# Progression of a food plot...



## Triple C

Thought I would post the progression of one of our food plots.  Our "bean field" plot is 3 acres in size and the larges on our property.  This past fall, we decided to plant it in a version of the LC mix - brassicas and cereal grains in the interior of the plot and white clover around the perimeter of the plot.  This is our 4th year of working this field.  We've limed each year for the 1st 3 years.

We used the following in this plot:
Pennington Feeding Frenzy seed blend
Pennington Trophy Radish
Purple Top Turnips
Wrens Abruzzi rye
Regal Graze ladino clover
19-19-19 fertilzer

We sprayed the field in late August to terminate remaining beans and weeds and then turned it all under around the middle of September.  After discing and dragging we had our seed bed ready to plant.


Lots of rain just prior to planting made for a wet planting but we got it done on Sept 17th.


Here's what it looked like on Sept 18th.  No rain since planting on the 17th but enough moisture in the ground to germinate.


A week later on October 5th the brassicas are taking off.


October 23rd and everything is up and growing.


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## Triple C

*White clover around the perimeter*

We planted Regal Graze ladino clover around the entire perimeter of this plot.  This is our 1st use of perennial white clover.  Our goal is to establish the perimeter of this plot in annual clover to provide forage throughout most of the year.  Here's a pic of the clover coming in around the perimeter.


Here's a pic of the interior of the plot with brassicas, winter peas, annual clover and cereal grain.  Pic was taken on Nov 26th.  Deer are wearing it out at this point.


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## Canuck5

Very nice!!!!  How do you like the Regal Graze clover, so far?  I've never tried it.


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## Triple C

*Bean Field Success...*

November 14th, this bruiser came cruising down the middle of  the bean field.  Oldest son took his biggest bow kill to date from the middle of this plot.  You can see the winter peas and cereal grains around the brassicas.  You could hardly take a step in this plot without stepping on deer droppings.


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## Triple C

By late December the brassicas were pretty much gone.  All the tops were eaten with mostly the tubers remaining.  Cereal grains and winter peas are still getting daily use in the plot.


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## Canuck5

That's a lot of food there .... that was consumed!  And the radishes are "mining" for soil nutrients and bringing them to the surface for you!


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## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> Very nice!!!!  How do you like the Regal Graze clover, so far?  I've never tried it.



Canuck...So far so good!  It's claim to fame is a larger leaf with more top growth.  We will find out come this Spring.  Right now it's about lip high around the perimeter.  We over seeded with rye to take a little pressure off the clover till it establishes well this Spring.


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## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> That's a lot of food there .... that was consumed!  And the radishes are "mining" for soil nutrients and bringing them to the surface for you!



We planted radish for the 1st time in 2013 and deer consumed it.  Added PTT to the mix this year and deer seem to like it just as well...


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## Canuck5

It looks good and if you find that it does a good job for you, I might give it a try this fall!


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## Triple C

*Buck Forage Oat Plot...*

This plot was planted in Buck Forage Oats.  Grandson took this buck the 1st Saturday of November in this plot. 

Here's what it looked like last weekend.  Still putting out growth but deer keep it about lip high.


Bucks seem to like it as well.


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## GAGE

You have some very pretty property TC, and who is doing your liming. Unfortunately our roads are not the best, and most of our plots are under an acre so turning a lime truck around is tough, so I have been buying a lot of 40lb bags when TSC puts it on sale.


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## Triple C

GAGE said:


> You have some very pretty property TC, and who is doing your liming. Unfortunately our roads are not the best, and most of our plots are under an acre so turning a lime truck around is tough, so I have been buying a lot of 40lb bags when TSC puts it on sale.



We've been using Louis Sanders since 2011.  Pretty sure he's the father of the owner of Oglethorpe Feed and Farm Supply.  Good guy.  We've got a couple of small plots that we buy the pelletized lime but most of the plots are accessible by his truck.


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## CamoDawg85

TripleC - Those are some well managed plots sir. I've even been following your posts on the QDMA site as well. You've come a long way over the past 3-4 years and you and your family's hard work are definitely paying dividends. It looks great and hope y'all can keep it up! Here's to a great 2015/2016 season for you and family.


