# Fall Food (for thought) Plot Thread



## Canuck5

I thought I would start a thread looking for idea's, how we/you do things, to get a Fall food plot going.  These could be attractant plots or perennial plots or just a plain good food plot.

What do you do different/better/easier/quicker/ or cheaper.  When do you do it, how do you do it, what you like about it or don't.  What equipment do you have at your disposal, what have you made or what works best for you.

Just thought I would get things warmed up, because we're getting real close to playing in the dirt again.  Feel free to add anything that can help us who are long in the tooth and those who are starting out!

My first pic is of my Grandfathers 1965 set of 8 foot wide disc harrows working up the soil this spring.  I'll be back doing that in the next few weeks (when it dries out), to work the 9 tons of AG lime we had spread.  I think we paid $45/ton delivered and spread by Cedar Rock Farm Services.

This is really just to work into the ground, the lime, the dead clover, & cereal grains (& weeds) to get ready for a late September planting.


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## Canuck5

I'll be doing this, knowing that I still have a food source, available to the deer on the property.  I won't be working up all the food plots.

There will still be clover, Iron & Clay peas and chicory available, which I think is important .... give the deer a reason to stay around.  That's aside from what Mother Nature will provide!


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## catch22

I hunt in very South GA.  I see people down here that plant their plots way too early.  Most folks are planting some type of oats/wheat/rye mix and I see them planting it very early.

We try to wait as close to rifle season as possible before planting.  This ensures that the plots will be young and tender and will not have gotten knee high and yellow.

I am only speaking for the part of GA where we hunt....I can't speak for Central or N. GA.


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## win280

I would rather put down the proper amount of lime and no fert. if I had to choose because of $$$$$$$.


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## Canuck5

win280 said:


> I would rather put down the proper amount of lime and no fert. if I had to choose because of $$$$$$$.



Soooooooooooooo much truth there!!!!!!!!! 

Thought I would add this from North American Whitetails, about the benefits of food plots vs supplemental feeding.

http://www.northamericanwhitetail.com/2010/09/22/deermanagement_wt_202foodplots/


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## Canuck5

catch22 said:


> I hunt in very South GA.  I see people down here that plant their plots way too early.  Most folks are planting some type of oats/wheat/rye mix and I see them planting it very early.
> 
> We try to wait as close to rifle season as possible before planting.  This ensures that the plots will be young and tender and will not have gotten knee high and yellow.
> 
> I am only speaking for the part of GA where we hunt....I can't speak for Central or N. GA.



LOL ..... we'll have a thread on "Army Worms" started soon enough!


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## Canuck5




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## Canuck5

http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm  never to early to get an inexpensive soil test done!


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## win280

I think in 1/3s  for food plots.
1/3 starting to grow
1/3 growing
1/3 maturing. 
Never have and empty food source.
Deer will always find the most palatable food source.
Always PRAY for rain during Sept/ Oct.


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## win280

Canuck5 said:


>



I usually just eat some dirt and if it gives me heartburn I add lime.
Great informational video


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## Canuck5




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## win280

1.  Mow food plots to keep the weeds/grasses from going to seed.
     I planted a pure clover patch 4 years ago. No siclepod for     last    2 years. With the rain this year I have a bunch germinated  and I bushhogged to keep from going to seed until I can pull them.

2.  Siclepod and perennial ryegrass are the devil.
3.  You will never get all weeds/ grasses out of the food plot because of the wildlife using the food plot.


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## BriarPatch99

Looks like you got a good setup to tend the plots with... nice tractor and the old harrow looks like it is doing a good job too... the older stuff is probably built better than some of the newer stuff...

I'm down in South Ga.  and we always plant later than you middle/upper Ga folks ... I always plant a mixture of different stuff ... seems the deer will eat one type plant ... then later eat another ... our summer plots drowned this spring/summer ... so we'll wait until Sept. to plant again ...

Good luck with your plots!!


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## Canuck5

Thanks!  Yeah, my Grandfather took good care of his things!


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## drawedback

This thread is a great idea, maybe we can start inserting some pictures of some plots from start to finish for the begginers. I just started spraying my plots this week, I will begin to plow in about 2 weeks, weather permitting. I farm for a living, and started planting food plots about 20-25 years ago, people used to laugh at us for planting food plots. I will be planting around 50 acres of plots, ranging in size from 1/4 acre up to 12 acres. I plant my own mixture of Wrenns abbruzzi rye, Buck forage oats, and dwarf essex rape. I usually try to get some peas and beans in, but its been too wet here this year. I've never had to worry about getting a tractor stuck in the field in July before.


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## Canuck5

drawedback said:


> This thread is a great idea, maybe we can start inserting some pictures of some plots from start to finish for the begginers. I just started spraying my plots this week, I will begin to plow in about 2 weeks, weather permitting. I farm for a living, and started planting food plots about 20-25 years ago, people used to laugh at us for planting food plots. I will be planting around 50 acres of plots, ranging in size from 1/4 acre up to 12 acres. I plant my own mixture of Wrenns abbruzzi rye, Buck forage oats, and dwarf essex rape. I usually try to get some peas and beans in, but its been too wet here this year. I've never had to worry about getting a tractor stuck in the field in July before.



I think that's a great idea!


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## Canuck5

I think one of the first things to buy, for small food plotters, is a hand crank spreader.  It's a pretty versatile tool that can spreader small seeds like clovers and larger seeds like cereal grains.  It can spread fertilizers and pelletized lime too, but just make sure you clean it out real good, because fertilizer will eat away at the metal parts. 

I just bought this one, to spread my small seeds with.  It had some good reviews and I think I paid less than $60 for it.  Solo 421S spreader

http://www.solousa.com/store/flypage/spreader/421-s_.html


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## Canuck5

Solo 421s spreader


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## Triple C

[ATTACH[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]Here's our plottin' arsenal:  Branson 47HP tractor, Plotmaster 600, broadcast spreader, boom sprayer and all-purpose plow.  Food plottin' can be addictive!  Bout as much enjoyment as actual hunting!

Plotmaster is a workhorse.  Not a true 1 time pass but as advertised but definitely a great piece of equipment for us.  Plants just about any seed.  Weighs just over 1300# and cultipacker does a good job.  All purpose plow doesn't get used that much.  After harrowing we run the AP plow sort of as a wannabe sub-soiler if needed.

Looking forward to seeing whatever anyone else uses to do their plottin'.  Would love to see a pic of someone using a mule for plowing.  Bet some ol' timer out there still plowing with old school.


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## triton196

I plant an old log landing in middle ga. about qtr acre ill disc it around labor day then put out about 9 backs of lime then 3 bags of fertilizer. then I put out pennington elite and then purple top turnips and broad leaf mustard. the deer loved it last year. after I plant it I run it over with the four wheeler and it grows pretty good.


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## Canuck5

Nice set up, Triple C!!!!!


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## papachaz

The guy in the video, Walter Reeves is Dan Reeves (former Falcons head coach) brother. They are from GA, and for those who don't know, he is the man who used to do the Your Southern Garden show on GPTV, he based it out of "Mr Cason's vegetable garden" at Calloway Gardens. I'm thinking he's either in charge of it or used to be at some point in time. 

He is THE garden guru in the southeast, that's for sure!

great thread BTW, I mowed two of our food plots this week, going to try to get them disked or tilled next week.  The small one is 1/4 acre, up on one of the highest points on the club, the other is 3/4 of an acre down in one of the bottoms. Not sure yet what I want to plant, I'd like to get one of them started for bow season, may just keep the other one mowed down until the first of sept


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## Canuck5

triton196 said:


> I plant an old log landing in middle ga. about qtr acre ill disc it around labor day then put out about 9 backs of lime then 3 bags of fertilizer. then I put out pennington elite and then purple top turnips and broad leaf mustard. the deer loved it last year. after I plant it I run it over with the four wheeler and it grows pretty good.



And the reason you run over it with your 4 wheeler tires is to do a couple of things.

First, it takes the "air" out of the soil, so that the next time it rains, your seeds don't get pushed too deep into the soil.  Too deep and they won't germinate.

Secondly, it helps making sure that you get the best seed to soil contact, which promotes germination, in particular for small seeds like the mustard's (brassica's) and clovers.


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## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> The guy in the video, Walter Reees is Dan Reeves (former Falcons head coach) brother. They are from GA, and for those who don't know, he is the man who used to do the Your Southern Garden show on GPTV, he based it out of "Mr Cason's vegetable garden" at Calloway Gardens. I'm thinking he's either in charge of it or used to be at some point in time.
> 
> He is THE garden guru in the southeast, that's for sure!
> 
> great thread BTW, I mowed two of our food plots this week, going to try to get them disked or tilled next week.  The small one is 1/4 acre, up on one of the highest points on the club, the other is 3/4 of an acre down in one of the bottoms. Not sure yet what I want to plant, I'd like to get one of them started for bow season, may just keep the other one mowed down until the first of sept



I like ole Walter!!!


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## papachaz

well it took me all day friday to mow these two small food plots, but I did get them done. Took the son in law over to check them out this evening, rounded the curve approaching the bigger one and low and behold 4 hens and 8 baby turkeys enjoying finding the bugs! Looked like two of the young un's might have been jakes. They didn't rush out of the plot, but they didn't stick around long either...tried to get a pic with the cell phone, it's all I had with me, not much zoom for a 40+ yard pic:


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## Canuck5

Oh that's a great pic!  And you know that they were probably just waiting for you to finish!

Mowing the plots will help some fresh vegetation grow, but also help you prepare for working up the ground this fall.


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## Canuck5

Right now, I'm giving some thought to how much seed do I need and how much fertilizer.  I'm just doing some planning with pencil & paper.

In our hunt club, we do have a budget and I do the best we can to stay within it.  I've got 21 food plots.  Some big, some tiny.  Some have 1/2 already planted in perennial clover and some are planted in iron & clay peas, which will freeze out, but I will have something to go in there at the right time.  Some food plots will be converted to more clover.  Some will be prepared for more I & C peas next spring .... just planning ahead.

So, to stay in budget, I try to put down the right amount of fertilizer and the right amount of seed, within reason.  In order to do that, I need to know the size of each plot.

There are 43,560 square feet in an acre.  You can measure the plot with a long tape measure or you can just step it off, assuming each of your giant steps are 3 feet.

Length x width and I have an approximate square footage of my plot.  Most of my plots are 1/4 acre or slightly larger, so if I want to (or my soil test says to) put down 300 lbs of 13-13-13 fertilizer /acre, I know I need to put down a bag and a 1/2 (300/4 = 75 lbs) of fertilizer on that plot.

Then I make a list and $tart adding everything up.  It get$ expen$ive, so I don't want to put more down than I need to.

I don't get too worked up about everything exactly, just as long as I'm in the ball park.


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## drawedback

You can also pull your property up on google earth and measure them out. You can't get every little nook and cranny but you can get close. Also you can go to your local FSA office and they will pull up a tax map and measure them for you for just a few bucks


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## Canuck5

I knew about Google .... but didn't know about FSA ..... good information!


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## 1gr8bldr

I try to keep my native seeds out. In other words, never let anything go to seed. I have plots that I only plant in the fall, which "lay" until fall. Two choices, spray a couple of times or mow. This year, due to weather, I waited to late and since it had already seeded, I turned everything over with a turn plow. But now I will have to deal with the competition of those seeds. I hope not to let this ever happen again.


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## BriarPatch99

Planted some summer plots this morning ... will replant with fall/winter plants later in the year....


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## papachaz

drawedback said:


> You can also pull your property up on google earth and measure them out. You can't get every little nook and cranny but you can get close. Also you can go to your local FSA office and they will pull up a tax map and measure them for you for just a few bucks



I was going to suggest the ruler on google earth as well. That's how I came up with the size on our two plots.

Can someone give me a rough estimate what a soil sample costs? have any of you guys used one of the kits from Home Depot or Lowes? 

Last thing, for now anyway, LOL.....I'm looking at putting the Tecomate Max Attract in the smaller food plot, but I've read everything on their website I can find and nothing tells me when to plant it? should I wait till the end of august or would it be ok in a couple of weeks? I'm planning on putting the lime on top after I disk it, and they recommend 13-13-13 fertilizer, wondering if I should spread both before I disk it

and thanks canuck, yeah it was pretty cool seeing the hens with the younguns. We're also seeing a LOT of rabbits, which I hope is an indication we don't have much of a yote problem


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## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> I was going to suggest the ruler on google earth as well. That's how I came up with the size on our two plots.
> 
> Can someone give me a rough estimate what a soil sample costs? have any of you guys used one of the kits from Home Depot or Lowes?
> 
> Last thing, for now anyway, LOL.....I'm looking at putting the Tecomate Max Attract in the smaller food plot, but I've read everything on their website I can find and nothing tells me when to plant it? should I wait till the end of august or would it be ok in a couple of weeks? I'm planning on putting the lime on top after I disk it, and they recommend 13-13-13 fertilizer, wondering if I should spread both before I disk it
> 
> and thanks canuck, yeah it was pretty cool seeing the hens with the younguns. We're also seeing a LOT of rabbits, which I hope is an indication we don't have much of a yote problem



http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm  If you go to your county extension office and pick up the bags, then give them your email address, I think it's $10.  Haven't used the ones from Lowes or HD.

http://www.tecomate.com/content/index.php/regionplantingguide 

I would suggest that since the Max Attract has Oats, Triticale, Winter Peas, Clover and Chicory, that I would wait till late September to plant.  All those will do well in cooling temperatures and avoid the army worms.  The other reason to wait a while longer is because the oats and triticale may germinate before the clover and chicory.  If that happens it may shade out the clover and chicory and not let them grow.

As far as fertilizer & lime, go ahead and spread it first and then work it into the top 4" of soil!  Right where your root system will be!  But you can wait on spreading those, till your ready to plant.


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## Canuck5

BriarPatch99 said:


> Planted some summer plots this morning ... will replant with fall/winter plants later in the year....



Looks like an IHC Model Super A?  They don't make them like they used to!  

What did you plant?  How did you spread the seed?  Hand crank spreader or a pull behind?  Did you run a drag over top?


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## BriarPatch99

Oliver 440 '59 ...(Oliver's version of a Super A)

Broadcast by hand out of a bucket ... soybeans, wildlife mixture that my son brought, milo, millet of some sort... clay peas ... I get a better coverage by hand verses a spreader(Grandpa & Dad taught me well) .... 

Lightly harrow (2"/3") ... the harrow has a 4" channel with a 4" flat bar welded over the open side drag... so I guess  so I do both(harrow & drag) you could say... good moisture so it should be up rather quickly...

Old set of harrows ...don't know what brand... pretty heavy so they cut really well... I do need some new front blades though...

Couple of plots still too wet to get in.. maybe next week or so...


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## drawedback

Canuck5 said:


> I knew about Google .... but didn't know about FSA ..... good information!



Yeah the FSA can hook you up. While you are thereof you have any right of ways, like powerlines or gas lines you can ask them about project wings. A lot of companies offer to pay out to help on your seed and fertilizer, in return they don't have to pay somebody to maintain the right of way because you are maintaining it for them. It's not a lot of money, but every dime you can save helps out.


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## papachaz

Canuck5 said:


> http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/soiltest123/Georgia.htm  If you go to your county extension office and pick up the bags, then give them your email address, I think it's $10.  Haven't used the ones from Lowes or HD.
> 
> http://www.tecomate.com/content/index.php/regionplantingguide
> 
> I would suggest that since the Max Attract has Oats, Triticale, Winter Peas, Clover and Chicory, that I would wait till late September to plant.  All those will do well in cooling temperatures and avoid the army worms.  The other reason to wait a while longer is because the oats and triticale may germinate before the clover and chicory.  If that happens it may shade out the clover and chicory and not let them grow.
> 
> As far as fertilizer & lime, go ahead and spread it first and then work it into the top 4" of soil!  Right where your root system will be!  But you can wait on spreading those, till your ready to plant.



thank you kind sir!

ok so if i want to plant something that would be there for archery season, soy beans and IC peas? I'm not gonna lime and fertilize the weeds, so i'll just keep it mowed until I decide what I'm going to plant. 

I definitely want to do some of that max attract, I'll probably do it in the bigger plot, the smaller one that's up high I want to have something for archery season......


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## Canuck5

BriarPatch99 said:


> Oliver 440 '59 ...(Oliver's version of a Super A)
> 
> Broadcast by hand out of a bucket ... soybeans, wildlife mixture that my son brought, milo, millet of some sort... clay peas ... I get a better coverage by hand verses a spreader(Grandpa & Dad taught me well) ....
> 
> Lightly harrow (2"/3") ... the harrow has a 4" channel with a 4" flat bar welded over the open side drag... so I guess  so I do both(harrow & drag) you could say... good moisture so it should be up rather quickly...
> 
> Old set of harrows ...don't know what brand... pretty heavy so they cut really well... I do need some new front blades though...
> 
> Couple of plots still too wet to get in.. maybe next week or so...



