When do I plant food plots???

• Jul 12, 2009

• #1

Ol' Bread Basket

Senior Member

Just wondering when I should plant my plots? We have been feeding the deer already with corn but we need to plant something that will last. We bow hunt only but we need something that will last throughout bow season and into the winter. I dont mean out last the weather I mean out last the deer.

 

• Jul 12, 2009

• #2

3

308 WIN

Senior Member

I plant oats, wheat, and clover in early September. Most anything you plant for fall/winter will not be planted any earlier.

 

• Jul 12, 2009

• #3

doublelungdriller

Senior Member

Yeah that's what i say also

wheat, oats, clover, & plant some iron clay peas!!!

They work great in mid to late bow season, but they wont last!

 

• Jul 12, 2009

• #4

00Beau

Senior Member

Mid Sept. either a fall mix or oats, wheat, and rape.

 

• Jul 13, 2009

• #5

Ol' Bread Basket

Senior Member

I just plant all this in one big mix

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #6

catch22

Senior Member

I would second most of the comments above...depending on where you hunt in GA......for example, I hunt in very SW GA...we don't plant until late Sept or early Oct. If you plant wheat/oats, it will germinate in just a few days....if you plant any earlier, the deer won't eat the food plots because of all the natural browse still available. You can mix oats/wheat/rape/rye...make sure to fertilize with a generic 10-10-10

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #7

hummdaddy

Senior Member

might be able to get some soybeans in the ground still... will need some timely rains though

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #8

Jim Thompson

Live From The Tree

the later in the fall the better, but if you want it out of the ground by the bow season opener you have to gamble and plant the last weekend of august. this will (with rain) give you a couple of weeks of growth.

if you can survive the first couple weeks of bow season with plots, then wait later in the season and try to plan it around upcoming rains.

I wish we had the patience to wait until the first week of october to plant, but we always seem to go earlier. they almost always do ok, but would do better with cooler weather and rain.

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #9

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator

Staff member

If grain grasses are planted too early they will make seed, as long as they dont go to seed before frost early planting is OK. If they make seed they will die from frost and freeze

I start in late August like JT says above.

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #10

Tomboy Boots

Turkey Killer

You know there really isn't much I could add to the great advice already given. It really doesn't help to plant early because there is still so much natural browse available, and by the time they would be interested your plot would most likely be fizzled out. I planted too early last year and won't try that again. It would be best to wait until late august like JT said, and try to plant before a good rain is forecast. I've had good success with mixing wheat, oats and iron clay peas.

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #11

doe shooter

Senior Member

So far good basic advice. We plant rye and oats in late Sept. in SE Georgia. But, depending upon the number and acreage of your food plots, you could plant some Iron Clay peas or Soybeans earlier. You need to have a minimum of three acres, preferably more, in one spot to plant, but you could plant within the next few weeks and have a good spot opening morning. But if you have only a few small spots, the deer will eat up the peas and beans you will have have nothing left by opening bow season. You can also try turnips or rape, planting in late sept. or early oct. This will be late season draw, after a good freeze. We do mix some turnips in with the rye/oats in a couple of spots for a late season draw.

 

• Jul 14, 2009

• #12

Ol' Bread Basket

Senior Member

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will try and plant maybe the last weekend of September. We will be planting three small plots. first one is about 20yds wide by 75 yds long. Second one is probably 1/2 to 3/4 of an acre and the third is maybe a little bigger.

Should I plant all three the same or plant a mixture of different stuff in each?

 

• Jul 15, 2009

• #13

hiawassee1

Senior Member

If I wanted to plant oats, wheat, and clover, lets say 1.5 acres, How much of each would I need. Would I basically just mix it all together and broadcast? Any prefered brand?

 

• Jul 15, 2009

• #14

Killdee

Senior Member

hiawassee1 said:

If I wanted to plant oats, wheat, and clover, lets say 1.5 acres, How much of each would I need. Would I basically just mix it all together and broadcast? Any prefered brand?

Click to expand...

I would broadcast the oats and wheat first and cover, then spread the clover on top and lightly drag. If you mix the clover with the cereal grain, a lot of it will get planted to deep I would use about 75# ea oats and wheat, some dont come up birds get some. You know the clover will not be used till late winter early spring, it takes a while to develop roots. I like Yuchi Arrowleaf clover, it will feed through June till it browns out. I quit trying to keep white clover fields going, I dont have the time to spray, mow, and fertilize. This is the yuchi from last fall last month, it lasted till July this year with all the rain the 2nd pic is July, but there still eating it.

 

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• Jul 15, 2009

• #15

doerun101

Senior Member

That is a great plot of clover. How much did you drag/roll

into your food plot? How big was your plot? thanks again. Also QDMA has a great book on food plots. It will walk you thru everything and protein for each type of plant but actual results is the best story.