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## Triple C

CamoDawg85 said:


> TripleC - Those are some well managed plots sir. I've even been following your posts on the QDMA site as well. You've come a long way over the past 3-4 years and you and your family's hard work are definitely paying dividends. It looks great and hope y'all can keep it up! Here's to a great 2015/2016 season for you and family.



Thanks CamoDawg!  What started out as the purchase of a piece of land has turned into a labor of love.  Had no idea I would get so wrapped up in the whole land management thing.  I'm fortunate to have 2 sons that do almost all of the heavy lifting and love the outdoors just as much as I do.  Won't be long til the grandson will be driving a tractor.  I started following Paul Knox (Lickcreek) on the QDMA forum for habitat plans and bought into his recommendations of what is now referred to as the LC Mix.  He passed a way a few months ago from ALS disease.  Great ambassador for deer hunters and habitat improvement.  Same for guys here.  I read everything Canuck and Forest Grump post.  Printed all of the data Cancuk provides in his threads and posts.  Still in the trial and error phase but man is it fun to see your efforts paying dividends!


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## Broken Arrow 68

Awesome job, TC!!!


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## Triple C

Broken Arrow 68 said:


> Awesome job, TC!!!



Thx Broken Arrow!

Snapped a pic this past Saturday of the bean field.  The green around the perimeter is the white clover with a abruzzi rye as a nurse crop.  Deer keep it about lip high but still providing forage after the brassicas in the middle of the field have pretty much been destroyed.  Noticed deer are now eating the turnips.  1st time we've ever used PTT's.  I like them.  Deer took to radish tops before turnip tops but deer don't eat the radish tubers like they to the turnip.  Having a perimeter of clover with cereal grain seems to be working pretty good.  Will terminate rye this spring in hopes that the white clover will really take off.


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## Triple C

Buck Forage Oats still going strong in the hour glass plot.


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## Triple C

*Hinge-Cutting*

Did a little hinge cutting on Saturday.  Just a reminder for all you guys doing TSI stuff this winter to wear safety equipment - saw chaps and safety helmet with hearing and eye protection a must.  Went 30 yrs without ever using either but with age comes wisdom...(hopefully).


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## Pessell Creek

Looking great triple c! I have also found that land management is as much, or even more fun than hunting since becoming a landowner.


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## Gadestroyer74

Looks good fellar !


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## Triple C

Was down at the farm last weekend.  Had a friend from Nebraska that dropped in for the day on his way down to Daytona.  He wanted to chase pigs and fortunately we were able to get on a few.  This sow was taken in one of our brassica plots.  As you can see, they are pretty much wiped out and deer are now eating the turnips.


Took a pic of the hour glass plot that is planted in Buck Forage Oats.  Only plot left that continues to put out new growth late into winter.  Rye grain up in the cabin field is getting hit daily by the deer but the BFO's have been nothing less than amazing.


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## BROWNING7WSM

Nice


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## Canuck5

Glad you caught that turnip thief!!!!!!!   All looks great!!


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## Triple C

*May 16th update on LC Mix*

Thought I would update the progression of our largest food plot that we planted in a LC Mix last fall with the purpose in mind to provide a food source year round from a single planting.  The plot was planted in a mix of 40% cereal grains, 40% brassicas and 10% white clover around the perimeter of the plot.  Scroll up a few pics to see what this plot looked like early January...a few turnips and radish bulbs left and all of the leafy tops mowed down.  The white clover around the perimeter was just beginning to show signs of life.

Today, the brassicas are long gone, the grains in the interior of the plot are seeding out and the white clover around the perimeter is awesome!  Lots of browsing taking place in the clover right now.



Had several tons of chicken litter delivered about 3 months ago.  This will be spread next week in the southern end of this plot.


Now that turkey season is over it's time to re-fill the feeders.  Bought 750 lbs of protein feed from Oglethorpe Feed and Farm Supply in Lexington.  Started using their blend last year and the deer love it!  Has enough corn and a little molasses to really keep the deer on it.


