Food plots

[Ian Ketterman]

Those of you leasing or owners of private land, what do you plant for a spring/early summer foliage? I've mostly planted soybeans late into the spring and let the native clover grow up, but the majority of my property is native clovers so I am looking to add a little more diversity on it. I've looked into the Drop Tine seed but that seems grossly overpriced to me. I'll be planting probably around a half acre in-between an open field with semi-mature oak/walnut and a tree edge/creek. I am in West/Central MO.

 

[Rufus_MacVane_huntfishME]

Hello Ian, I would personally plant them in a place that gets sun all day long and is on high ground. It probably should have a water source near it. You can also look for the best-looking growth around you. For example, if there is a large tree that always has tons of leaves, etc. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

Hello Ian, I would personally plant them in a place that gets sun all day long and is on high ground. It probably should have a water source near it. You can also look for the best-looking growth around you. For example, if there is a large tree that always has tons of leaves, etc. Let me know if you have any questions.

I've had it in a pretty good spot the last 3 years. Down on the bottom of a hill where the water drains down to before going into a creek. It receives sun most of the day until an hour before dark usually. It is surrounded by full grown oaks and some other native trees along the edge of the field so I get plenty of free compost. My question is more for which foliage to plant, excluding native clovers.

 

[Rufus_MacVane_huntfishME]

Clovers for sure, rye is also really strong

 

[Rstefano89]

Clovers for sure, rye is also really strong

Ive had great success with durana clover! Super graze resistant and comes back for years.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

Ive had great success with durana clover! Super graze resistant and comes back for years.

I've been rotating it between spring/summer and fall/winter plots. Most of the grass on my property is clover as well, so I am looking for something a little different.

 

[Rstefano89]

Everyone swears by Sugarbeets but ive never had much success with deer eating them. Grown some great crops though.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

Everyone swears by Sugarbeets but ive never had much success with deer eating them. Grown some great crops though.

I had good luck with some beets and radish/brassicas this year.

 

[Rstefano89]

I had good luck with some beets and radish/brassicas this year.

awesome will have to try on my farm in PA

 

[Rstefano89]

I had good luck with some beets and radish/brassicas this year.

awesome will have to try on my farm in PA

 

[Meridian90]

Those of you leasing or owners of private land, what do you plant for a spring/early summer foliage? I've mostly planted soybeans late into the spring and let the native clover grow up, but the majority of my property is native clovers so I am looking to add a little more diversity on it. I've looked into the Drop Tine seed but that seems grossly overpriced to me. I'll be planting probably around a half acre in-between an open field with semi-mature oak/walnut and a tree edge/creek. I am in West/Central MO.

Look into deer creek seed in wisconsin, or just go to the co op. Most co ops carry seeds for plotting now and can help you.

Clover is hard to beat in spring, but if your soil is right, alfalfa is slightly preferred forage in my experience. Spring oats are great, and barley is less preferred as browse but is arguably the best spring soil amendment that provides some browse potential. If there is a lot of local clover, you may not need to plant and leaving a field fallow for the spring and planting in the fall can be beneficial.

Lastly, I will mention that buckwheat is a phenomenal soil builder and provides excellent wildlife value, specifically to pollinators. It's not as heavily browsed by deer (although they will still take a bite) but it will ensure a better crop of whatever fall plot you plant.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

Look into deer creek seed in wisconsin, or just go to the co op. Most co ops carry seeds for plotting now and can help you.

Clover is hard to beat in spring, but if your soil is right, alfalfa is slightly preferred forage in my experience. Spring oats are great, and barley is less preferred as browse but is arguably the best spring soil amendment that provides some browse potential. If there is a lot of local clover, you may not need to plant and leaving a field fallow for the spring and planting in the fall can be beneficial.

Lastly, I will mention that buckwheat is a phenomenal soil builder and provides excellent wildlife value, specifically to pollinators. It's not as heavily browsed by deer (although they will still take a bite) but it will ensure a better crop of whatever fall plot you plant.

Checking them out now. I've been meaning to go to the cop-op and see what they'd recommend. I'd like to eventually have enough browse for deer, turkey and pollinators as well.

My soil is absolutely black, it hasn't ever been used for farming and has decades of virgin soil/compost, so leaving a field fallow I don't think would be that beneficial. I will ask on the buckwheat.

 

[Ian Ketterman]

Here is last fall's brassica, raddish, turnip, leftover soybean plot. I left a couple feet inbetween the beans and brassicas for quail, they seem to like scurrying around there.

 

[Meridian90]

Here is last fall's brassica, raddish, turnip, leftover soybean plot. I left a couple feet inbetween the beans and brassicas for quail, they seem to like scurrying around there.

If your soil is really good, alfalfa is absolutely the right call. You can actually mix oats and alfalfa pretty easily, and that will allow you to get some of the alleopathic benefits of the oats (weed resistance) while still growing the alfalfa. Just mow oats before they go to seed.

 

[Rstefano89]

does alfalfa require a lot of maintenance in your experience?

 

[Meridian90]

does alfalfa require a lot of maintenance in your experience?

If your pH is right, none really. It's a legume, which means it can fix it's own nitrogen. It just needs to be clipped off every once in a while, but I've found anything under 2 acres will be trimmed by browse.

It's regularly referenced as a tough to grow crop for food plotters, but that's because it isn't as forgiving on pH as other things, and that's largely something food plotters that don't have an agriculture background have trouble establishing. It can also be a challenge to lime fields if they are tucked back away from access.

 

[Rstefano89]

If your pH is right, none really. It's a legume, which means it can fix it's own nitrogen. It just needs to be clipped off every once in a while, but I've found anything under 2 acres will be trimmed by browse.

It's regularly referenced as a tough to grow crop for food plotters, but that's because it isn't as forgiving on pH as other things, and that's largely something food plotters that don't have an agriculture background have trouble establishing. It can also be a challenge to lime fields if they are tucked back away from access.

ok. Ive planted it with success in the past however to small for what was needed and the deer destroyed it i believe.

 

[Lvthntitall]

If the plot is in a bottom and stays wet I would stay away from alfalfa it does not like wet feet. I would lean toward the oats then turnips in the fall, just my opinion.

 

[Meridian90]

If the plot is in a bottom and stays wet I would stay away from alfalfa it does not like wet feet. I would lean toward the oats then turnips in the fall, just my opinion.

Agreed here, clover varieties do better if the area is going to be wet. Also, most areas that have wet feet will not have high nutrient content, so my alfalfa comments were assuming a well drained (good) soil.

 

[Rstefano89]

yes it would be planted on top of a hill so no worries with too much moisture.