Sounds like a good plan and equipment suited for the job!!  We'll need pictures!


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## Canuck5

drawedback said:


> Yeah the FSA can hook you up. While you are thereof you have any right of ways, like powerlines or gas lines you can ask them about project wings. A lot of companies offer to pay out to help on your seed and fertilizer, in return they don't have to pay somebody to maintain the right of way because you are maintaining it for them. It's not a lot of money, but every dime you can save helps out.



Project Wings, is a good thing!  We were involved in it a few years ago, but only last so long ...... but still worth it!!!

Thanks for reminding us about that!

http://www.georgiapower.com/environment/stewardship-programs/project-wings.cshtml


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## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> thank you kind sir!
> 
> ok so if i want to plant something that would be there for archery season, soy beans and IC peas? I'm not gonna lime and fertilize the weeds, so i'll just keep it mowed until I decide what I'm going to plant.
> 
> I definitely want to do some of that max attract, I'll probably do it in the bigger plot, the smaller one that's up high I want to have something for archery season......



Soybeans and I & C Peas would be good for Archery.  I'd probably lean heavier on the soybeans, but just do it in a very short time , before archery.  They won't last long.


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## Triple C

Really cool pic of the ol' Oliver.  Remember trying to use the hand crank tool when I was a kid in the '60s trying to start my dad's Oliver.  Never was big enough to do it.  Can still picture that old tractor under the shed.  Good stuff!


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## Broken Arrow 68

I sprayed 2 of my fields this weekend.  1 has RR soybeans in it and the other just weeds/fescue.  I usually plow and til, but I think this year I'm going to try just broadcasting forage radishes into both of them.  I'll pull a drag over the fescue field after seed is spread, but gonna try no til in that area to see how it works.  I've heard people having good results with this method before.


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## Canuck5

I think there are some seeds that you can do that with!  Especially smaller seeds like brassica's and clovers, but also wheat and cereal rye would germinate on top of the ground too.

You'd just have to increase the amount you spread, so that the turkey's can have their share of grains, at least.  LOL

Since wheat, rye and crimson clover, can tolerate slightly more acidic soils, it would be worth a shot on unamended soils!  You'd be doing it just like Mother Nature does!  Maybe not ideal, but still will get the job done.


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## Canuck5

If the rain holds off this week, I am going to try to work the 9 tons of lime we had spread, into the top 4"-6" of soil.  I think all the rain has gotten some of it down lower, but I still want to work it up and work some more organic matter down.

The top 4"-6" are where all my roots will be, so amending the soil in that layer, to get the ph above 6, is the right thing to do.  I also like (but not always) to work the fertilizer in that top layer too, again before planting, because that's where the majority of roots will be.

I sub soiled the property earlier this year and it has done it's job.  The plots are going to be a lot easier to work up, since all that moisture has been allowed to enter deep into the soil structure.  Now I will work on getting more organic matter in that layer too.  _*Sub soiling does not bring the soil from below, up into that top layer*_.

My Grandfather, when I was plowing, always cautioned me, not to plow too deep.  The main reasons were that:

1.  I have now inve$ted all that money, to put the lime and fertilizer in the top 6" of soil and plowing too deep , would send that good ph soil down deep.  I would have to start my lime program all over again, if that happened.

2.  All the organic matter, that holds moisture and provides nutrients, would be sent deep as well.  Again, I've inve$ted money to help build that layer up and it would be gone.  It takes years to build top soil!

3.  If you dig down into your soil, you'll probably see different colors of dirt.  You might not want to bring some of those less porous clay soils to the surface.

4.  And as we all know, stirring up the soil brings up layers of old weed seeds!!  Why is the germination rate of weed seeds so much better than everything else???  LOL

So, working the soil up, 4" deep will be more than adequate for most anything we want to plant.


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## win280

Having established perennial food plots,we are concentrating on weed control and keeping the ph and fert in the proper range for best plant production and being palatable for the wildlife.The perennial clovers take a beating this time of year, not much new growth in the next 2 months, so I planted  soybeans last part of June to help keep the deer coming to the plot thru July,Aug, Sept until the clovers start wanting to grow and get new growth on the stems.
Why spend all the money for travel,gas, tractor, implements, time,wear and tear on equipment, and seed preparing the soil to just  guess how much seed,lime and fert to throw out .


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## Canuck5

win280 said:


> Why spend all the money for travel,gas, tractor, implements, time,wear and tear on equipment, and seed preparing the soil to just  guess how much seed,lime and fert to throw out .



Very good point!


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## Canuck5

Raiunfast times for most herbicides ...... but it's always important to read the label of the product you're using!

http://www.vdsc.com/ReferenceMaterials/2013 Rainfast Time 6-17-2013.pdf


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## papachaz

I got finished disking my plots today. Going tomorrow or sunday afternoon to spread the lime and smooth it out before that 40% chance of rain on monday! 

here's a few pics:
my machine - actually my son in laws dads disk, but they're in the same club, so I have the use of it whenever I want it. If it were mine, I'd fix it so the tires could be taken off and add some weight




the bigger plot before




stopped in the shade to take a cool off break, but I'm making progress




a smaller section. I really wish this disk would go deeper, this was after going over it 3 times


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## Canuck5

Looks good papachaz!  I finally got the lime we spread a couple of months ago, worked into the ground.  It has just been too wet!


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## Canuck5

One of the things that I have done and plan to add to this year, is that even on my small plots, I am adding a strip of perennial clover.  The strip is only about 20 feet wide and is in a semi-circle shape, but ensures close to a year round food source, in that plot.

Our bush hog is on the fritz right now and again, it's been too wet to get in there to do much good with out leaving tracks and packing the soil.  But you can see by this pic, how competitive Durana clover is.  To the left is part of the food plots that I will work up this fall and was planted in wheat, crimson and arrowleaf clover last fall.  All 3 of which ran their course and seeded out.

I didn't even spray or fertilize this Durana this year.


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## Canuck5

One of the things we've noticed this year, is that the deer are really hitting our mineral sites very hard.  Maybe it has to do with all the rain we've had?


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## papachaz

your plots look good canuck! I told my son in law yesterday I want to plant some of that durana, if I can get it to grow as good in my plots on purpose as it does in my yard on it's own.......LOL

nice mineral lick. This is my first year in this club, I'm not able to do a lot at a time because of my back and legs, but I plug along a little at a time. The good thing is these two plots were already there, just hadn't had anything done in them this year, and I don't think anything "perennial" has ever been put in them. I hope to be able to stay in this one for several years. 

i've had people tell me not to spend too much time in there with equipment, that I'm going to run the deer out, this place is loaded with deer, and equipment usually doesn't really bother them from my experiences....


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## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> But you can see by this pic, how competitive Durana clover is.  To the left is part of the food plots that I will work up this fall and was planted in wheat, crimson and arrowleaf clover last fall.  All 3 of which ran their course and seeded out.
> 
> I didn't even spray or fertilize this Durana this year.



Canuck...We're gonna try the same thing this fall.  Yesterday we mowed all of our fall/winter plots and sprayed Glyphosate.  Next weekend we'll plow it under and let it sit till around the middle of September when we will plant forage oats & winter wheat in most plots.  We're gonna try and establish a stand of Durana and chicory and not put anything in with this to see how it does.  Arrowleaf clover does well for us in the fall and spring but just seems to seed out by mid-May and nothing much beyond that.  We've limed heavily for 2 years after doing initial soil test in early 2011.  Pulling soil samples this week to see how we're doing.

Half the fun is experimenting with new stuff in the plots.  So much good info on this forum.  Love it!


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## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> your plots look good canuck! I told my son in law yesterday I want to plant some of that durana, if I can get it to grow as good in my plots on purpose as it does in my yard on it's own.......LOL
> 
> nice mineral lick. This is my first year in this club, I'm not able to do a lot at a time because of my back and legs, but I plug along a little at a time. The good thing is these two plots were already there, just hadn't had anything done in them this year, and I don't think anything "perennial" has ever been put in them. I hope to be able to stay in this one for several years.
> 
> I laugh at my son in law who is trying to tell me I'm spending too much time over there with equipment, that I'm going to run the deer out, this place is loaded with deer, and equipment usually doesn't really bother them from my experiences, but he's one of those 'you gotta walk two miles to the stand' kinda guys.....SMH



Thanks papchaz!  Yeah, I'm just trying to look at ways of encouraging the deer to come to the property and to stay on the property!

One thing I just tried and it appears to be doing what it was intended to do.  It wasn't my idea, but I read somewhere on GON that they were doing it and it worked for them, as far as mineral sites go.  That is buying bulk mineral salts (or just salt) and putting a pound or so in a cloth bag and hanging it low from a tree limb.  When it rains, the rain water contacts the bag and it drips onto the ground.  

Well, they are pawing up the ground under the bags I put out.  Worth a try and easy to do!

You know, with all the work I've done on the property this year, I am still see LOT's of fresh deer tracks, so I don't think I'm running them off!


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Half the fun is experimenting with new stuff in the plots.  So much good info on this forum.  Love it!



I worked hard yesterday, my back is sore, I'm tired, I think I got a few chiggers, a little sunburn ........ Most fun I had all week!!!!!!!  

If you decide to put a strip of Durana in, put it on the side of you plots, with the afternoon sun.  You never know when we'll be in drought conditions again!


----------



## drawedback

Yeah the tractors don't seem to bother the deer at all, I often see deer come to check me out while in the fields working. If you are around the day after you plow some of your plots, go look at how many tracks are in them the next morning, they can smell the fresh dirt, and will go see what your up to after things quiet down.


----------



## coloradowalt

We mowed and turned our dirt over today. We have been planting a mix of oats and rye for the last couple of years. Did it too early last year, it got tall and bitter half way through the season. 

Great thread. I found two ideas; a strip of perennial clover on the outside of the plot and hanging a salt bag.


----------



## papachaz

ok so what are we using for a salt bag? that one lone sock that winds up in the dryer?  haha.......maybe we've found a use for it after all


----------



## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> ok so what are we using for a salt bag? that one lone sock that winds up in the dryer?  haha.......maybe we've found a use for it after all



LOL!!!!  That lone sock would be perfect!!!!  I used some old sandbag type, bags I had kicking around.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not sure how much nutritional value they have, if any, but it's an attractant, if you want to get some pictures taken and very easy to do.  

Just one of those things that you can put 5 bags on a 4 wheeler and pick a few spots to hang them and be done pretty quickly.  I will still do my regular mineral sites, but this is just a little something I added!


----------



## Canuck5

coloradowalt said:


> We mowed and turned our dirt over today. We have been planting a mix of oats and rye for the last couple of years. Did it too early last year, it got tall and bitter half way through the season.
> 
> Great thread. I found two ideas; a strip of perennial clover on the outside of the plot and hanging a salt bag.



That's what we're looking for here!  Things that you do different than I do and what works and what doesn't!  That's the only way I can learn!


----------



## drawedback

Alright guys, its midway through August, my plots have all been mowed and sprayed, and I will be ready to start plowing pretty soon if the weather permits. Now its time for me to think about some preventative maintenance. I am going to pull out my tillage and planting equipment and give it a quick inspection. I will check for cracked welds, missing, broken, or loose bolts and nuts, and missing or broken pins, and such. Pretty much anything that may give me trouble when I get to the field. I also am going to check for any shear pins, or bolts that are in bad places that may get broken, and I'm gonna go get a few extras, as well as a few extra lynch pins for the three point hitch. I know money is tight, but bolts and pins are fairly cheap, and don't have a shelf life. Even a minor break down can be a major hassle, if you have to burn three dollar a gallon gas to go get a 75 cent bolt, not to mention if your luck is like mine, your goona break down 5 minutes after the hardeware store closes


----------



## Canuck5

drawedback said:


> Alright guys, its midway through August, my plots have all been mowed and sprayed, and I will be ready to start plowing pretty soon if the weather permits. Now its time for me to think about some preventative maintenance. I am going to pull out my tillage and planting equipment and give it a quick inspection. I will check for cracked welds, missing, broken, or loose bolts and nuts, and missing or broken pins, and such. Pretty much anything that may give me trouble when I get to the field. I also am going to check for any shear pins, or bolts that are in bad places that may get broken, and I'm gonna go get a few extras, as well as a few extra lynch pins for the three point hitch. I know money is tight, but bolts and pins are fairly cheap, and don't have a shelf life. Even a minor break down can be a major hassle, if you have to burn three dollar a gallon gas to go get a 75 cent bolt, not to mention if your luck is like mine, your goona break down 5 minutes after the hardeware store closes



Very, very good points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be safe and be prepared!!


----------



## Crakajak

We spread the lime/fert before we plow . Saves time,wear and tear on equipment.


----------



## papachaz

been a while since I posted anything on here, I've been busy. I found a package deal on an old tractor. Widow woman downsizing and selling the homeplace (farm) I got a deal on a 55 Ford 850 and several implements. My son in law (doing most of the work) and I have been getting it ready for some food plot work. It's at his house, since he only lives 3 miles from the club. After deer season is over this winter, I plan on getting busy stripping and painting. Mechanically, it's in pretty good shape, she'd been letting the neighbor "borrow" the tractor and the bush hog, and all he did was put gas in it I'm sure. 

I have a few implements for sale, and in all I did get, the one thing that wasn't there was a disk, so anyone knows of a 5 or 6 ft disk let me know! 

here's a pic of the ole girl, she's ugly, and as the preacher said one time about women wearing makeup, "every barn needs a new coat of paint occasionally"


----------



## Crakajak

papachaz said:


> been a while since I posted anything on here, I've been busy. I found a package deal on an old tractor. Widow woman downsizing and selling the homeplace (farm) I got a deal on a 55 Ford 850 and several implements. My son in law (doing most of the work) and I have been getting it ready for some food plot work. It's at his house, since he only lives 3 miles from the club. After deer season is over this winter, I plan on getting busy stripping and painting. Mechanically, it's in pretty good shape, she'd been letting the neighbor "borrow" the tractor and the bush hog, and all he did was put gas in it I'm sure.
> 
> I have a few implements for sale, and in all I did get, the one thing that wasn't there was a disk, so anyone knows of a 5 or 6 ft disk let me know!
> 
> here's a pic of the ole girl, she's ugly, and as the preacher said one time about women wearing makeup, "every barn needs a new coat of paint occasionally"



Hey, Ugly girls need loving to
That is a workhorse tractor and you will enjoy food plotting a lot more with good equipment.


----------



## papachaz

Crakajak said:


> Hey, Ugly girls need loving to
> That is a workhorse tractor and you will enjoy food plotting a lot more with good equipment.





yeah it surprised me that little 4 banger gas tractor can pull so well. When I talked to her about the ad, she first told me it was a 53 9n, which wasn't right cause 9n's weren't made in 53, so I asked her to check. Then she told me it was a Jubilee, which would have been right. When I got there to look at it, it had a 600 nose cone, even better. When I got it home and started scraping off some of the crud, I found the serial number and some great websites and learned it's in fact a 55 850. 5 to 600 more lbs, 10 more HP....

and yes, ugly girls need lovin too, but, you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig........

and that's all I'm sayin bout that


----------



## drawedback

Ain't nothing wrong with that, fresh coat of paint and she won't be so ugly anymore. I might would suggest an upgrade in seats as well, don't think I would want to spend many hours on that little chunk of metal.


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## Forest Grump

Yeah, that all metal seat'll raise a blister on your rear echelon when it sits in the sun on a summer day too!


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## UGABuckeye

Canuck5 said:


> One of the things we've noticed this year, is that the deer are really hitting our mineral sites very hard.  Maybe it has to do with all the rain we've had?



Same here. Both of my sites are huge mud holes now similar to this pic.


----------



## Crakajak

Forest Grump said:


> Yeah, that all metal seat'll raise a blister on your rear echelon when it sits in the sun on a summer day too!



I found out the hard way to cover seat when getting off tractor for a few minutes .Also wear a farmers wide brim straw hat,light colored long sleeve shirt, and gloves.Sunglasses are good too.


----------



## papachaz

Crakajak said:


> I found out the hard way to cover seat when getting off tractor for a few minutes .Also wear a farmers wide brim straw hat,light colored long sleeve shirt, and gloves.Sunglasses are good too.