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## DaddyFatracks

I sure wish I could do more than a 1/4 acre on the pipeline lol

Thanks for the ongoing thread. Wish more people here did this


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## Canuck5

Very nice Triple C!


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## Triple C

*Update on food plot*

Thought I would post a few pics of what this food plot looks like today.  Last December deer were munching on what was left of brassica bulbs and the rye and oats grain.  The perimeter of white clover planted last fall was just sitting there in a dormant state.  Fast forward a few months and now the grains are seeding out in the interior of the plot and the white clover around the perimeter is growing like crazy.

This pic was taken mid-May.  We cut a strip of the grains to be able to check for turkeys during the season but didn't cut the interior of the plot.  The interior is now about 4ft tall with winter rye seeding out and great fawning cover.  The white clover is really coming on strong by now around the perimeter.

White clover around the lower edge of the plot.

Close-up of clover after browsing.


Pic from last week of nannies feeding in the white clover.  You can see the yellowing grains to the right of the deer.  Plenty of cover if they chose to hide their fawns in there. Looks like all of these does have dropped their fawns except the 2nd from the right.  Bumped into my 1st fawn Sunday morning.

The more I mess with clover the more I like it.  It's relatively easy to establish and can last for up to 5 years with a little tender loving care.  Come late September, we will rotate brassicas and grains back in the interior and the clover will keep right on producing.


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## Gadestroyer74

That's what I'm talking about ! Looks great


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## thc_clubPres

how close to the house is your property?  I have over two hour drive and usually spent by the time I even get there.  would be nice to have a place closer to put the quality time and care you all do.  nice work and great pay off with trophy's and memories


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## Canuck5

It is very nice work!


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## Triple C

thc_clubPres said:


> how close to the house is your property?  I have over two hour drive and usually spent by the time I even get there.  would be nice to have a place closer to put the quality time and care you all do.  nice work and great pay off with trophy's and memories



2 hrs away from me but only 25 minutes from my son who's down there several times during the week.  I spend most weekends at the farm.  Previous owner had put in water, electric and septic.  I had a pole barn built and then finished as a cabin to have the crude comforts of home.


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## Crakajak

Great plan Triple C. Got to love clover.I also lightly overseed each fall with clover seed to make sure the food plot always has new growth starting. So far it is working.


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## SakoL61R

Good stuff there!  I like your method of using clover on the edges with SG's and brassicas in the middle.


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## T.P.

thc_clubPres said:


> how close to the house is your property?  I have over two hour drive and usually spent by the time I even get there.  would be nice to have a place closer to put the quality time and care you all do.  nice work and great pay off with trophy's and memories



Same here. By the time I load a tractor, implements and all the stuff to do a days work the day is half over. Then it's way past dark by the time I get home. Picking out a piece of property is a struggle between close to home or far away with better deer.


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## Gadestroyer74

T.P. said:


> Same here. By the time I load a tractor, implements and all the stuff to do a days work the day is half over. Then it's way past dark by the time I get home. Picking out a piece of property is a struggle between close to home or far away with better deer.



You got that right . Too close to home will make it seem like another job and not a get away ! Lol.. It takes time to find the right place enjoy it when you get it


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## Triple C

*Clover still producing...*

Latest pics from camera overlooking the white clover (Regal Graze) planted last fall around the perimeter of this field.  We've received regular showers off and on and the clover just keeps producing.  Really like this stuff.



View attachment 843646


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## Canuck5

Get your soil "right" first and a perennial clover plot, is just hard to beat!!!!!!!  Very nice!!


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## Canuck5

Nutrition .... it's what Triple C is doing ..... http://www.growingdeer.tv/#/whitetail-antlers-and-genetics-fact-or-fiction


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## Triple C

*Update on perennial clover...*

Here it is the middle of August.  I expected the white clover to be pretty much dormant by now.  I was pleasantly surprised to go down after a 3 week absence and find the clover still going strong.  Timely rains have helped.  And this view is shaded much of the day which helps as well.  The 2nd pic is on the north side of the field and the deer and unfortunately pigs as well have just hammered this area of clover.  Still putting on new growth.

If you haven't tried perennial clover and have a plot large enough to plant the perimeter then you may want to give it a try.


