American Joint Vetch question.

[davel]

Yeah, may have to choose something else.

 

[CarolinaDawg]

My guess is if they have never tasted them before, then the deer will wait till they flower, then hit them hard. If they have tasted cowpeas before and you have small acreage, then yes, they will get hammered as soon as they get out of the ground. I quite planting them when 5 acres wouldn't keep them happy.

Cowpeas is a no go for me also. They’ll wipe it out soon after germination. In fact, I’m close to giving up on summer plots altogether. Deer Vetch is the one thing I haven’t tried yet.

 

[Canuck5]

Yeah, with the price of everything .... clover is my "go too".

 

[Long Cut]

There’s so much native browse and forage available if you can manage your timber stands properly (TSI-Thin-Burn) I don’t even plant “summer” plots.

Figure there can be up to 2,000# of native browse per acre in the woods if sunlight can reach the ground. All we need to do is thin trees and light a drip torch occasionally.
Not sure if y’all been watching the price of lime, seed, fertilizer recently… I’d rather do that than spend $100’s++ per acre in plots.

Perennial clover stands with chicory and overseed brassica/grains in the Fall is all I really do planting wise now.

IF you can’t manage the timber and your deer numbers are somewhat under control, I’d absolutely invest in American Jointvetch & Alyce Clover blends for my plots.

Buckwheat, sun hemp, Milo & forage bean blends seem to do pretty good as well.
Whitetail Institute’s “Powerplant” is a good option. Pricey, but a solid blend IMO