D: all of the above! I do intend on a luxurious new seat pad, one if the more important items it needs, no doubt. I may have found a disk harrow i can afford, just in time to get busy on some plots


----------



## papachaz

well a bit of an update. We got the steering linkage put on, got the tractor and bush hog all greased up and tried it out in the horse pasture. we ran it for well over an hour with no problems. For the time being, it's over at my daughters house, they only live about 3 miles from the lease, so it's going to stay there. 

I'm very satisfied with how it runs, and man to be 58 years old it literally turns over 3 times and starts. Going tomorrow afternoon to bush hog another food plot spot and a couple of the roads that are grown up. I have negotiated a price I can afford on a disk harrow, if the guy will let me know when I can come pick it up.....never understood people who put stuff on craigslist then don't respond.....

I realize not necessarily food plot info, but definitely food plot related for me anyway!


----------



## Canuck5

You've got a little diamond in the ruff there!!  Looks good!!!


----------



## Crakajak

Going to be bushhogging  this weekend and getting ready to spread lime/fert within the next 2 weeks.5 tons lime/1 ton 0-20-20
spread with the spreader truck.Also planning on when to spray for grass in my clover,probably be 2-3 week of Sept if temps don't rise.
Watch for army worms the next 4-6 weeks.


----------



## Wild Turkey

A tip for all purpose plows.
change the two rear center cutters to v shaped spade type. It seems to cut better and turns the dirt over more.


----------



## papachaz

Canuck5 said:


> You've got a little diamond in the ruff there!!  Looks good!!!



Thanks! I found a 6 ft disk harrow today on craigslist for $375, yes I went and picked it up! needs a couple bolts, but she'll be ready to use tomorrow afternoon. 

Today we bush hogged our last spot. Something has been planted here before, once I got the weeds and brambles mowed, there is some pretty decent looking grass in there. I may not disk and plant this one, or rather I might wait until late Sept to do this one. We're going to get the other two finished up this weekend. Here's a few pics of todays work. This plots maybe 80 yards long and probably 30 wide at the big end tapers down to a point:


----------



## papachaz

a couple more pics of some of our work, I am indeed enjoying this ole tractor. come january, she's getting some new fenders and me and her and some sandpaper n paint are going to become intimately acquainted. Here's a youtube of him working in this plot:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PquaMzxKNB8


----------



## Triple C

*Update on I/C Peas & Sunflowers*

With the growing season coming to an end, I'll have to say that our 1st year of mixing sunflowers with I/C peas was a success!  Last year we mixed grain sorghum with the peas but felt like the grain sorghum provided too much shade so this year we experimented with sunflowers with our peas.  As you can see from the pics below, the sunflowers have faded and are now dropping seed (boatloads of dove hitting sunflowers right now).  The peas grew right up the stalks of the sunflowers and the deer have just hammered um!

My only regret is that we didn't spray gly on the field this year before we planted.  Assumed the peas and sunflowers would shade out the weeds since we had already planted the field last year.  Wrong!!!  Will never make the mistake of not spraying before planting again.  Take the time and spend the money to spray for weed control.  Deer don't mind the weeds but the seeds you plant do!


----------



## Triple C

*Lower food plots plowed*

After spraying our Fall food plots with gly 2 weeks ago it finally dried out enough to turn the dead matter into the soil.  Looking good and ready to plant oats n winter wheat toward the end of September.

Major issue...While plowing one of our lower plots Saturday morning the steering linkage on the right front sheared a pin.  Not good!  Left linkage sheared last year.  Should of replaced the right linkage then!  Now have to order part, wait 7 to 10 days and then repair.


----------



## papachaz

well the plot looks good tho triplec! we didn't spray either, I haven't taken the time to get my boom sprayer cleaned up and tested. It will be ready by next time.

so how well do the deer like the sunflowers? I never would have thought that would attract them.

where do you order your tractor parts? I found a guy in SC who wrapped my parts order while I was talking with him! I ordered on Thursday afternoon and had the parts in hand on Tuesday morning.....


----------



## Triple C

Papa...Don't see deer hitting the sunflowers. I think my last post was a bit confusing. Meant the deer are hammerin' the peas growing on the sunflower stalks. Makes for good combo if u want ur peas climbing something. We have another small field up by cabin planted exclusively in sunflower. Plenty of deer tracks in there but can't detect where they're eating any of it. Doves sure loving it plus hundreds of yellow breasted warblers.

Send or post info on tractor place. Thx!


----------



## papachaz

ahhh, ok I gotcha, that makes sense. them peas like having something to climb. no doubt about that.

I love to plant stuff that draws in the birds like that. hard to beat sitting on the edge of a field when the sun comes up and hear them warblers start calling


----------



## Triple C

papachaz said:


> a couple more pics of some of our work, I am indeed enjoying this ole tractor. come january, she's getting some new fenders and me and her and some sandpaper n paint are going to become intimately acquainted. Here's a youtube of him working in this plot:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PquaMzxKNB8



Papachez... I grew up on a poultry farm. When I was around 15 my dad bought an old ford tractor that looks similar to yours. Model year was in mid 50s. They were great for use in smaller poultry houses because of tight turning radius. Ol tractor had been setting in a field for yrs. My uncle, who was a mechanic, went with my Dad and me to check out tractor. I swear, when we got to it we had to knock the weeds and bramble off of it. Never thought we would get it running. Uncle brought gas, battery and tools with him. Within a couple of hours he had the darn thing running!  Drove it home and we used it for yrs!  Best of luck with yours.


----------



## Canuck5

Well, it looks like (based on manpower availability) we will plant out food plots on the weekend of September 21st ..... weather permitting.

We will be doing our usual mix of wheat, crimson and arrowleaf clover ....... establishing 3 new small Durana plots and putting a couple of Durana "strips" in larger plots ..... as well as doing a small test plot of rape, kale, mustard and radish's, side by side to see what they like and when.


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Well, it looks like (based on manpower availability) we will plant out food plots on the weekend of September 21st ..... weather permitting.
> 
> We will be doing our usual mix of wheat, crimson and arrowleaf clover ....... establishing 3 new small Durana plots and putting a couple of Durana "strips" in larger plots ..... as well as doing a small test plot of rape, kale, mustard and radish's, side by side to see what they like and when.



You can borrow my cultipacker if you need to..Get a couple of the younger members to pull it while looking for some rocks.


----------



## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> You can borrow my cultipacker if you need to..Get a couple of the younger members to pull it while looking for some rocks.



LOL!!!  I will get a couple of them measured up for harness's shortly!!!!


----------



## papachaz

Crakajak said:


> You can borrow my cultipacker if you need to..Get a couple of the younger members to pull it while looking for some rocks.





Canuck5 said:


> LOL!!!  I will get a couple of them measured up for harness's shortly!!!!



now that's good stuff right there!


----------



## Canuck5

Little do these younger members know ...... hehehehehehe!


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## Canuck5

An old, but interesting read ....... http://www.georgiawildlife.com/site..._Mgmt/Publications/Deer Herd Mgmt Booklet.pdf


----------



## Canuck5

A little more ...... http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/species.html


----------



## Canuck5

Stolen from Tennessee  https://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/documents/PB1769.pdf


----------



## Canuck5

I'll mention one more thing ..... I don't know if it's because of all the rain we've had in South Georgia, but there seems to be a lot more snake sightings out there.  One of our members dogs got bit on the weekend ..... so keep your eye's open out there!


----------



## Crakajak

Ticks and mosquitoes are bad this year too.....


----------



## papachaz

Canuck5 said:


> I'll mention one more thing ..... I don't know if it's because of all the rain we've had in South Georgia, but there seems to be a lot more snake sightings out there.  One of our members dogs got bit on the weekend ..... so keep your eye's open out there!





Crakajak said:


> Ticks and mosquitoes are bad this year too.....



yes and yes! I don't understand how I can walk through 392 spider webs every 10 yards and still get swarmed by mosquitos when I go change my trail cam cards.

We took out a 3 1/2 ft timber rattler in my daughters back yard last week, right out in the middle of the yard. I usually leave em be in the woods, but this is the backyard where my grand daughter plays! If the 28 year old son in law can almost step on him, no doubt the 2 year old grand daughter could.

I've got some of my not needed implements from my tractor deal traded for a yanmar ym2000 that's spun a bearing. making the exchange tomorrow,  I may try to sell it as is, or I may rebuild it and sell it. that tractor deal is looking better every day!

We planted some of our plots last weekend, of course that was a sure way to get a break in the rain......


----------



## HawgWild23

I got 3 pic 1st is a new spot we cleared out this past weekend and turned the dirt I don’t know what to plant it in the middle of a clear cut about 30 yards from a swamp. and the other 2 are left and right side of my stand on a power line on the left we going to plant soybeans and on the right not sure yet. what do yall think?


----------



## Canuck5

If you get a chance, do a soil test on there.  I'm going to assume that no lime has been added(?).  For $10, it can answer a lot of questions.  Just tell them what you want to plant, when you send the sample in.

Having said that, wheat, cereal rye and crimson clover can preform good on acidic soils, which I believe you have.  A mix of those 3 wouldn't be bad.  

If you were going to use soybeans at all, I would suggest just putting them in the mix above.  Soybeans do prefer a higher PH soil, plus those plots are on the small side and they would get eaten down very quickly and you would have to replant.  If the soybeans are eaten in the above mix, you would have the wheat/rye/clover as a back up!


----------



## HawgWild23

I'm going to do a soil test never thought about until I read on here today. and the middle pic the food plot goes over the hill another 80 yards and its about 40 yards wide so all together its about 120 yards long and 40 yards wide.


----------



## HawgWild23

and no lime all i did is turn it over.


----------



## Canuck5

HawgWild23 said:


> I'm going to do a soil test never thought about until I read on here today. and the middle pic the food plot goes over the hill another 80 yards and its about 40 yards wide so all together its about 120 yards long and 40 yards wide.



That's about and acre .... and a soil test would probably tell you, you would need about 4000 lbs of AG Lime on there, but again the best route is to get a soil test.

If you plant that plot, in just wheat and crimson clover, you'd probably would be happy with the results and not hurt your pocket book too badly!


----------



## HawgWild23

thanks i will try that.


----------



## Gaswamp

good thread


----------



## Canuck5

*How many pounds of seed to the acre should we use?*

I'm a believer in that (aside from trying to have a crop to harvest) a "thick" stand of anything, is good weed control in itself .... to a degree ..... too much is not good either, but a lot of it depends on your deer density and the size of your food plots.

Some of my smaller 1/4 acre plots, with less than 1.5% of the overall property in food plots, never get more than 3" high, till the following spring.  Under those circumstances, I would sure prefer to have more tillable acres, but the Paper Company just doesn't see it my way.

I need to figure out a way to put more food in there.  Right now, I will spread between 100 and 150 lbs of wheat/acre, along with 10 lbs of clover (crimson & arrowleaf) and dabble in a few radish's.  This year, I am probably going to throw in 20 lbs/acre of Austrian Winter Peas, knowing that they will be like candy early on.

That gives the food plot a very good carpet of food and keeps the weeds to a minimum.

Now when I go to establish a perennial clover plot, I cut the amount of wheat (cereal grains) down to around 30 - 50 lbs/acre, so it doesn't choke out my expensive clover.

What do you do?  What rates do you seed at?


----------



## drawedback

I drill a mixture of abbruzzi rye, and buck forage oats @140 lb/acre, and broadcast 8-10 lb/acre of dwarf Essex rape. I will add some I/C Peas to the mixture in a few of my "sweet spots". I use to have problems in some of the smaller plots with over grazing, but adding the rape has helped fill them in, and keeps them lush and beautiful through the winter. I hope to plant between September 20, and October 15.


----------



## Canuck5

That sounds like a good mix too!


----------



## DawgMedic

papachaz said:


> yeah it surprised me that little 4 banger gas tractor can pull so well. When I talked to her about the ad, she first told me it was a 53 9n, which wasn't right cause 9n's weren't made in 53, so I asked her to check. Then she told me it was a Jubilee, which would have been right. When I got there to look at it, it had a 600 nose cone, even better. When I got it home and started scraping off some of the crud, I found the serial number and some great websites and learned it's in fact a 55 850. 5 to 600 more lbs, 10 more HP....
> 
> and yes, ugly girls need lovin too, but, you put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig........
> 
> and that's all I'm sayin bout that



We have a 55 Ford 850 as well... it is my "go to " tractor for food plots for us... the others we own have canopies, etc.. and don't fit in the woods as well. GREAT little tractor!


----------



## Canuck5

Sooooooooooooo, why on earth does Crakajak, myself and a few others ALWAYS suggest some people plant wheat and crimson clover?  Especially when they haven't had the time, the money or the equipment to amend their soils, properly?

Ag Lime, spread (with an 8 ton minimum) is about $45/ton in bulk and maybe $160/ton in pelletized bags.  Fertilizer is, well pick a number...... $500/ton in bags .... cheaper if bought in bulk.  But the key here, is that the plants have a hard time pulling the minerals and nutrients out of the soil, unless the ph is 6 or above.  That's typical for most food plot plants we and the deer like.  If the soil is too acidic, the plant won't grow well and be the "mineral/nutrient" transfer system, we want.  You grow deer, from what is in the soil and what you can produce out of it.  Pretty simple.

So why wheat & crimson clover?  Well the deer do like them .... that's good for starters, plus they will grow well in a more acidic soil and they are easy to establish, with limited equipment.  Most unamended soils in Georgia may have a ph in the high 4's or low 5's

http://forages.oregonstate.edu/php/fact_sheet_print_legume.php?SpecID=40

Soils: Crimson clover is adapted to soils of low fertility and has an intermediate lime requirement. It can tolerate pH ranging from 4.8-8.2 but does better at pH closer to 6.5. It grows on a wide range of soil types as long as drainage is good; however muck or extremely acid soils do not support good growth.

http://www.plantstress.com/articles/toxicity_m/soilph amend.pdf

Table 4.1. Desirable Soil pH for Optimum Crop Production pH Range
The desirable pH range for 
optimum plant growth varies 
among crops. While some 
crops grow best in the 6.0 to 
7.0 range, others grow well 
under slightly acid conditions. 
Soil properties that influence 
the need for and response to 
lime are different in different 
regions. A knowledge of the 
soil and the crop are important 
in managing soil pH for the 
best crop performance. A 
general categorization of 
desirable pH ranges for different crops is shown in Table 4.1.
pH Range
5.0 - 5.5 5.5 - 6.5 6.5 - 7.0
Blueberries Barley Alfalfa
Irish potatoes Bluegrass Some clovers
Sweet potatoes Corn Sugar beets
Cotton
Fescue
Grain sorghum
Peanuts
Rice
Soybeans
Wheat
Watermelon

Now, if your deer prefer cereal rye, it can be grown in a slightly more acidic soil.  But it might be out of the range of crimson clover, if you included it in the mix

http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/factsheets/winterrye.html

Growing Rye.  Cereal rye thrives on well-drained loamy soils but it’s tolerant of both heavy clays and droughty, sandy soils. Rye can withstand drought better than other cereal grains, in part because of its prolific root system. It grows best with ample moisture, but excessive rainfall can suppresses subsequent vegetative growth and flooding can it. Rye can grow in low-fertility soils where other cereal grains may fail. Optimum soil pH is 5.0 - I AM A POTTY MOUTH - 7.0, but pH in the range of 4.5 - I AM A POTTY MOUTH - 8.0 is tolerated.

Growing a mix of wheat and crimson clover, gives you the chance of being successful and pleased with the food plot you plant, that the deer will like.

Adjusting the soil ph upwards, allows you to grow more things, successfully.  I've seen some (unamended) plots where they threw in a great mix of seeds, to establish a plot, but you could quickly see (by color and size) that some of the plants just did not like the ph of the soil.  The plot got tall and looked "just ok", but the deer never ate it.  All that work and money went to waste.


----------



## Canuck5

Well, the above chart didn't come out quite right, but the point there was that wheat could be grown well in a soil ph of 5.5 - 6.5

LOL ... not sure why I was a Potty Mouth, either.


----------



## Canuck5

I'm not suggesting that we "only" grow wheat & crimson clover, although, even with my soils amended properly, I still do.  I'm just suggesting that unless you've amended the soils, to be successful and not waste precious money, that there are a few "right plant choices" for unamended acidic soils.

Wheat is $13/50 lbs and I would use at least 100 lbs/acre, maybe a little more.  Crimson clover is $80/50 lb bag or $1.60/lb and I would use at least 10 lbs/acre.

So, for seed and fertilizer of about $100/acre, you could have a food plot, that works, and gives good nutrition till the following April .... and you will see the deer eat it!

Feel free to make additional comments!!