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## Canuck5

Good job!!  And the nice part about it, is there is no "lag time" of an empty plot, waiting for something to grow.  The deer know there is always food there (as long as we have rain, but that applies to every crop we plant) and give them not many reasons to leave.


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## CountryBoy77

Great looking plots....what we all strive to achieve


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## HoCoLion91

What is hinge cutting? I've never seen that before. I see the trees almost cut into and bent over, what is the purpose?


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## Canuck5

Hinge cutting like in the picture below does several things: 

The tree stays alive and will re-sprout and provide low "browse" (food) for the deer.  

Cut at the right height, it also can provide bedding areas for deer, underneath.

Done with a plan in mind, it can help funnel, to a specific area you want them to go.


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## Triple C

Hinge cutting is cutting small diameter trees about 3/4 of the way through the trunk and pushing over so that a portion of cambium layer is still attached to the trunk of the tree which results in the tree remaining alive for several years.  It's very popular up north and in the midwest.

One of the best overviews on the use of hinge cutting for browse, bedding, blocking and such is Paul Knox's "Getting Started" thread on Outreach Outdoors forum.  Google "getting started" or go to www.outreachoutdoors.com and search "getting started" for a full read on the uses of hinge cutting.

With the mild winters and long growing season we have down south I don't see hinge cutting as necessary to provide additional browse like the guys up north and the midwest.  I do very little of it anymore.  Here's a pic of one of the last areas I hinge cut a couple years ago.  Cut was about shoulder height to allow deer to walk under hinged trees for bedding and such.


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## Triple C

Canuck...didn't noticed you'd answered until after I posted.

Look at Canuck's pic and notice the pole with a hook on the end.  If you hinge cut, those come in real handy.  I've got one that telescopes and makes pulling the tree over much easier, particularly if the tree partially hangs up against another.  Just don't try hinging large trees.  Can be very dangerous.  I don't hinge anything more than about 5 inches in diameter and always cut toward the natural lean of the tree if it's any size.


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## Triple C

*Update on the "Progression of a food plot"*

I'm starting all over on this plot.  When we conducted a 5th row thinning of our pines, I had this plot enlarged to just under 6 acres.  Clearcut about an acre on the south end of this plot and removed 2 rows of pines on one side of plot along with removing the corners on the north end.

Old plot was basically the area that is darker in the pic below.  New ground is the lighter area.  Had all stumps removed, planted the entire thing in abruzzi rye and will be liming new ground very soon.  We're gonna torch the big brush/stump piles over the next few weeks.  Come this fall, we will replant the perimeter in white clover.  Adding fruit trees in the new corners.


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## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Canuck...didn't noticed you'd answered until after I posted.
> 
> Look at Canuck's pic and notice the pole with a hook on the end.  If you hinge cut, those come in real handy.  I've got one that telescopes and makes pulling the tree over much easier, particularly if the tree partially hangs up against another.  Just don't try hinging large trees.  Can be very dangerous.  I don't hinge anything more than about 5 inches in diameter and always cut toward the natural lean of the tree if it's any size.



You provided lots more detail!


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## HoCoLion91

Thanks for sharing, good info. This food plot forum is great. I just purchased 43 acres in southeast AL and an looking forward to planting trees and food plots. Like someone else said, this is just as fun as hunting


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## CamoDawg85

Love this thread TripC! Glad someone bumped it back to the top! You go into just the right amount of detail and provide the perfect pics to bring it all together for those wanting to learn more about habitat improvements. Great stuff as always!


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## Triple C

HoCoLion91 said:


> Thanks for sharing, good info. This food plot forum is great. I just purchased 43 acres in southeast AL and an looking forward to planting trees and food plots. Like someone else said, this is just as fun as hunting


Congrats on the land purchase HoCo!  And your spot on...the process is the most enjoyable part.  Hunting is just icing on the cake.



CamoDawg85 said:


> Love this thread TripC! Glad someone bumped it back to the top! You go into just the right amount of detail and provide the perfect pics to bring it all together for those wanting to learn more about habitat improvements. Great stuff as always!


