wet feet?

[Powder]

I've got a spot in a new food plot that appears like it will be a little more damp than I would have preferred. It is not standing water or anything like that, just stays a little too damp for an early spring planting. I'm thinking it should be fine by the end of June or July.

Any recommendations? I'm open to both perennial and annual suggestions.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Brassicas would be a great selection.

 

[rlb165]

I've got a spot in a new food plot that appears like it will be a little more damp than I would have preferred. It is not standing water or anything like that, just stays a little too damp for an early spring planting. I'm thinking it should be fine by the end of June or July.

Any recommendations? I'm open to both perennial and annual suggestions.

This year I'm trying a small dove plot for the first time. We've got a quarter-acre pond that's been dry for a few years, but it'll hold a little water after we get an unusually hard or extended rain. I wanted to plant something in it to extend the dove plot a little. Japanese millet is what I came up with. I just sowed it last week, so I don't have any idea how it will work, for doves OR deer. I'm curious to see what others say.
Good luck.

 

[Tree Spud]

I've got a spot in a new food plot that appears like it will be a little more damp than I would have preferred. It is not standing water or anything like that, just stays a little too damp for an early spring planting. I'm thinking it should be fine by the end of June or July.

Any recommendations? I'm open to both perennial and annual suggestions.

Wet is wet ... if it wont drain, any rain fall will make the same conditions,

"damp" is not a definition ... what is the soil type and if you walk, does it feel spongy?

 

[yoderjac]

Wet is not a good location for a traditional food plot. I'd consider shrubs that like wet and are preferred browse and are well suited for your area.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Powder]

I tried to convey it in the original post but it's not that wet. Just a little more damp than other areas a little higher up. This is not standing water. I'd love some help but don't focus to much on the word 'wet'. It just doesn't dry out quite as quickly as other areas. Some plants tolerate that more than others. That's all I'm looking for.

 

[yoderjac]

I tried to convey it in the original post but it's not that wet. Just a little more damp than other areas a little higher up. This is not standing water. I'd love some help but don't focus to much on the word 'wet'. It just doesn't dry out quite as quickly as other areas. Some plants tolerate that more than others. That's all I'm looking for.

When you say "you think it should be fine by June or July" making it too damp for a spring plant, that is pretty damp. I have spots that stay damp longer than others but after 4 or 5 days without rain, they are dry enough to get equipment on. If I had a plot that didn't dry out enough for me to be comfortable getting equipment on until June or July, I wouldn't use it as a food plot. I've got heavy clay that hold water and will compact if I'm not careful to wait for it to be dry enough for equipment use.

Perhaps I misunderstand your conditions, but from the description, I'd be cautious. If I did plant the area as a food plot, I'd probably plant perennial clover and WR in the fall and maintain it as a clover plot. That would minimize tillage and equipment use.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Powder]

I appreciate the reply but your June and July is different than my June and July. We had snow this year in the first week of May. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue. I just know it's not as dry as a two other plots I have that are a little higher in elevation. The land is VERY flat so one to two feet in elevation is a big deal around here.

 

[Peplin Creek]

I get where the OP is coming from on this... I have a couple plots that are more wet than what was stated. I am talking after the spring melt 10 to 12 inches of water. By the time June/July roles around it's completely dry to till and plant an annual. On those plots I plant oats, rye and clover. They are my BEST plots period in the month of oct and nov. It sounds like the OP doesn't have it as bad as I do. Sometimes we only have certain areas we can put a plot and we have to work with a less than ideal situation. If it's completely dry from June until the next spring, then he can really plant pretty much anything besides spring annuals. But cereal grains, clover, brassicas all can be successful options. I wouldn't worry to much about it. I feel like sometimes everyone forgets it's ok to do things in less than ideal conditions. Not every plot needs proper drainage, correct ph, organic matter, etc. do all of those things help make it more successful.... absolutely but at the end of the day it's a food plot and it doesn't have to be perfect and if it serves a nitch for 3 - 5 months of the year. That's all that matters.

 

[yoderjac]

I appreciate the reply but your June and July is different than my June and July. We had snow this year in the first week of May. Maybe it wouldn't be an issue. I just know it's not as dry as a two other plots I have that are a little higher in elevation. The land is VERY flat so one to two feet in elevation is a big deal around here.

You are right that your June and July are different than mine and regional differences are pretty big. My wife is from SD, so I get flat and slight elevation changes. Her grandfather had a farm there that the family sold a few years back. Shorter growing seasons make a difference as well. However, I'd still think fall planted perennial clover with WR is a good fit. Regardless of location, when field conditions limit access, a perennial like clover will provide more months of deer food and still be attractive than annual planting.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[MojoRisin]

I get where the OP is coming from on this... I have a couple plots that are more wet than what was stated. I am talking after the spring melt 10 to 12 inches of water. By the time June/July roles around it's completely dry to till and plant an annual. On those plots I plant oats, rye and clover. They are my BEST plots period in the month of oct and nov. It sounds like the OP doesn't have it as bad as I do. Sometimes we only have certain areas we can put a plot and we have to work with a less than ideal situation. If it's completely dry from June until the next spring, then he can really plant pretty much anything besides spring annuals. But cereal grains, clover, brassicas all can be successful options. I wouldn't worry to much about it. I feel like sometimes everyone forgets it's ok to do things in less than ideal conditions. Not every plot needs proper drainage, correct ph, organic matter, etc. do all of those things help make it more successful.... absolutely but at the end of the day it's a food plot and it doesn't have to be perfect and if it serves a nitch for 3 - 5 months of the year. That's all that matters.

Well stated. I have a plot that can only be a fall plot with annuals. I am in the UP of MI and it is still under water right now. I am seeing some clover and rye from last year in the spots that are not under water. This plot won't "dry" until into July. My land is mostly cedar swamp and I am lucky to have some areas I can plant. While this one is a fall plot only, it really serves the purpose. The deer dug in there all through winter too.

I planted the LC mix in there for the most part. This was the 1st year and I only got to start amending the soil in August because my excavator guy could not get his equipment in there until August. It did well for poor wet soils. The deer kept it all very short.

 

[Tap]

Maybe plant some Balansa Fixation Clover in the fall and it should handle the early season wet feet fine.
Here's a spot I planted last fall in one of my plots that is pretty wet in late winter/early spring. There's actually a small hole where a early season spring emerges. The Balansa is advertised to handle wet conditions better than other clovers. I don't know about that, but here's a spot where it's doing pretty good. 1st pic is looking down slope at the hole. Water flows at maybe a quart per minute out of the hole until May.
2nd pic is looking up slope toward to hole. The Balansa is handling to wetness pretty well.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[MRBB]

ok why not make this an improvement project<
and get a excavator or backhoe in there and dig that area down some and make it a watering hole!

nothing wrong with having some water right there for critters to use along side a food plot!

and turn a wet spot into a PLUS, rather than trying to deal with things keep getting flooded there and stunned growth when it happens or killed??

or that's what I would do?

 

[Tree Spud]

I've got a spot in a new food plot that appears like it will be a little more damp than I would have preferred. It is not standing water or anything like that, just stays a little too damp for an early spring planting. I'm thinking it should be fine by the end of June or July.

Any recommendations? I'm open to both perennial and annual suggestions.

Try alsike clover. I have several plots down near the marsh where the ground is soggy and the alsike did well. Have also had success with turnips. In the fall over seed with winter rye and you will have clover & rye green up warly spring.

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