----------



## Crakajak

Hard to beat winter wheat and crimson clover,especially if you are new to food plots or if you are on a new tract of land that you have to amend the soil. It gives the wildlife an extra food source while the lime is amending the ph.It also helps if you can see some results from your labor.

Great information Canuck5


----------



## papachaz

great posts canuck and crakajak...........it's always nice to know 'why' instead of just 'because I said so'.....  if I could have got mamma to understand that, maybe I wouldn't have got so many beatins growin up,


----------



## Canuck5

LOL!!!  I know what you mean!!!!   Well, no sense "everyone" making the same mistakes I did!!

We put enough hard work and money into these food plots, so we might as well go for the things that can give us the greatest success.  It will also spur you on to going the next step (successfully), meaning growing and maintaining that perennial clover plot ..... iron & clay peas ..... brassica's ..... etc.

Anybody can throw seeds on the ground and if you put enough down, you will get something to grow.  But putting something down that the deer prefer, are good for them and is a good attractant is a whole new world in itself.

Putting something down, that comes up, looks good, that the deer walk by, defeats the purpose.  Or putting something down, that doesn't have the chance of survival because of soil ph, or too much shade, or won't be palatable to the deer, is a waste as well.


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## Mako 17

Thanks to you two gentleman for a very informative and interesting thread --- You have answered a number of questions - and I agree, putting in the plots is as enjoyable,for me, as the hunting. More so it seems as I get older-- and you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor when you see the deer using that food source, or a young person takes his or her first deer on a plot you  put it in.


----------



## Canuck5

Mako 17 said:


> Thanks to you two gentleman for a very informative and interesting thread --- You have answered a number of questions - and I agree, putting in the plots is as enjoyable,for me, as the hunting. More so it seems as I get older-- and you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor when you see the deer using that food source, or a young person takes his or her first deer on a plot you  put it in.



Thanks!  I do enjoy food plotting ..... I look forward to it, as much as anything else!


----------



## papachaz

totally agree with Mako........

see the attached pics, my plots got some much needed rain today!!!!

these moultrie a-5 cams are way too sensitive.........


----------



## Triple C

Need fert advice...Three weeks ago we sprayed gly on all of our Fall/Winter plots.  Last week we disked the plots.  Yesterday and today we disked again and ran the cultipacker over them to prepare to plant next weekend.  We've limed for the past 2 years.  I hope to get more lime added mid-week.  They were very lime deficient when we got the property.  Next weekend we're going to plant a traditional Fall mix with clover, chicory and cereal grains in the smaller plots.  At the end of Sept. we're planning to plant the larger plots in forage oats and winter wheat.  Here's my question...Without another soil test, what type fert should we use and how many pounds per acre?  In the past we've just used good ol' 10-10-10.  Not sure we're doing the right thing.


----------



## DC-08

We use 19-19-19, it is cheaper by the lb of fertilizer than 10-10-10


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## Triple C

DC-08 said:


> We use 19-19-19, it is cheaper by the lb of fertilizer than 10-10-10



Thx!


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Need fert advice...Three weeks ago we sprayed gly on all of our Fall/Winter plots.  Last week we disked the plots.  Yesterday and today we disked again and ran the cultipacker over them to prepare to plant next weekend.  We've limed for the past 2 years.  I hope to get more lime added mid-week.  They were very lime deficient when we got the property.  Next weekend we're going to plant a traditional Fall mix with clover, chicory and cereal grains in the smaller plots.  At the end of Sept. we're planning to plant the larger plots in forage oats and winter wheat.  Here's my question...Without another soil test, what type fert should we use and how many pounds per acre?  In the past we've just used good ol' 10-10-10.  Not sure we're doing the right thing.



Well, I guess the standard answer with no soil testing, would be 300 lbs/acre of 13-13-13.  Like DC 08 said you may (likely) will find 19-19-19 cheaper, when you figure out what you're getting.

With 300 lbs/acre of 13-13-13, you're getting 39 lbs/acre of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium.  205 lbs/acre of 19-19-19 will give you 39 lbs/acre of NPK as well, so you can figure out what the cost difference is for you.

But it always comes down to a "budget issue"  how much can you afford?  Without a soil test, you can always try less and add more (top dress) ahead of a rain if necessary, because you see it isn't lush and green, the way you like.

If budget is an issue, you can always "cheat" a little and fertilize heavier near your stand or blind, making that area more lush and green, if you have a "large" food plot.

Lime is also the cheap mans, fertilizer.  It brings the soil ph up and what that allows the "plant" to do, is be able to use more of the minerals that are in the ground, needing less fertilizer in general.


----------



## Canuck5

So, speaking of fertilizer ...... and seed .... I bought a new PTO spreader this spring, which still needs a little tweaking.  This Herd Seeder is made to spread pretty much everything, from large seeds down to small seeds like clover, but I plan to use the Solo Spreader for the clover, for now.

I worked up the ground about a month ago, to incorporate the lime we had spread earlier this year.  My plan will be to spread the fertilizer next, on top of the ground and then work the fertilizer into the soil, so that it is in the top 4" of ground, where the roots will be.

I'll then use this same spreader and broadcast my larger seeds and then till those into the top 2" or so.  Then cultipack and broadcast my clovers and or brassica's on top, then cultipack again.


----------



## Canuck5

The pricing for my fertilizers and seeds for this fall are as follows (all are 50 lb bags):

13-13-13 = $14
32-0-2      = $15
0-20-20    = $16
Crimson clover    = $80/bag inoculated
Arrowleaf clover = $88.50/bag inoculated
Wheat     = $13
Austrian Winter Peas = $35
Oats         = $15


----------



## Canuck5

I've got some Daikon radish's, which I bought earlier @ $4/lb and Durana which was about $8/lb ...... I only bought 5 lbs of it this year.

Also have some rape, mustard and kale, which was supplied to me ... not sure what that cost, but will be included!


----------



## papachaz

canuck, I know I probably don't have to tell you this, but will anyway, just because, LOL  after you run fertilizer through that spreader wash it out and oil it good! fertilizer is rough on those! Are you storing it under cover? moisture is also it's enemy.


----------



## Canuck5

Yes, that is EXTREMELY good advice!!!  It will get washed out ... scraped out and coated lightly with a 50/50 mix of diesel fuel and used oil.  I apply that to most all my equipment.

"Herd" also sealed all the nooks and crannies where fertilizer could get into, so it makes clean up a lot easier!

But again, very good advice, because fertilizer can ruin a piece of equipment in no time!!!!


----------



## Canuck5

And yes, everything I value is stored in a safe dry place!!!  Protected from the sun and all other elements!


----------



## Crakajak

5% vinegar water will help neutralize the effects of fert. on metal parts also.Let this dry and then spray with diesel/oil mixture.


----------



## Canuck5

Well, looking at the 10 day forecast, at least in middle Georgia, there seems to be just a slim chance of rain.  Not a lot to count on.  

My plan is still to shoot for the 21st, mainly because of the "volunteers" that have signed on for that day.  If I do plant then, I will be sure to not over work the ground (dry it out) and try to plant (broadcast) the seed into some moisture, cover it and then pack with a cultipacker, sealing whatever moisture is there, in on the seed.

If you are lucky enough to have a tractor and accessibility to a no-till drill, this is where they earn their keep!  They will possibly plant your seed into whatever moisture your ground has.

If I do plant (broadcast) and the seed sits in dry ground, it's not something I prefer, but it's not a crisis situation.  When the rains do come, the seed will germinate, on it's own time schedule, not mine.


----------



## bull0ne

Good advice in this thread.

If possible, go with premium fertilizer. Super Rainbow is my choice. It has trace elements and micro nutrients that the run of the mill/big box retailer fertilizer doesn't offer. In a side by side test plot, will all things being equal, anyone could see the difference in plant vigor and color. Plus the deer grazed harder on the area of the plot where the premium fertilizer was used.  

 Don't expect any nutrients to be left over from last year's planting. They leeched out due to the record rainfall. If possible, I'd fertilize in 1/3 increments though. Our rainfall forecast doesn't look good now. With a full application at planting time, it can damage the root system if drought sets in. Id go with 1/3 of my chosen total nutrient rate at planting, and top dressing as the season/rainfall makes the situation more favorable for plant growth. 

Pelletized/bagged lime is my only option. As well as the only option for many who are planting in areas where spreader trucks can't get too. You get approximately 1/3 effectiveness from pelletized lime in 30 days of good soil moisture. Usefulness will increase along that timeline as the lime continues to work. 

A good rule of thumb for previously unlimed soil in a new plot and going in without a soil test is 1500 lbs per acre.  A full ton is you're going in behind pine trees. ( previous soil test results is what I'm going by here.  


Wrens abruzzi rye is indeed more drought tolerant, yet the least palatable of the 3 commonly planted cereal grains planted here in the south. I had oats die last year from drought. A diversified seeding plan saved the day! 

With oats the most palatable, and wrens abruzzi rye the least desired for grazing.......wheat is the compromise if you're planting only one variety of seed.  I've been opting for oats because I could bury them deeper to keep them away from the turkeys and deeper down in the dirt. Thus they'd come up in questionable moisture. 

Who's to say what's right or wrong decision-wise. That's a subjective determination anyone must make for themselves.  Maybe a mix of cereal grains is in order? Who's to say what's right or wrong decision-wise.   That's a subjective determination anyone must make for themselves.

Good luck plotting!


----------



## Canuck5

I know I always enjoy a good buffet!!!   Throw in some clover too!


----------



## Crakajak

bull0ne said:


> Good advice in this thread.
> 
> If possible, go with premium fertilizer. Super Rainbow is my choice. It has trace elements and micro nutrients that the run of the mill/big box retailer fertilizer doesn't offer. In a side by side test plot, will all things being equal, anyone could see the difference in plant vigor and color. Plus the deer grazed harder on the area of the plot where the premium fertilizer was used.
> 
> Don't expect any nutrients to be left over from last year's planting. They leeched out due to the record rainfall. If possible, I'd fertilize in 1/3 increments though. Our rainfall forecast doesn't look good now. With a full application at planting time, it can damage the root system if drought sets in. Id go with 1/3 of my chosen total nutrient rate at planting, and top dressing as the season/rainfall makes the situation more favorable for plant growth.
> 
> Pelletized/bagged lime is my only option. As well as the only option for many who are planting in areas where spreader trucks can't get too. You get approximately 1/3 effectiveness from pelletized lime in 30 days of good soil moisture. Usefulness will increase along that timeline as the lime continues to work.
> 
> A good rule of thumb for previously unlimed soil in a new plot and going in without a soil test is 1500 lbs per acre.  A full ton is you're going in behind pine trees. ( previous soil test results is what I'm going by here.
> 
> 
> Wrens abruzzi rye is indeed more drought tolerant, yet the least palatable of the 3 commonly planted cereal grains planted here in the south. I had oats die last year from drought. A diversified seeding plan saved the day!
> 
> With oats the most palatable, and wrens abruzzi rye the least desired for grazing.......wheat is the compromise if you're planting only one variety of seed.  I've been opting for oats because I could bury them deeper to keep them away from the turkeys and deeper down in the dirt. Thus they'd come up in questionable moisture.
> 
> Who's to say what's right or wrong decision-wise. That's a subjective determination anyone must make for themselves.  Maybe a mix of cereal grains is in order? Who's to say what's right or wrong decision-wise.   That's a subjective determination anyone must make for themselves.
> 
> Good luck plotting!


I agree.
 Different soils will produce different results.
My rule of thumb is spend as much money on lime as you can afford the first year along with winter wheat and inoculated crimson clover.Add some brassicas into the mix if you want to to get the deer used to eating it(The deer in my food plots after 3 years still don't know that it is food for them)
The wheat will germinate on concrete if you have any moisture and gives you something for the deer to eat within 1-2 weeks after germination.
It also gives the crimson time to germinate and start growing before the deer start foraging on it.
It also give you a boost of confidence that you can grow a food plot.
The wheat will be palatable in middle Ga until Jan/Feb and the clover until April/May. It will go to seed.
Once it gos to a seed head let it mature and fall off onto the ground.  If you bushhog once this happens it does 2 things.It puts nitrogen from the clover and green manure back into the soil(Building the soil)
Once this happens you can spray round up to kill all the weeds during the summer until your lime reaches its full potential.(round up doesn't kill the seed )Then the next fall you can still plant an annual food plot or go with a perrennial food plot.This is what I have found to help the first time food plotters .JMO


----------



## Canuck5

Good info.!  Soil building is so important!


----------



## turkeykirk

papachaz said:


> The guy in the video, Walter Reeves is Dan Reeves (former Falcons head coach) brother. They are from GA, and for those who don't know, he is the man who used to do the Your Southern Garden show on GPTV, he based it out of "Mr Cason's vegetable garden" at Calloway Gardens. I'm thinking he's either in charge of it or used to be at some point in time.
> 
> He is THE garden guru in the southeast, that's for sure!
> 
> great thread BTW, I mowed two of our food plots this week, going to try to get them disked or tilled next week.  The small one is 1/4 acre, up on one of the highest points on the club, the other is 3/4 of an acre down in one of the bottoms. Not sure yet what I want to plant, I'd like to get one of them started for bow season, may just keep the other one mowed down until the first of sept



Have enjoyed reading this thread. My mom worked for Walter when he was a 4-H director in Jonesboro. Don't believe he is related to Dan Reeves (former Falcon's coach). Dan Reeves was born in Rome and grew up in Americus. Walter grew up on a farm in Fayetteville and his mom still lives there. Walter is the man on gardening!!


----------



## drawedback

Haven't been on in a while, I see a lot of people talking about fertilizer prices. Another option if you need a good chunk, say a ton or more is to buy bulk. You can usually rent a spreader to pull behind a tractor, or have it spread with a truck cheaper than you can buy it by the bag. It's been a heck of a summer here, and we have started plowing some of our plots, but got stuck yesterday because we still have some wet spots. So I guess some of our low areas are just gonna get another dose of round up, and then I will attack them with the no till drill. So everybody be careful as you start to working your ground, there are still some wet spots out there, and I know most of you don't have another tractor sitting there to pull you out.


----------



## jmharris23

turkeykirk said:


> Have enjoyed reading this thread. My mom worked for Walter when he was a 4-H director in Jonesboro. Don't believe he is related to Dan Reeves (former Falcon's coach). Dan Reeves was born in Rome and grew up in Americus. Walter grew up on a farm in Fayetteville and his mom still lives there. Walter is the man on gardening!!



Looks like you're right.....here is an interview with Dan where he mentions his siblings and there is no Walter mentioned. 

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/07/s...ding-to-dan-reeves.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm


----------



## Canuck5

drawedback said:


> Haven't been on in a while, I see a lot of people talking about fertilizer prices. Another option if you need a good chunk, say a ton or more is to buy bulk. You can usually rent a spreader to pull behind a tractor, or have it spread with a truck cheaper than you can buy it by the bag. It's been a heck of a summer here, and we have started plowing some of our plots, but got stuck yesterday because we still have some wet spots. So I guess some of our low areas are just gonna get another dose of round up, and then I will attack them with the no till drill. So everybody be careful as you start to working your ground, there are still some wet spots out there, and I know most of you don't have another tractor sitting there to pull you out.



Yes, it is considerably cheaper in bulk!!!  Good point!  If you go that route, you can usually have them mix lime, in with your bulk fertilizer and kill 2 birds with 1 stone!


----------



## Canuck5

Just checked the weather forecast for middle Georgia ..... still looks very dry, 10 days out.  The only good part, is that the night time temps are dipping into the low 60's, which is bringing the soil temperature down, slowly.  Good for clover germination, when we plant ..... and get some rain.


----------



## turkeykirk

jmharris23 said:


> Looks like you're right.....here is an interview with Dan where he mentions his siblings and there is no Walter mentioned.
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/07/s...ding-to-dan-reeves.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm



Looks like ol'Dan might know a thing or two about planting a food plot!!


----------



## papachaz

turkeykirk said:


> Have enjoyed reading this thread. My mom worked for Walter when he was a 4-H director in Jonesboro. Don't believe he is related to Dan Reeves (former Falcon's coach). Dan Reeves was born in Rome and grew up in Americus. Walter grew up on a farm in Fayetteville and his mom still lives there. Walter is the man on gardening!!





jmharris23 said:


> Looks like you're right.....here is an interview with Dan where he mentions his siblings and there is no Walter mentioned.
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/07/s...ding-to-dan-reeves.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm



well I read it somewhere, I don't remember where. Funny thing though, look at their pictures, they sure look like they could be brothers.....when I was a kid, I was called "Butch" by a few family members even though my given name was charles. Just sayin.....

either way, Walter is the gardening guru of the southeast, if he says 'do this' or 'don't do that' when it comes to planting something or tending to it after you plant it, listen to him!