Thx CamoDawg!  With the expansion of this plot we're starting with a clean slate this year.  We'll burn those big stump piles in the next couple of weeks.  I plan on posting our progress in this plot as we start planting again.


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## nrh0011

enjoyed reading triple C. Looks like yall have made quite the hunting property, and are now reaping the benefits. Good stuff


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## Dirtroad Johnson

Good read TC, nice looking place you got there.


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## davidhelmly

Great job Triple C, that new enlarged plot is going to be awesome, I bet the deer are standing back in the pines now waiting on you to plant!! Are the strips of hardwoods on both sides a creek bottom, any mast producing trees in there?


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## Triple C

Thanks for the comments guys!

David - The hardwood strips on either side of this plot are drainages and yes, there are mast bearing trees - mostly water oaks and a few reds.  Our property is bordered by creeks on the east and south.  I've hinge cut in both of these hardwood strips on the edges where the pines meet in hopes of providing additional bedding and native browse.  This is by far, our largest plot at 6 acres.  Goal is to make it large enough with enough plant diversity to have several doe groups using it daily throughout the year.


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## davidhelmly

Triple C said:


> Thanks for the comments guys!
> 
> David - The hardwood strips on either side of this plot are drainages and yes, there are mast bearing trees - mostly water oaks and a few reds.  Our property is bordered by creeks on the east and south.  I've hinge cut in both of these hardwood strips on the edges where the pines meet in hopes of providing additional bedding and native browse.  This is by far, our largest plot at 6 acres.  Goal is to make it large enough with enough plant diversity to have several doe groups using it daily throughout the year.



It looks like an ideal setup, you are definitely doing it right! I probably overlooked it but what county are you in?


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## Triple C

davidhelmly said:


> It looks like an ideal setup, you are definitely doing it right! I probably overlooked it but what county are you in?



Oglethorpe County


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## Triple C

*02-26-2017 Update*

After expanding this plot last fall during logging operation, here's a view of what it looked like after I had excavator n dozer in to clean up post-logging.  This pic was taken mid September last year. (Posted this pic on previous page).  Circled the original water hole put in back in 2012 and this past week, we put in a new water hole off the northwest corner.



Here's pic taken yesterday from the original water hole looking north.


Here's pic of the new water hole on the northwest corner looking into the plot.  Tubes are B 118 rootstock we'll be grafting apple scions to next month.



Also transplanted 4 pear trees that were planted back in 2011.  Moved them from what is now part of the interior of the plot to the southern section of northwest corner.  Not sure these will make it as they are large trees but we'll keep em watered and see what happens.



View of the plot yesterday looking south.  Planted in winter grains and with the warm weather, it's really been putting on the growth.


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## T.P.

Nice! We used to shoot a lot of rabbits around the edge of that field, back when it wasn't so pretty.


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## Triple C

T.P. said:


> Nice! We used to shoot a lot of rabbits around the edge of that field, back when it wasn't so pretty.



T.P....We doin' our best to create more rabbit n other small critter habitat.


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## T.P.

Triple C said:


> T.P....We doin' our best to create more rabbit n other small critter habitat.



I see that! Y'all done a heap of work it looks like!


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## Canuck5

Very nice work Triple C!


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## destincabo

*Fall Food plots doing will in Late Feb*

Canuck shamed me into posting some pics of my food plot projects. First 2 photos are of my Durana/Patriot strips in pine rows. I owe the success of these to George Shuh who told me to be patient with them (these were planted in Fall of 2015 and over seeded in the fall of 2016). He was right they are coming in nicely.

The other shots are of the famous oats, crimson, arrow leaf and red clover mix. As has been advised, I'll let these ride and let the oats bolt out and let the clover grow beneath. Had a similar mix last year and the red clovers were still feeding deer into September.  The help I've received on this site has been invaluable. Thanks to all who have been kind enough to share their expertise and experience in this crazy addiction of food plotting .


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## elfiii

Dang Trip! That is one gorgeous food plot. You done real good! Is the water rain water or spring water?


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## Canuck5

Destincabo ... you should be ashamed of those plots!!!!   

George didn't steer you wrong!!!!


