'd be planting yellow sweet clover every year 60 days before first front on every acre I have. Toss in chicory and winter triticale and sunn hemp, and you've probably got an unbeatable crop no matter what the weather does.

 

[PatinPA]

If your pH is above 5.8, I'd plant a mix of Alsike clover (it grows in poorer soils & less-than-ideal conditions) red clover, chicory (it grows a deep taproot that helps it stay green in dry conditions), and grain rye. At our camp in NC Pa., that mix has done well for us even if it gets dry in summer. Chicory is the greenest thing then, because of the deep taproot. If you get enough rain - good to go with that seed mix. Rye does a lot of good things in the soil. Rye's big root system builds OM when it decays down after mowing or eaten to the ground, and roots break up soil for better aeration. I saw a good video on rye roots in an actual soil profile where they sliced the soil open. We plant grain rye every year in a couple different plot mixtures. You can mow it or roll it down after overseeding in late summer with brassicas or more clover. Learned its value on this forum, mainly from AG guys & long-time plotters. Hope this is of some help.

I overseed with rye and wheat every fall. It comes in thick in the fall but by spring it's pretty sparse. What actually grows stalky doesn't amount to much. That's why I wanted something to plant late/spring summer. I did save some rye seed that I was going to try to broadcast early spring to see if I could get it thicker through the summer.

 

[PatinPA]

I would plant japanese millet since you mention smartweed - is it wet in spring. If not wet at planting time, would plant browntop millet or proso millet. Both have fairly short maturity dates and would allow you to plant your regular fall plantings.

Where I'm looking it's not wet at all and the soil is so thin it dries out very quickly. I'll look into millet. Thanks

 

[PatinPA]

If you've got dry concerns, I'd go all biennial and beat the heat with biomass before it gets hot. Gun to my head today, I'd be planting yellow sweet clover every year 60 days before first front on every acre I have. Toss in chicory and winter triticale and sunn hemp, and you've probably got an unbeatable crop no matter what the weather does.

Tried some yellow sweet clover before on your suggestion. Didn't grow very well for whatever reason. Chicory is always in my fall mix. I'll try to find some Triticale and sunn hemp though.

 

[Telemark]

Consider milo. It should tolerate dry ground.

 

[ruskbucks]

Im not sure how well they would do in dry soil, mayde with spring rains they would be ok.I did 4010 peas one early spring. They grew fast and came in thick with pods everywhere. I didn't notice any browsing but I wasn't around to observe. They looked so good I couldn't plow them all down for green manure. The next time I went up ( I think early July) there wasn't a single pod in the 1/2 acre I left. The deer destroyed them in a 2 week period.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I overseed with rye and wheat every fall. It comes in thick in the fall but by spring it's pretty sparse. What actually grows stalky doesn't amount to much. That's why I wanted something to plant late/spring summer. I did save some rye seed that I was going to try to broadcast early spring to see if I could get it thicker through the summer.

How much sun do those spots get? I know you're on a north slope (right?) based on what your pics have shown. Buckwheat is a good thing to plant late spring/ summer once the soil gets warm enough for germination - but I don't know how it does on a shadier slope. Overseeding rye periodically through the summer might keep new stuff growing / getting it thicker. At our camp, Alsike and red clover seem to do well in shady areas - that's why I mentioned those above. But those areas are previously cultivated soils. If your north-slope soils are thinner, you may not get the same results as we did. Worth a try??? Wish I could answer that for sure!

 

[Diesel5610]

Buckwheat would be what I would suggest for a late spring/summer crop. I have a small gas line plot that doesn’t get a ton of sun that I have sprayed/killed the last 2 springs and then broadcast buckwheat heavily before a good rain. This plot is on the drier side. Comes up thick on that plot which is far from ideal. It will reseed itself and then in early August I spray/kill the second buckwheat crop and then broadcast rye/clover or brassicas. This fall was clover/rye and I am going to frost seed more clover and try to get a couple years of clover out of it. The brassicas last fall did outstanding. Hope this helps.

 

[PatinPA]

How much sun do those spots get? I know you're on a north slope (right?) based on what your pics have shown. Buckwheat is a good thing to plant late spring/ summer once the soil gets warm enough for germination - but I don't know how it does on a shadier slope. Overseeding rye periodically through the summer might keep new stuff growing / getting it thicker. At our camp, Alsike and red clover seem to do well in shady areas - that's why I mentioned those above. But those areas are previously cultivated soils. If your north-slope soils are thinner, you may not get the same results as we did. Worth a try??? Wish I could answer that for sure!