----------



## turkeykirk

papachaz said:


> well I read it somewhere, I don't remember where. Funny thing though, look at their pictures, they sure look like they could be brothers.....when I was a kid, I was called "Butch" by a few family members even though my given name was charles. Just sayin.....
> 
> either way, Walter is the gardening guru of the southeast, if he says 'do this' or 'don't do that' when it comes to planting something or tending to it after you plant it, listen to him!



Your right. Walter sure knows his stuff. Also, he his one heck of a nice guy. My mom thinks very highly of Walter.


----------



## Triple C

*Most Fall plots planted this weekend!*

Today, we finished planting our lower food plots.  The soil still has a lot of moisture.  Even with little rain in the forecast I feel like we will get good germination. In 2 of the plots we   planted crimson and arrow leaf clover, chicory, radishes, (never tried these before) and even a little purple top turnip, (another we've never tried).  In 3 of the bigger plots we planted buck forage oats and austrian winter peas with a little clover thrown in to boot.  We've never spent more time in prepping these plots as we have this year.  The soil gets better and better.  Sprayed them all with gly about a month ago.  Plowed it all in a couple of weeks ago.  Fertilized 19-19-19 at a rate of 300 lbs per acre and then planted.

I bought a Plotmaster 600 three years ago when we started our 1st plots.  Does such an incredible job for all types of field prep including planting.  The seed bins hold plenty of seed and are minutely adjustable as far as type of seed and drop rate.  Has a nice heavy cultipacker attached to the back that folds down when you're ready to plant.  Can't wait to see what it looks like a few weeks from now.  Will post pics as the plots begin to grow.


----------



## Canuck5

Looks like a good start!!  Keep us posted with pictures!!!


----------



## Crakajak

TripleC ,Looks like you are going to have a good food plot for the wildlife
Canuck5,
Looks like you got out of all the hard work at ya'lls club the club  last weekend


----------



## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> Canuck5,
> Looks like you got out of all the hard work at ya'lls club the club  last weekend



LOL!!  Well, I know a little got done, but knowing the "crew" that was down there, I'm sure they saved a little bit for later!  They told me they were going down, but I completely forgot about it.  Did you get over there to see the new driveway and repaired dam?


----------



## Chris Horsman

I`m learning a great deal from this one thread. Thanks. I do have a question though. Where do I get bulk lime and a spreader in the Carroll/Douglas county area. We planted and fertilized this past weekend.
 Its a new piece of property and we only got the food plots cleared with a dozer last week. Early next year we plan on lime, and lots of it. 
Thanks in advance


----------



## Canuck5

http://www.yellowbook.com/yellow-pages/?what=lime&where=Carroll+County,+GA

I'm not much help to you, but this is the closest I could get for you.  I assume if you call a couple of the places like Southern States, they could direct you.  Good luck!

Southern States Inc
Go to website for: Southern States Inc
1011 Alabama St
Carrollton, GA 30117-2003 Map
(770) 832-3501


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> LOL!!  Well, I know a little got done, but knowing the "crew" that was down there, I'm sure they saved a little bit for later!  They told me they were going down, but I completely forgot about it.  Did you get over there to see the new driveway and repaired dam?



No,I didn't know that it was repaired.I will need to go by and see the improvements.


----------



## Crakajak

Heres how I know how much lime I need each year .I did the initial soil test. It indicated I needed 2 tons lime per acre.(old field that had returned to woodland for the last 70 years.)
I added lime and planted my perennial clover plots. The next year I did soil test and it indicated I had a ph of 6.8. I didn't add any lime that year.This Year I added 1 ton per acre and will test it again next summer.Then I will know what my leach rate is on my property and can add lime accordingly without having to do a soil test every year.


----------



## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> No,I didn't know that it was repaired.I will need to go by and see the improvements.



Come on down .... the dam got fixed too!


----------



## Canuck5

Well, I am starting to get everything together for our planting  on the 21st ... hoping there appears to be some rains shortly after that, but we will adjust if necessary.

I have 400 lbs of Austrian Winter Peas on order that I will pick up this weekend.  Balance of the seed/fertilizer will be gotten the following week.

I bought the inoculant for the Peas, so that they can help put some nitrogen into the ground, for next years crop.  I will be planting a mix of wheat, AWP and clover(crimson & arrowleaf) in my larger plots and good Lord willing, will work that into the ground next May and plant more Iron & Clay Peas (probably with sunflowers and maybe sorghum).  I'm pretty pleased how they turned out, and I plan to increase the acreage on them next year.

The I&C peas were inoculated, so when I work the(what's left of them) stems into the ground (although they are still trying to put leaves on), I will gain some nitrogen from the nodules on their living roots.  So when the AWP's and clover get worked into the ground next spring (while still green and growing), I will immediately come back in and plant I&C peas.  That's the plan, anyway.  I will still add at least 200 lbs/acre of 0-20-20, since that is what legumes thrive on.

Anyway, for about $7/bag of inoculant, that can coat 100 lbs of seed, I can gain a lot of free nitrogen, from the _*green manure*_.  _*If I am lucky, next year,*_ between the peas and the clover, I might get 100 lbs of free nitrogen in the soil ...... for $7.

The beauty of this bacteria (inoculant) is that if I keep this rotation, I will never (well never say never) have to add anymore inoculant, since the bacteria will stay in the ground and multiply.  However if I stop the rotation, for a few years, then I will have to go and start over.


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Well, I am starting to get everything together for our planting  on the 21st ... hoping there appears to be some rains shortly after that, but we will adjust if necessary.
> 
> I have 400 lbs of Austrian Winter Peas on order that I will pick up this weekend.  Balance of the seed/fertilizer will be gotten the following week.
> 
> I bought the inoculant for the Peas, so that they can help put some nitrogen into the ground, for next years crop.  I will be planting a mix of wheat, AWP and clover(crimson & arrowleaf) in my larger plots and good Lord willing, will work that into the ground next May and plant more Iron & Clay Peas (probably with sunflowers and maybe sorghum).  I'm pretty pleased how they turned out, and I plan to increase the acreage on them next year.
> 
> The I&C peas were inoculated, so when I work the(what's left of them) stems into the ground (although they are still trying to put leaves on), I will gain some nitrogen from the nodules on their living roots.  So when the AWP's and clover get worked into the ground next spring (while still green and growing), I will immediately come back in and plant I&C peas.  That's the plan, anyway.  I will still add at least 200 lbs/acre of 0-20-20, since that is what legumes thrive on.
> 
> Anyway, for about $7/bag of inoculant, that can coat 100 lbs of seed, I can gain a lot of free nitrogen, from the _*green manure*_.  _*If I am lucky, next year,*_ between the peas and the clover, I might get 100 lbs of free nitrogen in the soil ...... for $7.
> 
> The beauty of this bacteria (inoculant) is that if I keep this rotation, I will never (well never say never) have to add anymore inoculant, since the bacteria will stay in the ground and multiply.  However if I stop the rotation, for a few years, then I will have to go and start over.



That sounds like a great plan for ya'll on the hill.Any time you can get extra fert. for cheap is good.


----------



## Canuck5

Free is good, even at twice the price!    The real benefit of all this, is when I rotate to a non legume crop like corn, that loves and needs nitrogen!


----------



## swamp

*South Fulton*

Tilled the ground up day before yesterday with the groundhog max, going to plant oats, winter peas, and wheat.  When should I put it out and cover it?


----------



## Canuck5

Sounds like you live pretty close to your food plots?  I would just watch the weather and put it out _*when you see more than a 50% chance of rain coming*_ in the next few days.  If you can hold off till closer to October, the better you will be ..... and the weather forecast is sort of guiding you in that direction, anyway.


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Sounds like you live pretty close to your food plots?  I would just watch the weather and put it out _*when you see more than a 50% chance of rain coming*_ in the next few days.  If you can hold off till closer to October, the better you will be ..... and the weather forecast is sort of guiding you in that direction, anyway.



This^^^^^.
With most of your plots being in a wooded area,moisture will remain in soil longer than if you were in a big open field.


----------



## swamp

Crakajak said:


> This^^^^^.
> With most of your plots being in a wooded area,moisture will remain in soil longer than if you were in a big open field.



Thanks guys!


----------



## Crakajak

Heres the info for anyone planting BFO:
Plant Sept/ Oct
2" deep
7.0 ph
200 lbs/acre 13-13-13


----------



## swamp

Canuck5 said:


> Sounds like you live pretty close to your food plots?  I would just watch the weather and put it out _*when you see more than a 50% chance of rain coming*_ in the next few days.  If you can hold off till closer to October, the better you will be ..... and the weather forecast is sort of guiding you in that direction, anyway.



Yeah I do!  It is only a 1/4 of an acre maybe a 1/2 acre. It is actually supposed to form the letter  (P).  The pics are of different angles.  This is my 1st plot and the soil is really rich and black.  I am thinking of two 50lb bags of 10-10-10 fertilzer.  Should I spread fertilizer 1st then seed or all at once?


----------



## Canuck5

Ideally, you want to put the fertilizer into the top 4" of soil, so spreading it, then working it in and then spreading your seed would be a good way to do it.

Before you do that, get some soil and have a $10 soil test done at your county extension office.  That will help you for next year, and determining if and how much lime you need to add to your soil.


----------



## Canuck5

Thought I would add this ..... stolen from DeerBuilder.com


----------



## Canuck5

30% chance of rain on 9/21 ...... 70% on 9/22 and 50% on 9/23.   I'll be making dust on 9/20, trying to get most of it in and finishing up on 9/21.

I'll be putting in 3 new little Durana plots, a 1/2 acre brassica plot, with sections of mustard, rape, kale and Daikon radish's and will watch deer preference.

Additionally, I will be adding some Durana strips in a few plots, on property which is farther away from our camp, to help give some year round food.

The majority of the other plots will have a mix of wheat, crimson clover, arrowleaf clover, Austrian Winter Peas (inoculated) and a touch of radish.  This will be the first time I've planted AWP's and I know there are mixed reviews on whether the deer will eat them, so we will see what they like on my property.  Worst case, they help improve my soil.

They love the wheat and clovers, and just last year started to nibble on the radish's, so I will look for an improvement in radish consumption. 

First, I'll be spreading fertilizer, then follow in behind and work that into the soil.  Then broadcast the wheat and AWP mix and come back and lightly till those seeds in 1"- 2" deep.  Then cultipack, hand crank in the clovers and cultipack again.  Thank goodness for young "minions", to help!


----------



## duckman31822

I planted yesterday due to my work schedule.. oats,wheat,awp and clover.. fertilizer was triple 13.. now just need rain


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## Canuck5

duckman31822 said:


> I planted yesterday due to my work schedule.. oats,wheat,awp and clover.. fertilizer was triple 13.. now just need rain



All we need now, is to have the weatherman work with us a little!!!


----------



## Canuck5

50% chance of rain, in middle Georgia this weekend, but it does look dry after that!  At least the temps are cooling off.


----------



## Crakajak

Looks like you might have most of the day Saturday to plant. Forecast to increase rain chance in the P.M. Hope you get it all done.
I will try to stop by and harass you a little if I get mine finished.


----------



## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> Looks like you might have most of the day Saturday to plant. Forecast to increase rain chance in the P.M. Hope you get it all done.
> I will try to stop by and harass you a little if I get mine finished.



Well, I hope by then, we can listen to the rain, on the tin roof!


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Well, I hope by then, we can listen to the rain, on the tin roof!



If you get finished early you can always come help me


----------



## Triple C

*Fall Plots In...*

2 weeks ago we planted our smaller plots in a mix of radishes, (first time), chicory and clover and our larger plots in forage oats, winter wheat and threw in a little clover for variety.  After yesterday's rain, I couldn't wait to get out this morning and check them out even though I just looked at them yesterday.  Sure enough...they grew enough to notice.  The radishes have really popped up.  Peas and chicory trailing behind.  Here's a pic of what it looks like after planting 2 weeks ago and no rain since until yesterday.


Close up of radishes...


Oats just starting to grow in another plot.  Winter peas and clover won't be far behind.


We spent more this year than any previous year in preparing out soil.  This is our 3rd year working this ground.  After much tilling, liming and this year, heavy, heavy doses of gly, we had the best seed bed ever.  All the organic matter turned into the soil over the past 2 years is paying dividends.  Expecting really good fall and winter plots this year.  More pics to come.


----------



## Triple C

*Bean field planted today*

Our largest plot is just over 3 acres.  We call it the bean field.  We plant I/C peas and soybeans in this plot in the Spring and run a few strips of grain sorghum along the edges to provide cover.  Since the beans are still growing we only planted the interior of the field for fall/winter.  We had heavy weed infestation with all the rain this year so about a month ago we cut and sprayed the interior with gly and let it just lay.  This morning, following yesterday's rain, I was plowing at 8:00 and plowed until 12:30 until I had a decent seed bed.  We started planting at 12:30 with a mix of forage oats, winter peas and a little clover thrown in.  When I left at 2:00 the field was planted and cult-packed.  My son was in the process of spreading 300 pounds of 19-19-19 when a sow showed up with 4 little ones.  1st ones we've seen in a while.  Hate these critters...Will do our best to eliminate them.


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Our largest plot is just over 3 acres.  We call it the bean field.  We plant I/C peas and soybeans in this plot in the Spring and run a few strips of grain sorghum along the edges to provide cover.  Since the beans are still growing we only planted the interior of the field for fall/winter.  We had heavy weed infestation with all the rain this year so about a month ago we cut and sprayed the interior with gly and let it just lay.  This morning, following yesterday's rain, I was plowing at 8:00 and plowed until 12:30 until I had a decent seed bed.  We started planting at 12:30 with a mix of forage oats, winter peas and a little clover thrown in.  When I left at 2:00 the field was planted and cult-packed.  My son was in the process of spreading 300 pounds of 19-19-19 when a sow showed up with 4 little ones.  1st ones we've seen in a while.  Hate these critters...Will do our best to eliminate them.
> View attachment 751820
> 
> View attachment 751821



Outstanding job there!!!!!!!!!!!!  Be sure to give us more pictures over the new few weeks!


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## Canuck5

Mother Nature is pretty amazing.  We finished planting, in a drizzle, yesterday afternoon around 2 pm.  Over night we got 3/4" of a nice slow rain.  

When the temperatures are right and you have good seed to soil contact, even I can't mess things up.  Hoping for more rain over the next couple of weeks!

First picture is crimson clover on the left and wheat on the right.  Second picture is Austrian Winter Peas.  I sure hope our deer like them!


----------



## tlr323

triple c .. I've been using four of the feeders like you have on the edge of the field for about three years now. other than being painted when I first put them out they are the same. How have the deer reacted to them on your property. just curious. thanks


----------



## Triple C

tlr323 said:


> triple c .. I've been using four of the feeders like you have on the edge of the field for about three years now. other than being painted when I first put them out they are the same. How have the deer reacted to them on your property. just curious. thanks



tlr...we have 3 Texas Hunter gravity feeders and only 1 like the one shown in the pic.  It is the most maintenance free of the 3.  All galvanized steel and easy to refill.  Was sold as pig proof but we've had a couple of really big pigs on camera on their hind legs with their snout in the trough.  Never painted it but the deer don't seem to mind.  Overall, very pleased with this feeder. It's made down in south GA by Double D feeders.


----------



## Triple C

*Progression of Fall plot*

Here's a sample of our Fall/Winter plots progression.  This plot is about 3/4 of an acre.  We have several about this size and planted all of them in a mix of radishes, chicory, crimson and arrowleaf clover.  We sprayed gly in mid-August and killed anything growing.


We planted and fertilized the 2nd week of September.


I took this pic this weekend.  Radishes have exploded!  Clover and chicory just beginning to grow.  Can't wait to see how the deer use the radishes as we've never tried them before.


----------



## tlr323

Triple C... yea that's the same feeders that I am using. They do a great job and I'm well pleased with them also. Seems like the larger bucks still haven't taken to them as well as the rest have. The pic I have attached is the closest they will get. This is 3rd year they have been out. Just wondering what you have noticed. Thanks and great radish plot!


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Here's a sample of our Fall/Winter plots progression.  This plot is about 3/4 of an acre.  We have several about this size and planted all of them in a mix of radishes, chicory, crimson and arrowleaf clover.  We sprayed gly in mid-August and killed anything growing.
> View attachment 753139
> 
> We planted and fertilized the 2nd week of September.
> View attachment 753140
> 
> I took this pic this weekend.  Radishes have exploded!  Clover and chicory just beginning to grow.  Can't wait to see how the deer use the radishes as we've never tried them before.
> View attachment 753141



A regular buffet!