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## GadawgJC

Triple C said:


> Thought I would update the progression of our largest food plot that we planted in a LC Mix last fall with the purpose in mind to provide a food source year round from a single planting.  The plot was planted in a mix of 40% cereal grains, 40% brassicas and 10% white clover around the perimeter of the plot.  Scroll up a few pics to see what this plot looked like early January...a few turnips and radish bulbs left and all of the leafy tops mowed down.  The white clover around the perimeter was just beginning to show signs of life.
> 
> Today, the brassicas are long gone, the grains in the interior of the plot are seeding out and the white clover around the perimeter is awesome!  Lots of browsing taking place in the clover right now.
> View attachment 835902
> View attachment 835903
> 
> Had several tons of chicken litter delivered about 3 months ago.  This will be spread next week in the southern end of this plot.
> View attachment 835904
> 
> Now that turkey season is over it's time to re-fill the feeders.  Bought 750 lbs of protein feed from Oglethorpe Feed and Farm Supply in Lexington.  Started using their blend last year and the deer love it!  Has enough corn and a little molasses to really keep the deer on it.
> View attachment 835905
> View attachment 835906



What is the price on that protein feed?


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## Triple C

elfiii said:


> Dang Trip! That is one gorgeous food plot. You done real good! Is the water rain water or spring water?



Cut a water dip thru interior rd to catch run off from rain.


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## Triple C

destincabo said:


> Canuck shamed me into posting some pics of my food plot projects. First 2 photos are of my Durana/Patriot strips in pine rows. I owe the success of these to George Shuh who told me to be patient with them (these were planted in Fall of 2015 and over seeded in the fall of 2016). He was right they are coming in nicely.
> 
> The other shots are of the famous oats, crimson, arrow leaf and red clover mix. As has been advised, I'll let these ride and let the oats bolt out and let the clover grow beneath. Had a similar mix last year and the red clovers were still feeding deer into September.  The help I've received on this site has been invaluable. Thanks to all who have been kind enough to share their expertise and experience in this crazy addiction of food plotting .



This section of the forum wouldn't be near as good as it is without guys like Canuck n George Shu.


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## Triple C

GadawgJC said:


> What is the price on that protein feed?



From Oglethorpe Feed and Seed it's just north of $12 for 50lb bag. If you pre order by the ton it's cheaper.


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## T.P.

Triple C said:


> This section of the forum wouldn't be near as good as it is without guys like Canuck n George Shu.



Agreed, I wish there was more like them posting and more folks posting here in general.


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## Triple C

*1st Attempt at Grafting Apple Trees*

This past weekend I made my 1st attempt at grafting apple trees.  Should have taken pics of the actual grafting process but didn't think about it at the time.  Had a good friend that owns a farm in Madison County bring me scions from Yates and Horse Apple.  We grafted onto B 118 root stock.

For any of you guys that have never grafted, based on what I observed, it is such an easy process.  After watching him do the 1st 4 I did one myself.  You can find all kind of videos on you tube.  We grafted 5 yates and 4 horse apple.  Sorry for not having any pics of the process but here's  an after pic of the tree tubes over the newly grafted stems.  I'll update as the year progresses to report on how many of these make it.  Hope they all do.  If they all make it, we will have a total of nine apple trees along with 4 Kieffer pears in the corners of this plot.


Speaking of pears...
Each spring, we seem to always lose our Kieffer pears to late frost.  This year was no exception.  The recent frosts wiped out most all of the blooms on the Kieffers.

On the other hand, take a look at the Orient pears.  They are just now beginning to bloom.  We also have a couple of Bartlett pears that are just blooming.  Here's a pic of the Orient from this past Saturday just beginning to bloom.


Would really appreciate any of you pear gurus weighing in as to other varieties that don't bloom as early as the Kieffers.  I've found pear trees to be so much easier to grow in the piedmont section of GA as compared to apple trees.  But, I'd love to learn more about other varieties that bloom later than the Kieffers.  After 5 years, I'm tired of so very little fruit from the Kieffers due to late frost.


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## Canuck5

Grafting is something I'd like to try next.

Sorry about your Keiffers!  If you can get them to produce, they are good tree's!!