Ya not a lot of sun. Although usually the shadier side of the plot does better. I think because it doesn't dry out as fast. I'm serious when I say there is maybe 2 inches of soil before it's nothing but rocks. I need to video it when I dig a hole for a tree sometime.

 

[PatinPA]

Buckwheat would be what I would suggest for a late spring/summer crop. I have a small gas line plot that doesn’t get a ton of sun that I have sprayed/killed the last 2 springs and then broadcast buckwheat heavily before a good rain. This plot is on the drier side. Comes up thick on that plot which is far from ideal. It will reseed itself and then in early August I spray/kill the second buckwheat crop and then broadcast rye/clover or brassicas. This fall was clover/rye and I am going to frost seed more clover and try to get a couple years of clover out of it. The brassicas last fall did outstanding. Hope this helps.

I think I'm definitely adding buckwheat again. I think I tried to plant it too early the last time.

 

[bigboreblr]

Ever tried oats. With the sun, you need something to shade the soil a bit with some eight, but not too much. Spray as soon as you can gly, spread oats, then ultipack and or mow over. MAny times it is a no-till seed for me, if you get it out early in the season enough. Turkey's like it too. Mix it with some annual or quicker growing clover. Could even add some winter peas.

Nothing ctazy to write home about, but it works and the deer are in all summer. Besides plotspike forage feast, I have never used seed oats. Just whole feed oats. Worked every time. I used to put some soil in a pot saucer late and check germnation. I've gotten good results enough times I don't even test anymore.

 

[PatinPA]

Ever tried oats. With the sun, you need something to shade the soil a bit with some eight, but not too much. Spray as soon as you can gly, spread oats, then ultipack and or mow over. MAny times it is a no-till seed for me, if you get it out early in the season enough. Turkey's like it too. Mix it with some annual or quicker growing clover. Could even add some winter peas.

Nothing ctazy to write home about, but it works and the deer are in all summer. Besides plotspike forage feast, I have never used seed oats. Just whole feed oats. Worked every time. I used to put some soil in a pot saucer late and check germnation. I've gotten good results enough times I don't even test anymore.

I always put oats in, in the fall. My deer love them. Haven't tried in the spring though.

 

[PatinPA]

Thanks everyone. I think I have a good idea of what I want to plant this spring.

 

[bigboreblr]

In 2021 when I was building a new plot at camp, I put oats, turnips, and clovers in. Was late april early may. In september, still had oats going, clovers look ok, and the turnips were interesting. The ones that were going were almost the size of those large coffee cans. Didn't weight them, but could of easily been 4-5lb.

What I like alot about oats is it distracts the deer from what your trying to grow. Not always, but enough to let some of the other stuff survive. Also, it grow tall enough to shade, not tall enough to choke out. IT would be the perfect nursery crop If I could grow peas to maturity, but I don't think anything out there is.......

 

[PatinPA]

In 2021 when I was building a new plot at camp, I put oats, turnips, and clovers in. Was late april early may. In september, still had oats going, clovers look ok, and the turnips were interesting. The ones that were going were almost the size of those large coffee cans. Didn't weight them, but could of easily been 4-5lb.

What I like alot about oats is it distracts the deer from what your trying to grow. Not always, but enough to let some of the other stuff survive. Also, it grow tall enough to shade, not tall enough to choke out. IT would be the perfect nursery crop If I could grow peas to maturity, but I don't think anything out there is.......

Ya I tried peas before. I think they were eaten as soon as they got out of the ground. Way too many deer for that around me.

 

[Westwind]

I vote would be a mix of species!

A soil builder mix or summer release type deal. Not expensive and something ideal for whatever conditions you get will be in there, giving the other seeds a shot too. And will conserve your soil moisture later!

 

[Victor Van Meter]

Tried some yellow sweet clover before on your suggestion. Didn't grow very well for whatever reason. Chicory is always in my fall mix. I'll try to find some Triticale and sunn hemp though.

I planted sunn hemp one year and it came in great until the deer found it and it was back to dirt in just a couple days and never recovered.