----------



## Triple C

Canuck...We will see how the deer take to the radishes.  We have chicory and clover coming up in the radishes so I know that the plots will get hit pretty hard.  Just never tried radishes before.  Can't wait to see how the deer take to them after we get our 1st frost the the acorns become a little less abundant.  Oats and winter pea plots are looking good as well.  They're already clipping the oats.  Will post pics as the season progresses.


----------



## papachaz

the radishes that were in the mix I planted are about the only seed the crows didn't get. They are coming up very well and being eaten very well, LOL.....

next time I'll have a better drag or a cultipacker. Would've helped if it hadn't set for 2 weeks without rain too. The day I planted was supposed to be 40% for the next two days and we got NONE..........

it's still cool to see the pics of them out there eating what I planted for them, even if everything isn't coming up, and I may just hit it again next week with some more oats/wheat


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Canuck...We will see how the deer take to the radishes.  We have chicory and clover coming up in the radishes so I know that the plots will get hit pretty hard.  Just never tried radishes before.  Can't wait to see how the deer take to them after we get our 1st frost the the acorns become a little less abundant.  Oats and winter pea plots are looking good as well.  They're already clipping the oats.  Will post pics as the season progresses.



Yes, keep us posted with pics!  It took my deer about 4 years to develope a taste for radishes.  This year I planted a little test plot that contains, in separate sections, rape, mustard, kale and radishes, so we will see what they like and when they like it!


----------



## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> the radishes that were in the mix I planted are about the only seed the crows didn't get. They are coming up very well and being eaten very well, LOL.....
> 
> next time I'll have a better drag or a cultipacker. Would've helped if it hadn't set for 2 weeks without rain too. The day I planted was supposed to be 40% for the next two days and we got NONE..........
> 
> it's still cool to see the pics of them out there eating what I planted for them, even if everything isn't coming up, and I may just hit it again next week with some more oats/wheat



Yes, we rely on Mother Nature to help out!  I'll be back down this weekend to check on my food plots, but I am pretty sure they would like another drink too!


----------



## Triple C

Good thing about radishes is they make you think you can grow a great food plot.  Never have seen anything prettier or growing faster.  As to whether the deer will hit them is a different story.  Time will tell but they sure are pretty to look at right now.  Proof to follow in the weeks ahead provided we get some new cameras out.  Bout 2 Cuddebacks last year and neither are working now.  Gonna try the Moultrie cams based on all the good things I read about them.


----------



## Triple C

On a totally different subject but still in the "Food for Thought" vein...Any of you guys nurture fallow fields?  We've found them to be very productive in both browse and cover.  As part of our land management plan we were advised to create several wildlife openings and allow them to go fallow.  Lightly disc in late winter to encourage the seed bank and then burn every three years.  No mowing!  This is our 2nd year with fallow field management.  Became a believer last year when we created an opening between 2 food plots and allowed it to go fallow.  Deer use it all the time.  The growth gets over 6 feet tall.  Poke weed, briars, ragweed and all kind of stuff I don't even know what it is.  But it works.

The fallow area at the far end of the food plot separates the lower food plot.  2nd year fallow growth.  The edges on either side of the pic is the result of TSI done this past winter.  Removed hundreds and hundreds of sweet gum, elm, etc. and left the small oaks.  The sunlight exploded fallow growth in this area.


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Good thing about radishes is they make you think you can grow a great food plot.  Never have seen anything prettier or growing faster.  As to whether the deer will hit them is a different story.  Time will tell but they sure are pretty to look at right now.  Proof to follow in the weeks ahead provided we get some new cameras out.  Bout 2 Cuddebacks last year and neither are working now.  Gonna try the Moultrie cams based on all the good things I read about them.



The radishes sure do look nice in a plot ..... after about 4 years of trying, mine started to eat them last year, late in the season.


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> On a totally different subject but still in the "Food for Thought" vein...Any of you guys nurture fallow fields?  We've found them to be very productive in both browse and cover.  As part of our land management plan we were advised to create several wildlife openings and allow them to go fallow.  Lightly disc in late winter to encourage the seed bank and then burn every three years.  No mowing!  This is our 2nd year with fallow field management.  Became a believer last year when we created an opening between 2 food plots and allowed it to go fallow.  Deer use it all the time.  The growth gets over 6 feet tall.  Poke weed, briars, ragweed and all kind of stuff I don't even know what it is.  But it works.
> 
> The fallow area at the far end of the food plot separates the lower food plot.  2nd year fallow growth.  The edges on either side of the pic is the result of TSI done this past winter.  Removed hundreds and hundreds of sweet gum, elm, etc. and left the small oaks.  The sunlight exploded fallow growth in this area.



I never tried it, but is a good concept.  I've never had enough acreage for food plots, to try that.  Most of our land is owned by the paper company.


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## Canuck5

The food plots are up, but sure could use some rain now.  75% of our plots are looking good, but a couple that just did not get enough of the original moisture, aren't quite so good.  I over seeded them with more clover in some spots.  I'm hoping that the seed is still sitting in the dry soil, waiting on Karen's arrival!


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## Triple C

*Oats n Austrian winter peas*

Just got home after spending weekend at the farm.  Here's a few pics on the progress of our Fall plots.  Oats and AWP's are looking fantastic!  Deer already browsing the oats and the peas a coming in well.  Never used AWP's before so we're really excited to see how the deer take to them along with the oats.


----------



## Triple C

*Brassica plot update*

Purple top turnips, radishes, chicory and clover are exploding.  Perfect amount of moisture and more expected.  I was on the Ranger and stopped to take a pic of this doe feeding in the plot.  This plot is just north of and connects to our oat and AWP plot.


----------



## Triple C

*And the reason we do all of this planting...*

This morning we finished hanging the last of our stands.  Since Spring it's been all about planting and growing food.  Now it's time to turn our attention to hunting! We mostly bowhunt our property.  We have about 40 acres of wetlands/bottom land with several beaver ponds scattered throughout.  We call this area the sanctuary.  Very little intrusion into this area except during the rut.  We hang a couple of stands in this area.  This morning, my son and I hung a stand very near where he took our 1st "keeper" last year.  This stand location is about 150 yds south of one of our brassica plots next to a beaver pond.  The 2nd pic is the "keeper" that came from this spot last year.


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## Canuck5

That's outstanding!!!!  Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Triple C

Thanks Canuck!  Love your thread and hope others will post updates to their Fall plots as the season progresses.


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## Canuck5

Well, it looks like my area got missed by rain last night .... dang it!


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## bull0ne

I learned a hard lesson years ago........don't put a full dose of fertilizer down at planting when you don't have good soil moisture and a good outlook for more rainfall. 

Saturday AM it looked like we were in for 3 inches of rain.  So I over seeded plots and replanted one pea patch that had been destroyed by grazing. Went light on the Super Rainbow 10-10-10 and shot for 1/3 of what I consider a full dose. Good thing I did, not sure we'll get enough rain to meet the moisture now? 

It gets bad press on here, but triploid/grazing type ryegrass has a place in food plotting.  I use it on poor site index locations, and to overseed and/or tighten up the weak spots in plots located in good locations. 

It responds well to nitrogen and will grow with the least tillage in the poorest locations one can think of.  While Marshall ryegrass is my choice, I've seen good usage from Bulldog and Flying A varieties. 

Doing a rain dance here this morning. Hoping these aches and pains incurred while plotting aren't wasted after we totally miss out on rainfall.


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## grouper throat

We do oats/wheat mixed or just oats on all of ours. Nothing really out of the ordinary. We are efficient as my old man harrows, then I run the 4 wheeler spreader with seed and fertilizer, then he cuts it under. We are in and out of stands fast and it saves alot of time  without changing implements and stuff. Ours are more "kill plots" than anything, missed/skipped row of pines about 200 yds long with a corn feeder in the middle of thick pine blocks.


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## Canuck5

Looks like a nice shooting lane there!!!  Looks like good dirt, too!


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## Canuck5

Right now, after our 1/4" of rain last weekend, it doesn't look like much of a chance for more rain, over the next week.   Hard to make things grow, without water


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## Crakajak

Here some pictures of my food plot on my land.


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## Canuck5

Your place is a work of art!!!!!  What you show there is a great diversity!  You probably have had as little rain as I have, but with the mix of soft mast, hard mast, perennial clover, legumes, etc., you worry less about a good rainfall, than I do right now.  There are multiple reasons, for the deer to show up on your property, every day.

That is a great lesson for all of us ...... even if we don't "own" the land, there are improvements we can make to try to keep deer year round.  With everything you have done, you've greatly increased the carrying capacity, of deer, on your property!


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## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Your place is a work of art!!!!!  What you show there is a great diversity!  You probably have had as little rain as I have, but with the mix of soft mast, hard mast, perennial clover, legumes, etc., you worry less about a good rainfall, than I do right now.  There are multiple reasons, for the deer to show up on your property, every day.
> 
> That is a great lesson for all of us ...... even if we don't "own" the land, there are improvements we can make to try to keep deer year round.  With everything you have done, you've greatly increased the carrying capacity, of deer, on your property!



Canuck5
I only have 5 acres surrounded by planted pines. I figure I am helping the wildlife in the area since 5 acres isn't enough to hold deer 24/7


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## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> Canuck5
> I only have 5 acres surrounded by planted pines. I figure I am helping the wildlife in the area since 5 acres isn't enough to hold deer 24/7



Well, the one's that bed down in the planted pines next door, sure appreciate what you provide!!  I bet they don't go too far!


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## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> Well, the one's that bed down in the planted pines next door, sure appreciate what you provide!!  I bet they don't go too far!



They don't next door neighbor has a creek about 50 yards off of my property.The deer have a good life.


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## GAGE

Here are a few pics of the plot I will have my son set up on Sunday.

A close up,




From the stand. The utilization cage in the upper left corner is 100 yards.




This one is called the sendero, it is planted identical to the field above, and I hope where my sons buddy gets his first deer.  The utilization cage seen in the upper left side is also at 100 yards.




The sendero  stand sits in a tree line and also has a long but more narrower plot on the other side. It is planted in a similar grain, clover, awp mix. This is a pic from a couple weeks ago, luckily with the timely rains, it is thick now.


----------



## papachaz

*oh man*

seeing some of the pics you guys are putting up here, and looking at my plots, I'm trying so hard not to get an inferiority complex!!!!  

for my first year in this lease, they're doing ok I think. Definitely could have used some of that July rain in september, no doubt about that!

Some of the other lease members are down for the opening of muzzle loader week. They're camping, the come down from Blue Ridge. The one who pulled the tractor down from there was sure tickled to see someone else had already done a lot of what he used to do by himself.

They've kept the plots mowed once a year, but tried planting 4 years ago when we were in the midst of that serious drought and just wasn't willing to come that far to risk it again. I don't mind keeping them up since it's way closer for me.

I went back two weeks from yesterday and put out some wheat and oats, and we've gotten rain a couple of times since. they are starting to come up, if I can keep the crows and turkeys out to give the seed a chance.

Going over this afternoon to put up another ladder stand. here's a few pics. by next spring I'll have my sprayer working and we'll get them sprayed before we turn it under. As late as I got in the lease and found my equipment, I just didn't have time to get everything done right


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## Triple C

papachaz said:


> seeing some of the pics you guys are putting up here, and looking at my plots, I'm trying so hard not to get an inferiority complex!!!!
> 
> for my first year in this lease, they're doing ok I think. Definitely could have used some of that July rain in september, no doubt about that!
> 
> Some of the other lease members are down for the opening of muzzle loader week. They're camping, the come down from Blue Ridge. The one who pulled the tractor down from there was sure tickled to see someone else had already done a lot of what he used to do by himself.
> 
> They've kept the plots mowed once a year, but tried planting 4 years ago when we were in the midst of that serious drought and just wasn't willing to come that far to risk it again. I don't mind keeping them up since it's way closer for me.
> 
> I went back two weeks from yesterday and put out some wheat and oats, and we've gotten rain a couple of times since. they are starting to come up, if I can keep the crows and turkeys out to give the seed a chance.
> 
> Going over this afternoon to put up another ladder stand. here's a few pics. by next spring I'll have my sprayer working and we'll get them sprayed before we turn it under. As late as I got in the lease and found my equipment, I just didn't have time to get everything done right



Papachez...As you know, the joy is in the journey!  Keep these photos and repost each year as your ground improves.  This is our 3rd year and I swear, I enjoy the journey as much as the hunting.  Thanks to well timed rain over the past few weeks in Oglethorpe County, our plots are looking fantastic.  Radishes look like they're on steroids!  Check out grandson's 1st pig amongst the radishes from yesterday afternoon.


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## Canuck5

That's outstanding!!  Congrats to your Grandson!!!


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## papachaz

wow that's nice triple c! that hog is bigger than he is!!!! but I don't see any blood on his face  

as for your other comment, if all works out and I get to stay in this lease it will get better, thanks for the encouragement.

over there today and the seed I put out two weeks ago is coming up great, it sure does make a difference to put it out and have it rain that night! We'll definitely do some things differently for next season no doubt about it.

Most everyone in the lease will be there this coming weekend from what I've been told. I'm going to just ask outright for some donations for soil samples, lime and fertilizer. the guys that came down this past weekend are really nice guys (always good to find that out!) They were excited to see the plots put in. One managed to take a big doe in the bigger food plot with his muzzle loader.

and yes, I fully enjoyed working the plots, that is indeed part of the journey


----------



## Triple C

papachaz said:


> Most everyone in the lease will be there this coming weekend from what I've been told. I'm going to just ask outright for some donations for soil samples, lime and fertilizer. the guys that came down this past weekend are really nice guys (always good to find that out!) They were excited to see the plots put in. One managed to take a big doe in the bigger food plot with his muzzle loader.
> 
> and yes, I fully enjoyed working the plots, that is indeed part of the journey



Papachaz...I bet when everyone gets down for opening weekend and sees the work you have done, most will gladly pitch in to begin a serious food plot program!  Just takes someone to get the ball rolling.  Expect a few hold outs.  Change is always difficult.  Come late November when all the acorns are pretty much gone and native browse has turned brown, your food plot will be getting hammered!

One thing you can take to the bank...If you are surrounded by other leases and you have more food available later in the year then you will have most of the deer using your property.  It does pay big dividends if you can get the members to buy in and I'm willing to bet that most will be happy to pitch in.

Kudos to Canuck for starting a great thread for us food plotters to gain knowledge and share ideas.  I learn more from following these threads than anything else.  QDMA's forum has some really good threads on land management and food plotting as well.


----------



## Canuck5

GAGE said:


> Here are a few pics of the plot I will have my son set up on Sunday.
> 
> A close up,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the stand. The utilization cage in the upper left corner is 100 yards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This one is called the sendero, it is planted identical to the field above, and I hope where my sons buddy gets his first deer.  The utilization cage seen in the upper left side is also at 100 yards.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The sendero  stand sits in a tree line and also has a long but more narrower plot on the other side. It is planted in a similar grain, clover, awp mix. This is a pic from a couple weeks ago, luckily with the timely rains, it is thick now.



Your plots are looking very good!!!!!   Good job!


----------



## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> wow that's nice triple c! that hog is bigger than he is!!!! but I don't see any blood on his face
> 
> as for your other comment, if all works out and I get to stay in this lease it will get better, thanks for the encouragement.
> 
> over there today and the seed I put out two weeks ago is coming up great, it sure does make a difference to put it out and have it rain that night! We'll definitely do some things differently for next season no doubt about it.
> 
> Most everyone in the lease will be there this coming weekend from what I've been told. I'm going to just ask outright for some donations for soil samples, lime and fertilizer. the guys that came down this past weekend are really nice guys (always good to find that out!) They were excited to see the plots put in. One managed to take a big doe in the bigger food plot with his muzzle loader.
> 
> and yes, I fully enjoyed working the plots, that is indeed part of the journey



Triple C is absolutely right!!!  Once your members start to realize that you "grow deer" from the soil, the light will go on.  Food plots help increase the carrying capacity of your property, so that there are more deer hanging around, year round.  That's what we all want!

Well, almost ..... what I want now, is more rain!!  I sure hope we get some soon!!


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## Canuck5

Just some thoughts here, since we are in the middle of October and (at least in my area), I'm not betting much on more rain, in the next 10 days.  I sure hope I'm wrong, but .....