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## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> Grafting is something I'd like to try next.
> 
> Sorry about your Keiffers!  If you can get them to produce, they are good tree's!!



Canuck...Check out the grafting videos on youtube.  It's truly as simple as the videos show it to be.  I just didn't want to attempt without someone that has had success with doing it.  Buddy that showed me has some of the finest looking yates, arkansas black and horse apple trees I've seen and he grafted all of them.  My scions came from his trees.

As for the Keiffers, you can see from the pics in post 57 taken around the 23rd of Feb that our Keiffers were approaching full bloom.  Heavy frost a couple of weeks ago pretty much wiped them out.  I'm sure we'll have some fruit but I've yet to get past late frosts with Keiffers due to them blooming so early.  Orients, on the other hand, are just now blooming.


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## Canuck5

I shall check out the video's!  I want to convert some male persimmons, to females via grafts.  Maybe next year.

I know we're in different parts of the state; I'm between Macon and Columbus, but my Keiffers are just blooming now (or at least that's the report I got, I'll verify this weekend).  Yours was blooming 30 days ago, or so.


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## KLBTJTALLY1

I'm no deer but if I was this would be the place to be.  Great job sir.


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## Triple C

KLBTJTALLY1 said:


> I'm no deer but if I was this would be the place to be.  Great job sir.



Thx KLB!  Deer seem to like it.  Fortunate to be located in good deer country with decent population and enjoy the habitat work as much as the hunting.


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## mattech

Looking really good


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## Triple C

*Fields of green...*

Food plot has gone from lip high rye n oats to 4 ft tall.  Will make good fawning cover in the coming weeks.  We'll let it go till late summer.  Crab grass n other weeds will show up as the grain dies out.  We'll spray it with gly late summer and get ready to plant this fall.


New water hole is at full pool.  Spillway is taking care of overflow.  2nd pic shows water dip we installed in interior road the supplies runoff.


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## Canuck5

That's picture perfect, Triple C!!!!!!!!


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## Triple C

Canuck5 said:


> That's picture perfect, Triple C!!!!!!!!



Thx Canuck!  I took that pic last Saturday morning with the sun just breaking over the pines.  Thought it was sorta "picture perfect" as well.


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## Canuck5

Triple C said:


> Thx Canuck!  I took that pic last Saturday morning with the sun just breaking over the pines.  Thought it was sorta "picture perfect" as well.



Watching the sun rise, over your hard work, at deer camp, is nothing short of inspirational!


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## Gut_Pile

Will make great nesting cover too


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## BuckNasty83

Beautiful picture and plot TC


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## Triple C

Merry Christmas & a happy New Year to all my fellow food plotters!  Been a while since I've updated this thread.  With the acorns about gone and browse becoming more scarce I thought I would update this thread to show the progression of our largest food plot - the "bean field" as we call it, even though we haven't grown beans since 2014.

Back in the summer I limed the field with 2 tons per acre in established area of plot and 3 plus tons per acre in the new section in the south end of the field where I clear cut about an acre while thinning the pines.


*Fall Planting*
Here was our seed arsenal for the bean field for 2017 - Wheat, trophy radish, purple top turnip, regal graze ladino clover and Pennington durana clover.  Clover was planted around the perimeter with wheat as a nurse crop.  The goal is to have the clover growing around the perimeter throughout 2018 and provide forage until planting next fall.

The interior was planted in radish and turnips with wheat broadcast over it a month after planting the brassicas.

The new section in the south of the field was planted in wheat since this was the 1st year planting after liming.

Here's a few pics taken a couple days ago from the middle of the plot looking north and another pic looking south.




Here's the clover with wheat as a nurse crop around the perimeter of the field.  Next spring and summer this should be a pure stand of ladino and durana clover.


Close up of clover in the wheat around the perimeter already up since planting in early October.


*Radish vs Turnips*
If I had to choose only one...I'd go with radishes over turnips every time.  Been planting radishes since we started in 2011.  Radishes always get browsed on our place before turnips.  Deer will eat the turnips.  I'm already seeing a few bulbs being munched on but the greens on the turnips get mostly ignored until the radishes are browsed down to the ground.  Here's a pic of a radish and turnip growing next to each other.  Notice the greens on the radish are eaten down while the greens on the turnips are mostly ignored.


*Lime and Fert*
Get the proper ph balance in your soil along with fertilizer and stuff grows!  This turnip is almost the size of a soccer ball.  Some of the radishes are well over a foot long.


*Benefits of Tubing Bare Root n Small Trees*
A page or so back I posted pics of yates and horse apple trees that were grafted onto B118 root stock.  The scions were 6 to 8 inches long at grafting.  On the advice of my buddy that provided the scions and showed me how to graft, I tubed them in 5 ft tubes.  Here's a pic taken back around the end of October showing the unbelievable growth that occurs in tubes.  This graft was about a foot tall when planted and is now out of the 5 ft tube.  Tubes WORK!


Plot comparison when we started this process in 2011 compared to today.  Gone from about 3 acres to just under 6 acres now.  4 kieffer pears, 10 apple trees and several native persimmons now growing in this plot to add additional soft mast in the years to come.  Still a work in progress and a labor of love!


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## XIronheadX

I bet the deer walk around with smiles on their faces. Awesome.


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## Canuck5

A work of art, Triple C!


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## Dirtroad Johnson

Nice work & good info.


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## Triple C

Thx for the comments guys!  Lot of sweat equity in that plot.


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## Gut_Pile

Thanks for the update. Place is looking great!


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## GAGE

Looks awesome TC, but if you had seen what that group of feral cows have done to mine, you would be crying with me!


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## Triple C

GAGE said:


> Looks awesome TC, but if you had seen what that group of feral cows have done to mine, you would be crying with me!



Gage...Been following your trials n tribulations on your feral cow issue.  In 7 seasons only had that happen once on our place and you are right...They can make a mess of a food plot in a hurry.


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## GAGE

Triple C said:


> Gage...Been following your trials n tribulations on your feral cow issue.  In 7 seasons only had that happen once on our place and you are right...They can make a mess of a food plot in a hurry.



While they are still active in our plots, they have recently found the yard durana/fescue around our cabin.  We hunted them over the weekend, but they never showed.
Our brassicas are wiped out, my tree plantings have taken a beating (hope they can recover being eaten) but our clover should survive, so not all lost.


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## Triple C

This plot is now pushing 6 acres in size.  Started out at about 3 acres in 2011.  This year we're planting daikon radish and either wheat or rye grain later.  We planted the radish this past saturday.  Had a huge rain event late friday and made for perfect planting conditions.

We sprayed the field 3 weeks ago with gly, lightly disc'd it a week ago and then ran the Plotmaster over it to create a firm seed bed before broadcasting the radish seed.  Cultipacked the seed following the planting.  Made for a long day.  5 acres of radish is a lot to plant.  We planted 2.5 acres in radish in another plot as well.  Over the years, I've found deer prefer radish over turnips.  Thus my reason to go all radish on my brassica this year.  Goal is to give the radish at least 60 days growing ahead of 1st frost.  Come late September, we'll broadcast grain into the radish stand.

Green around the perimeter is white clover that we keep going year round.




This trail leaves the field and meanders thru a section of thinned pines with hardwood draws on either side of the pines.  Deer often take the path of least resistance.  This mowed trail is used often by deer entering and exiting the field.


I'll post up some pics as the radishes start growing.  Best of luck to everyone this fall!


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## XIronheadX

Looks like its going to be awesome, Triple C.


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## davidhelmly

That should be an incredible draw this year, good luck!!


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## SR PLAN

That is a BIG food plot, you are a hard worker. Looking good!! I know you like radishes and the deer prefer them over turnips. But have you or anybody ever try rape how do they do?


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## Triple C

SR PLAN said:


> That is a BIG food plot, you are a hard worker. Looking good!! I know you like radishes and the deer prefer them over turnips. But have you or anybody ever try rape how do they do?


I have not tried rape.  I almost picked up a 5 lb bag when I was picking up the radish but didn't.  Prolly should have as I'll give anything a try.


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## SR PLAN

There is always next time


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