Anyway, if you haven't planted yet, it's still not to late to plant food plots, but I would certainly want to plant, when I see some rain in the forecast.  If at this stage, "you need to plant", for whatever reasons, I would certainly include a heavy dose of clover in the mix, since clover will definitely germinate in cooler night time temperatures.

In the "Help to understand Soil Test" thread, _*Forest Grump*_, made some great points about white clover establishment .... getting the ph right, in the root growing zone.  If you are at all considering a perennial white clover plot (and you have properly amended the soil), this is a good time to plant it.  The white clover will sit on top of your soil and wait for the conditions to be just right, for it to germinate.  It may not do you much good this fall, but you'll have the start of an (almost) year round food source on your property.

It can easily germinate now, thru January .... surely we'll have rain before then!!    The white clovers will really shine next spring.

If you want to go the white clover route, just don't try to overload the food plot with too many other seeds, since the white clover will not compete very well with them at this stage and will tend to shade them out.  Maybe 30 lbs/acre of wheat and the rest in white clover.  Or even a pure stand of white clover.


----------



## Atlanta Dawg

In my experience wheat and durano white clover is the best combo.  If you can bush hog the plots thru the summer months about every 3 or 4 weeks it will really take off and become a true perennial.  I then use a spike aerator pulled with the tractor to over seed with wheat once the clover takes off.  It makes it very easy to rehab the food plot and eliminates several steps.


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## Canuck5

Good points!!


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## Atlanta Dawg

Wheat is so flexible that you can (I do) broadcast it without fertilizer in swampy areas that aren't accessible with equipment and it just comes up!  It is probably one of the most versatile and inexpensive seeds you can plant-you can do it with a hand seeder or even by hand!


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## Canuck5

You're absolutely right!  It will germinate in the bed of a pickup truck, given a little moisture!


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## Crakajak

I like most people want to get a jump on planting the food plots and garden. I have held back this year on planting my bare spots.Looks like I have a lot of clover that is coming back from being smothered out by CRABGRASS this summer. So at this point I don't need to overseed as much as I thought.I was taught a lesson I already knew,but didn't remember.Clover is a pretty tough plant and will regrow given the cooler weather and some moisture as long as the root system survived the summer .


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## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> I like most people want to get a jump on planting the food plots and garden. I have held back this year on planting my bare spots.Looks like I have a lot of clover that is coming back from being smothered out by CRABGRASS this summer. So at this point I don't need to overseed as much as I thought.I was taught a lesson I already knew,but didn't remember.Clover is a pretty tough plant and will regrow given the cooler weather and some moisture as long as the root system survived the summer .



That is what is great about white clovers!  They are pretty hard to get rid of and with the conditions we are having in middle Georgia right now, we are thankful for the benefits of a perennial clover plot.  Combination of a strong (spreading) root system and heavy reseeding, sure helps!

Um, er, ah, I think you might have gotten .006172455" of rain yesterday ......   ...... which is more that I think I got.  10 day forecast is not looking great, for us.


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## GAGE

My plots are thriving with what little bit of morning dew we are getting.


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## Canuck5

They are looking good!  I hope mine, when I get down there this weekend, look 1/2 as good.  We have probably had 1 1/2" of rain since September 21st and 3/4" of that came just after planting.  Everything else has been just enough to dampen the ground, so we will see!


----------



## Canuck5

Well, it was a mixed bag this weekend.  Some plots I was pleasantly surprised and others I found just plain pitiful.  The next few pictures show food plots, that were all planted with the same mix and at the same rate.  The only difference, was the amount of rain each of the plots got.  All were planted on September 20th.


----------



## Canuck5

These are the pitiful ones.  I've over seeded them with more clover, in hopes of additional rainfall this year ..... we will see.  These may not make it another 2 weeks without rain, but without rain, there is no need to throw more seed out.


----------



## Canuck5

In the above pictures, the distance between the best food plot and the poorest, was only 1 1/4 miles.  But the deer are in each and every one of them!


----------



## Triple C

*Brassica update...*

Canuck...We've done better on the rain than you guys.  We have been so fortunate with rain since planting in Oglethorpe.  We planted around Sept 10th, went about 2 weeks without rain and then picked up just enough through mid-Oct. to keep em growing.  Our plots look fantastic!  As stated earlier in this thread, this is our 1st year experimenting with brassicas.  We planted forage radishes and purple top turnips in 3 of our fields.  We added chicory and white clover in these plots as well.  The 1st pic was taken on Sept. 27th, 3 weeks after planting.  The 2nd pic was taken yesterday in the same plot.  The 3rd pic is close up of browsing occurring on the radishes.


----------



## Triple C

*Oats n winter peas*

Pic of oats and winter peas taken today.  I had my grand daughter in the Ranger with me when I took this pic.  She asked me why we were mowing the field.  Ha!  Told her the deer were mowing it for us.  2nd year with oats and 1st year adding winter peas.  Deer already hitting it hard.


----------



## Triple C

GAGE said:


> My plots are thriving with what little bit of morning dew we are getting.



Gage...Your plots are looking awesome!  What county are these in?


----------



## GAGE

TC, these are in Elbert. The ones in our lower property seem to be doing well, but my others sure could use some rain.  Your radishes are awesome, next year I hope to able to get mine like that, great job!


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Canuck...We've done better on the rain than you guys.  We have been so fortunate with rain since planting in Oglethorpe.  We planted around Sept 10th, went about 2 weeks without rain and then picked up just enough through mid-Oct. to keep em growing.  Our plots look fantastic!  As stated earlier in this thread, this is our 1st year experimenting with brassicas.  We planted forage radishes and purple top turnips in 3 of our fields.  We added chicory and white clover in these plots as well.  The 1st pic was taken on Sept. 27th, 3 weeks after planting.  The 2nd pic was taken yesterday in the same plot.  The 3rd pic is close up of browsing occurring on the radishes.View attachment 757820



Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!!!!!!!!  Those are picture perfect!


----------



## papachaz

posting up a few pics of my larger food plot. the smaller one hasn't survived the turkeys, though one of these pics of the big plot has turkeys in it. 

the wheat is coming up great, as are the radishes. To be my first time, I'm satisfied with how it's looking. Next year will be even better.

As for all the guys showing up opening day and pitching in.....there were only 3 guys besides myself there opening day. I took the camper over and stayed from Wed thru Sunday. Two of the others were from North GA and brought a camper in on thursday. One of these brothers has a tractor and had come down the week before to do some work. He's been doing all the work here by himself the last 4 years, I didn't feel right even trying to suggest any donations from them.

the other guy was in after I left camp, and out before I came back. My son in law and his dad have run into a couple of other members, but I haven't personally got to talk to anyone else. 

here's a few pics:


----------



## papachaz

guess my pics were too big, it made me post them separate


----------



## Canuck5

Your plots are looking good!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Crakajak

Good looking plots papachaz.
Triple C is there a difference in height with the exclusion cage? Can't tell in the picture.Plots are really growing and looking good.


----------



## papachaz

I'll give three guesses where I wasn't sitting yesterday. after you see this pic of my food plot, scroll up a couple posts and see that tower/box stand? 45 yards to it, and looks like he would have walked right past it



but.........this is why we do the plots, right?  this is the second 8 in this plot this week, that we have no other pics of. the boys are starting to roam, and hoping that they're realizing some food will be here for them so they need to hang around!!!


----------



## Crakajak

papachaz said:


> I'll give three guesses where I wasn't sitting yesterday. after you see this pic of my food plot, scroll up a couple posts and see that tower/box stand? 45 yards to it, and looks like he would have walked right past it
> 
> 
> 
> but.........this is why we do the plots, right?  this is the second 8 in this plot this week, that we have no other pics of. the boys are starting to roam, and hoping that they're realizing some food will be here for them so they need to hang around!!!



Yes this is why we do food plots. Its also an excuse to get outside away from the everyday stresses we live under.Your food plots look great. And we always are looking at ways to get better.


----------



## Canuck5

Crakajak said:


> Yes this is why we do food plots. Its also an excuse to get outside away from the everyday stresses we live under.Your food plots look great. And we always are looking at ways to get better.



Ain't that they truth!

Well, Crakajak, I think we got some rain down our way.  Latest report was 1 1/4" at the camp today, so we might be in luck!


----------



## Triple C

Crakajak said:


> Good looking plots papachaz.
> Triple C is there a difference in height with the exclusion cage? Can't tell in the picture.Plots are really growing and looking good.



Crakajak...Those are not exclusion cages.  They're tree cages we have around all of our fruit trees.  We should install exclusion cages but we just haven't done it.The deer are just hammering our oats n winter pea plots which are our largest plots.  The following pic was taken this morning.  Looks like we're using a mower on it.  We call it our "lower lower" plot.  It is planted in oats n wither peas with a little clover thrown in.  Funny how all the plots get a name but they all do and the names kinda make sense.  This plot is at the most south east edge of our property and borders a large swamp.

Just north of the 'lower lower" plot is our "upper lower" plot planted in brassicas.  We have a fallow transition zone between the 2 plots and this year we planted a small strip of the transition zone between the 2 plots in brassicas.  We wanted to be able to see all the way from the north end of the upper upper plot to the end of the lower lower plot which is about 900 to 1000 ft.  This strip is planted in brassicas which extend up into the upper lower plot.  I took this pic from the north end of the lower lower plot looking back up through the transition zone into the upper lower.  You can see the fallow area in the right of the pic.  Deer love these fallow areas.  We keep several acres in a fallow state just to provide additional cover and native browse.


----------



## Triple C

*The pay-off of growing food for deer...*

Can't say for sure that this deer is the result of our land management and food plots but I do know that we sure have a lot of deer using our property.  Lots of food and cover keeps plenty of does on the property year-round.  Come November, where there's does there's gonna be bucks!  I saw this fella during the summer.  Yesterday morning, I climbed in to a ladder stand near the lower lower food plot.  The stand is located in a white oak draw between 2 areas of planted pines with the food plot on the other side of the pines.  He made 2 scrapes within 25 yds of me before it was shooting light.  I could barely make him out but not enough to determine how big he was.  About 9:15 he came slipping out of the young pines into the hardwood draw and I just happened to be lucky enough to be there.

Food plotting and land management paying dividends for the 2nd year in a row!


----------



## GAGE

Congrats on an awesome buck TC!


----------



## Triple C

Thanks Gage!


----------



## Gadestroyer74

Fine buck awesome plots I don't post much in here but always read in here


----------



## Triple C

Gadestroyer74 said:


> Fine buck awesome plots I don't post much in here but always read in here



Thx Gadestroyer!  Love this thread.  Grow it and they will come.  Lots of good advice on this thread from folks that know a lot more than I do about growing food for deer.  But...we're definitely getting better at it.


----------



## Triple C

papachaz said:


> I'll give three guesses where I wasn't sitting yesterday. after you see this pic of my food plot, scroll up a couple posts and see that tower/box stand? 45 yards to it, and looks like he would have walked right past it
> 
> papachaz...That is one fine hoss walking thru your plot!  Hope you have the opportunity for an up close encounter in the next few weeks.


----------



## 7 point

Nice buck hard work pays off every time.


----------



## Canuck5

Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Crakajak

Great buck Triple C.Sweet rewards.


----------



## papachaz

Great buck TC! Thanks for the encouragement.  Maybe I'll be blessed enough to meet him up close and personal!


----------



## Crakajak

papachaz said:


> Great buck TC! Thanks for the encouragement.  Maybe I'll be blessed enough to meet him up close and personal!



He will be back around.


----------



## Canuck5

Since this is a "Food for thought" thread I thought I would stick it in here, to ponder.  Forest Grump has talked about the importance of doing trail cam studies of the deer on your property and there is good reason to do them.

One of our properties, there appears to be a very good doe/buck ratio and on another, we really have an abundance of bucks.  We do need to do more studies on this and give it some more thought (Thanks for sending this to me Adam W).  What do you think?

http://www.ms-sportsman.com/details...sletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=monthly


----------



## Triple C

Sounds like a great thread in 2014.  Post season trail cam surveys and even better, early to mid August surveys when you can identify all of your fawns.  I'll definitely contribute to that one!


----------



## papachaz

I've shown y'all the big 8 pointer in the big food plot. The smaller food plot I put on top of the ridge has been just about wiped out by the turkeys, but, in the last week and a half, we've had a 10 showing up. here's a couple of pics of how wide he is.......yes, I'm excited!


----------



## Canuck5

He's just taunting you now!!!!!!  Get him!!!!!!!


----------



## papachaz

Yeah no kiddin! Gonna do a bit more scouting the back side of that ridge. He's only coming to the plot at night, but he has to be somewhere during the day! Time to ease in and find his bedroom


----------



## Triple C

Dat's what I'm talking bout!!!  Awesome buck Papachaz!  Hope you get him.  I just got home from after being at the farm since Tuesday.  Awesome week with lots of good deer.  We been chasin 'em with stick and string.  Dang critters are hard to get with a bow but that makes it just the more fun.  Gonna post a few pics later today after I get caught up.


----------



## Triple C

Update on radishes...Deer seem to like them!


----------



## Triple C

They like the oats about as well as the radishes...


----------



## Canuck5

Looks good!!


----------



## Canuck5

Well, here's an update on my Durana clover that was planted on 9/20/13.  I don't really know how much rain it got, but you can see by the second picture, there wasn't enough moisture to germinate weed seeds, so that in itself tells a story.  But on 11/1/13 (I think), we got 1" of rain and you can see that this white clover seed, just sat there, until all the conditions were right, for it to germinate.


----------



## Core Lokt

Here is the house plot that was planted Oct 5th.






With little rain and 3 weeks later






Took this last Friday from the stand






Seen deer in it the last 4 out of 5 sits.


----------



## Core Lokt

Here is 1 of 23 that we planted at a friends place just S of Attapulgus. They were planted on Oct 4 and all look like this now.


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## Canuck5

Looking very good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Triple C

*Update on fall plots...*

Thought I would post a pic of one of the radishes I pulled out of the ground over Thanksgiving.  Having never planted brassicas before, I can now say that they have proven to be so much more than what we expected.  Deer are absolutely wearing them out!!!  This radish came from what we call our "Upper Lower Plot" and is the north end of our lower lower plot that is planted in oats and winter peas.  Deer are certainly hitting the oats and winter peas but this upper lower plot has more deer pics on it than any other plot on our property.  Big thumbs up on the buck forage radishes particularly when a little white clover and chicory is thrown in the mix!

The pic of the buck was taken a about 10 days before Thanksgiving.  Lot's more deer pics in this plot.


----------



## Canuck5

That's what you want to see right there!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Crakajak

My deer are very selective as to what they eat. I planted some soil buster radishes in a red clay on a  section of my food plot.The deer didn't eat them much,but it sure did soften up the soil.I would plant them again.


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## papachaz

I didn't take pics because it was raining saturday when I was there, but the deer are pulling the radishes out of the ground! are the leaves/stems that tough or are they just that excited to have them? I was surprised how big some of the radishes are. I'm going to make sure to put more radishes in the mix next year, they took to these really well


----------



## Triple C

papachaz said:


> I didn't take pics because it was raining saturday when I was there, but the deer are pulling the radishes out of the ground! are the leaves/stems that tough or are they just that excited to have them? I was surprised how big some of the radishes are. I'm going to make sure to put more radishes in the mix next year, they took to these really well



Same here papachaz.  Our upper lower food plot has more deer pics than any of the plots and is planted in radishes.  Deer are just hammering the greens and the radishes are huge!  Can't believe how big the actually get.  We do have some purple top turnip along with chicory and clover in with the radishes but the radishes have been hammered.  Allowed the chicory to get up big enough where they are really starting on it now.


----------



## Crakajak

I think with the lack of acorns this year have  the deer are eating the food plots more than normal. My 3 1/2 acre clover plot is only 1-2" tall from all the browsing.


----------



## papachaz

Crakajak said:


> I think with the lack of acorns this year have  the deer are eating the food plots more than normal. My 3 1/2 acre clover plot is only 1-2" tall from all the browsing.



yeah the acorn crop on and around our lease has been almost non existant. I'm going over tomorrow if it's not raining. hunt some, change the camera cards, if I can I'll get some pics of the radishes pulled up. if there's any left, LOL


----------



## papachaz

Haven't posted here in a while. Wanted to put up the final word on my food plots. We had 5 deer total for the season taken out of the larger food plot. No deer taken out of the smaller one, but plenty of pics, it was really just a matter of me (us) being somewhere else when they were in that plot.

The radishes are GONE! there is not a single radish left in either plot. They ate the tops, pulling the radishes up as they did. We had a very wet December, I'm not sure they pulled them up that easily because they come up that easily, or if the wet ground aided that. I do know that there will be a LOT more radish seed in the plots next fall. 

I have two spots to put in a couple of more smaller plots. Depending on whether the couple of out of town members come back next year, we may turn the camping area into another plot,

Ok so what's next? leave these for this winter, when do we plow them under and put in the spring plots? this was my first year and now I have no clue what's next. Well, other than we need to get some soil samples to the county


----------



## Triple C

papachaz said:


> The radishes are GONE! there is not a single radish left in either plot. They ate the tops, pulling the radishes up as they did. We had a very wet December, I'm not sure they pulled them up that easily because they come up that easily, or if the wet ground aided that. I do know that there will be a LOT more radish seed in the plots next fall.



Papachaz… Ditto on the radishes!!!  This was our 1st year planting radishes.  We planted 3 plots totaling just under 3 acres.  We planted oats n austrian winter peas in 3 plots totaling almost 5 acres.  There is hardly a single radish left with anything more than nubs on the bulbs.  Many have been pulled out of the ground and some of those are half eaten.  More pics in the radish plots than the oats and AWP plots.  I am now a firm believer in brassicas and will definitely be increasing acreage for 2014.  We don't plan to do anything between now and early May at which time we will spray, turn everything under and plant soybeans n I/C peas.  Also added clover and chicory to the radishes and now that the radishes are pretty much gone the clover and chicory is greening up good.

As far as the hunting goes, the season was fantastic.  This is our 3rd year with our farm and the bucks get bigger each year.  We only harvested 2 bucks off of the property and one doe.  Passed up on a good many bucks and obviously lots of does.  We will do a camera survey in a couple of weeks to take an inventory of how many deer we have using the property but I know we have a good number.  Sunday afternoon of this week between 3 of us hunting different locations we watched 19 deer in the plots.  Habitat work definitely pays dividends.  If you've got the food and good cover you will have the deer assuming you don't over harvest the property.

QDM definitely works even on smaller properties.  Ours is only 287 acres.  After logging camera pics for 3 seasons it is amazing what a difference just 3 years makes in letting 2.5 yr old and younger bucks walk.


----------



## Triple C

Here's a look at what a 3/4 acre plot of radishes looked like about 10 days ago.  Hardly any left!!!  Look at the 2nd pic in post 219 of this thread to see what this plot looked like just before Thanksgiving.  Amazing difference in about 6 weeks.


----------



## Forest Grump

*For those of you finding low utilization of radishes year 1:*

Deer often need to have time to realize a strange plant is a food source. Just as you are reluctant to try new "food" just because it shows up in your market, so are they. I have actually had to "teach" deer to eat iron clay peas! It's kind of funny, but not at all surprising if you put yourself in their position; who wants to be the first guy to try the new stuff? 

Here are a few tips, from many years of playing with feeding them:
Plant brassicas ( & I would start with radishes, as they do not require cold to sweeten their bitterness) in a spot where the deer are used to feeding. My best results come when I plant radishes into ICP stems: deer are already coming there to eat, & as cold weather sets in, here's this green stuff that looks tasty... After the first year they try them, subsequent years they jump right in.

My deer will not eat rape, I think they would die first (recognize, mine have the best forage I can provide, year round), if I plant a mix, they will eat everything but the rape, which is huge & lush. I have never had deer eat the roots of either turnips or radishes. Hogs will occasionally discover the radish roots in winter, much to my chagrin. Hogs do not eat my turnips. (they will graze chicory though! They turn their head sideways to bite it off, it's fascinating to watch).

But I would rather plant trophy radish than any other brassica. Do NOT plant just brassicas, you need some cereals. All brassica plots are actually bad for your deer, but daikon radishes are unequalled at providing protein, energy, & biomass in cool season plots.

Have some patience (as Killdee said, they help the soil compaction anyway). Plant them amongst plants they already eat, rather than as a pure stand to start out.


----------



## Canuck5

Forest Grump said:


> Deer often need to have time to realize a strange plant is a food source. Just as you are reluctant to try new "food" just because it shows up in your market, so are they. I have actually had to "teach" deer to eat iron clay peas! It's kind of funny, but not at all surprising if you put yourself in their position; who wants to be the first guy to try the new stuff?
> 
> Here are a few tips, from many years of playing with feeding them:
> Plant brassicas ( & I would start with radishes, as they do not require cold to sweeten their bitterness) in a spot where the deer are used to feeding. My best results come when I plant radishes into ICP stems: deer are already coming there to eat, & as cold weather sets in, here's this green stuff that looks tasty... After the first year they try them, subsequent years they jump right in.
> 
> My deer will not eat rape, I think they would die first (recognize, mine have the best forage I can provide, year round), if I plant a mix, they will eat everything but the rape, which is huge & lush. I have never had deer eat the roots of either turnips or radishes. Hogs will occasionally discover the radish roots in winter, much to my chagrin. Hogs do not eat my turnips. (they will graze chicory though! They turn their head sideways to bite it off, it's fascinating to watch).
> 
> But I would rather plant trophy radish than any other brassica. Do NOT plant just brassicas, you need some cereals. All brassica plots are actually bad for your deer, but daikon radishes are unequalled at providing protein, energy, & biomass in cool season plots.
> 
> Have some patience (as Killdee said, they help the soil compaction anyway). Plant them amongst plants they already eat, rather than as a pure stand to start out.



So much truth there!  I think it took 4 years before the deer would try my daikon radishes and this year, even though I had a lack of rain at fall planting, what radishes are coming up, they are eating them down.  I have always included them in a mix of cereal grains and clover.

My deer took to the ICP's about 3 weeks after they got out of the ground and never left.  This is the first year I planted Austrian Winter Peas, and where they are up, I don't have a lot of confidence that they have tasted them yet.  Luckily they are in a mix of wheat and clover too, but I think they are being eaten around them.  I'll see in another couple of weeks!


----------



## Canuck5

papachaz said:


> Haven't posted here in a while. Wanted to put up the final word on my food plots. We had 5 deer total for the season taken out of the larger food plot. No deer taken out of the smaller one, but plenty of pics, it was really just a matter of me (us) being somewhere else when they were in that plot.
> 
> The radishes are GONE! there is not a single radish left in either plot. They ate the tops, pulling the radishes up as they did. We had a very wet December, I'm not sure they pulled them up that easily because they come up that easily, or if the wet ground aided that. I do know that there will be a LOT more radish seed in the plots next fall.
> 
> I have two spots to put in a couple of more smaller plots. Depending on whether the couple of out of town members come back next year, we may turn the camping area into another plot,
> 
> Ok so what's next? leave these for this winter, when do we plow them under and put in the spring plots? this was my first year and now I have no clue what's next. Well, other than we need to get some soil samples to the county



Good job!!!  I'll be sitting tight for now and letting the clover and chicory green up  and do their job to feed them for the next few months.

I'll also be going back down and freshening up my mineral sites, in a few weeks.  Again, I don't know exactly what benefit they are, but the deer do come to them and use them.  My logic, is that it just can't hurt the pregnant "does", who probably can use some extra minerals in their diet, this time of year.  Also, the phosphorus I put in the mix, will certainly help (some) with antler and bone development.  Just a little extra, I hope.


----------



## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> This is the first year I planted Austrian Winter Peas, and where they are up, I don't have a lot of confidence that they have tasted them yet.  Luckily they are in a mix of wheat and clover too, but I think they are being eaten around them.  I'll see in another couple of weeks!



Same here on the AWP's.  We planted them with oats and as of now, just don't see much happening with the AWP's.  Very little browsing of them to this point.  Deer took to radishes almost immediately which was a bit surprising after reading that it would take some time for deer to acclimate to them.  Unfortunately, we have more than our share of pigs.  I've noticed the pigs much prefer the oats to the radishes.  Dozens and dozens of pics of pigs in the oats but not many pics in the radishes.


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Papachaz… Ditto on the radishes!!!  This was our 1st year planting radishes.  We planted 3 plots totaling just under 3 acres.  We planted oats n austrian winter peas in 3 plots totaling almost 5 acres.  There is hardly a single radish left with anything more than nubs on the bulbs.  Many have been pulled out of the ground and some of those are half eaten.  More pics in the radish plots than the oats and AWP plots.  I am now a firm believer in brassicas and will definitely be increasing acreage for 2014.  We don't plan to do anything between now and early May at which time we will spray, turn everything under and plant soybeans n I/C peas.  Also added clover and chicory to the radishes and now that the radishes are pretty much gone the clover and chicory is greening up good.
> 
> As far as the hunting goes, the season was fantastic.  This is our 3rd year with our farm and the bucks get bigger each year.  We only harvested 2 bucks off of the property and one doe.  Passed up on a good many bucks and obviously lots of does.  We will do a camera survey in a couple of weeks to take an inventory of how many deer we have using the property but I know we have a good number.  Sunday afternoon of this week between 3 of us hunting different locations we watched 19 deer in the plots.  Habitat work definitely pays dividends.  If you've got the food and good cover you will have the deer assuming you don't over harvest the property.
> 
> QDM definitely works even on smaller properties.  Ours is only 287 acres.  After logging camera pics for 3 seasons it is amazing what a difference just 3 years makes in letting 2.5 yr old and younger bucks walk.



A great success story!  I think we will be doing a more accurate buck/doe evaluation of our property this year too.  I'm probably wrong, but on one property, I think we have a higher ratio of bucks, than we probably should, so we'll put out some more camera's and see if we can get a better handle on what's going on there.  Something that Forest Grump has recommended in the past!  Plus,  I enjoy seeing what's there!


----------



## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Same here on the AWP's.  We planted them with oats and as of now, just don't see much happening with the AWP's.  Very little browsing of them to this point.  Deer took to radishes almost immediately which was a bit surprising after reading that it would take some time for deer to acclimate to them.  Unfortunately, we have more than our share of pigs.  I've noticed the pigs much prefer the oats to the radishes.  Dozens and dozens of pics of pigs in the oats but not many pics in the radishes.



Well, right now, on our property, I don't think we have gotten any pictures of any pigs or signs of them (knock on wood), but there are a few on the next hunting club over, so they can't be too far away.

Deer are strange critters when it comes to feed.  What they like in one ares, they pass up on another ...... it might have something to do with the "quality" of ground that the plants are grown in ..... maybe they just taste a little different or something.


----------



## Canuck5

One other thing I will be doing, is start thinking about fertilizing any of the hard and soft mast tree's (bushes/vines) that we have on the property.  Over the last few years, we've planted pears, apple tree's, oak's but have gone thru, as best as possible and marked all the native persimmon tree's.  

For the native persimmon's, we have also tried to open up the canopy for them (where we can) and let more sun come down to them.  Cleaned up the scrub bushes and useless tree's to reduce competition for water and minerals and also marked which one's are the females that bare fruit.  We want to make sure we give those the best chance.


----------



## Canuck5

While I was talking about trees ..... does anyone plant Red Mulberry's?  They sound prolific, easy to maintain and another food source, at a different time of the year, to hold deer on your property.

http://www.nativnurseries.com/p-99-red-mulberry-morus-rubra.aspx

http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/2196

http://suite101.com/a/the-mulberry-fruit-tree-a247709

http://www.hirts.com/Red-Mulberry-1...urce=froogle&gclid=CNj4kLSE4rsCFcFj7AodVh8A1w


----------



## Crakajak

Canuck5 said:


> While I was talking about trees ..... does anyone plant Red Mulberry's?  They sound prolific, easy to maintain and another food source, at a different time of the year, to hold deer on your property.
> 
> http://www.nativnurseries.com/p-99-red-mulberry-morus-rubra.aspx
> 
> http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/2196
> 
> http://suite101.com/a/the-mulberry-fruit-tree-a247709
> 
> http://www.hirts.com/Red-Mulberry-1...urce=froogle&gclid=CNj4kLSE4rsCFcFj7AodVh8A1w



Interesting articles.Thanks Canuck5


----------



## Canuck5

Yeah, it looks interesting .... just don't plant any near where you park your truck!  They will do a lot of staining.  I've eaten a few mulberry pies, in my younger days!


----------



## Crakajak

Going to start pruning my trees in the next few weeks. Spring will be here before we know it.It is also a good time to do a soil test so you can plan on turning it under and be ready for the fall planting.


----------



## papachaz

Canuck5 said:


> A great success story!  I think we will be doing a more accurate buck/doe evaluation of our property this year too.  I'm probably wrong, but on one property, I think we have a higher ratio of bucks, than we probably should, so we'll put out some more camera's and see if we can get a better handle on what's going on there.  Something that Forest Grump has recommended in the past!  Plus,  I enjoy seeing what's there!



thanks! we too have a higher ratio of bucks to does. we had so many pics of DIFFERENT spikes, of course next year they won't be spikes       We do intend to leave our cams out year round, so the 'census' can be done, esp over the next couple of months

I didn't plant any clover, there was some chicory in the evolved harvest mix, but I don't think it was much. I bought the tractor and implements AFTER we started the plots, so this year I plan to use the better equipment to make the plots a bit bigger.

these two plots and one more, were already, for lack of a better word, established. BUT they haven't been planted in probably 4 years. One lease member has been coming once a year (starting weekend of muzzle loader week) and bush hogging, but that's it. I plan on staying in this lease as long as I can afford it. I was told it was 550 acres, and then 80 acres were sold to the Pinhoti Trail, so that would leave us down to 470. Good thing is most of that wasn't huntable anyway because of proximity to the road, the way the land lays and what they bought.

We noticed the oats and wheat are getting hammered now that the radishes are gone. I wouldn't even consider doing a whole plot in just radishes, but there will definitely be more seed in the mix this season. 

Thanks for all the help! this has been a very good thread, will you start another one for spring/summer plots?


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## Canuck5

We can certainly start one for spring and summer ..... I'll gather some more pictures along the way!


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## Triple C

*Bout time to start another one of these...*

Canuck...It's about time to fire up another fall planting thread.  This one got us through all of last fall and winter.  Looking forward to the next one as we start to turn our attention to fall planting here in another 8 weeks or so.


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## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Canuck...It's about time to fire up another fall planting thread.  This one got us through all of last fall and winter.  Looking forward to the next one as we start to turn our attention to fall planting here in another 8 weeks or so.



Yes, it is getting that time!!!  Let me get my list of things I'm going to buy together and then we will start one!


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## CraKaLaCKiN

This was a really good thread. Sorry that I missed it last year! I'm looking for to this years iteration.

I've got my buck forage oats, dixie crimson clover and my whitetail institute clover in the garage ready to go. I put down 27 tons of lime in January. My summer plots are doing well and I'm looking forward to fall planting. 

Any thoughts on the rate at which I should mix/spread the BFO & clovers?


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## teamsearay

*Liming*

Does anyone know someone who will come in and lime my food plots. I need about 8 tons. I'm in the Webster / Sumter county area


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## Canuck5

CraKaLaCKiN said:


> This was a really good thread. Sorry that I missed it last year! I'm looking for to this years iteration.
> 
> I've got my buck forage oats, dixie crimson clover and my whitetail institute clover in the garage ready to go. I put down 27 tons of lime in January. My summer plots are doing well and I'm looking forward to fall planting.
> 
> Any thoughts on the rate at which I should mix/spread the BFO & clovers?



Just as a reference http://www.qdma.com/articles/try-these-cool-season-food-plot-mixes 

That's sort of a difficult question, but the above gives you a place to start.  If you have high deer densities, small food plots, I would err on the side of putting more cereal grains down vs going lighter.  If the deer keep the oats clipped down, it will allow the clover to come thru.  If the oats are too thick, it will limit the clover coming thru.

If you broadcast, you'll lose some to planting too deep or not deep enough, letting the birds get them.  Some of my land, where I only have 1.3% of my total acreage in food plots, I'll broadcast 100 lbs/acre or more of wheat/oats and the deer keep it clipped down like a lawn.  Clover comes thru fine.

If your Whitetail Institute clover, is a perennial and you want to try to establish a perennial clover plot with it, I would use a lower rate, like 40 - 50 lbs/acre, broadcast, just to help ensure that your clover does come thru and gets a good start.

So that doesn't give you a definitive answer, but just assess what you think your situation is and give it a try.  Document it (my memory is bad) and make adjustments next fall.  Also you'll find you'll attract and hold more deer on your property the next year, too.

Then the next step, is don't get too antsy to plant.  We'll start hearing reports of army worms in mid August and they will hang around till early September and can destroy all your hard work.

Oh and keep an eye on your seed .... every critter in your area is going to be circling your garage, looking for a way in!  LOL


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## Canuck5

Oh and make sure you broadcast the oats and clovers separately .... if you have a cultipacker, pack before broadcasting the clover and after.


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## Canuck5

Just another website to look at http://www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/species.html


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