First Time Food Plotter

It was my first time planting a plot, but I did some research and followed what most of you have suggested time and time again. Further, I should add these plots were done in the pines between 5th rows and without any lime added.

Planted on Sept. 14th. First, laid a 5-seed mix (bought from Minton Lawn & Garden) of what I think was Oats/Wheat/Rye/Rape/Crimson Clover and drug it till it was about 3-5 inches deep. Then, threw Durana Clover down and just ran over it w 4-wheeler several times.

11 days later (and ZERO rain here on Jones/Twiggs line), one plot was dry with nothing at all coming up and the other shown here:
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This particular plot is coming off a ridge and down toward a drain (hence the hard woods to the left of the plot). Again, no rain at all at this point, but I suspect the ground holds more moisture here.

Then comes a few decent showers and the visitor named Michael. He dumps some water here and I returned on Saturday (10/20) to find this beautiful carpet of green.
3BB38AA2-D031-42B3-A278-ABAC4D8E6794.jpeg7BDFF063-ADFA-4F38-9428-96B172B4CC06.jpeg

Just wanted to say, I appreciate all the tips/feedback/help I’ve received here. Whether you guys realize it or not, you are spreading your seed around to helping others and taught a non-green thumb like me how to be successful. For those who are hesitant to try it, I proved you can live 400 miles away and still have success with a couple days of hard work.

This is a photo this week of the “dry” plot which had zero green in it on 9/24.
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Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
You've caught the bug, now!

The flowering plant looks like an Austrian Winter Pea. The small plants with the 3 notched leaves are possibly Dwarf Essex Rape and the tiny plants are clover. The tall plant in the 2nd to last picture, I'm not sure about, but looks like something has eaten parts of it.
 

elfiii

Admin
Staff member
You've caught the bug, now!

The flowering plant looks like an Austrian Winter Pea. The small plants with the 3 notched leaves are possibly Dwarf Essex Rape and the tiny plants are clover. The tall plant in the 2nd to last picture, I'm not sure about, but looks like something has eaten parts of it.

I concur. The soil looks to be a sandy loam and probably has a moderately low pH so I would suggest possibly top dressing the plot with some Triple 13 to make up for the lack of nitrogen absorption.
 

Huntin 4 More

Senior Member
Good job on the plot. Nothing more rewarding than sitting in a stand over a food plot you grew while deer graze in it. Had a bunch of does and fawns in my plots this past weekend and it makes my day every time to just watch them. Almost more fun than pulling the trigger.
 
Thought I’d share an update. The one food plot that stayed pretty dry got hit hard by some weed-eaters. The other one in the area that stayed pretty wet is shown below. Again, big thanks to all of your comments for helping the First-Timer.
 

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Time to circle back as the new season approaches. Looking for advice here on what to do this coming season. Again, first-time plotter and not any sort of farmer by trade.

So my thinking is, bush hog whatever has grown through first? If so, when? Mid-August? September? Do I spray w Roundup? Throw some seed down first week of October?

I gladly welcome any and all comments. I will be limited in equipment availability this year as the old man who ran our lease retired and took all his toys and went home. So even the bush hog (if needed) will be a rental from wherever I can find one. Would the throw and mow method work here?

Thanks all!
 

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
Limited equipment, eh? Sounds like the perfect time for a perennial clover plot.

I think I'd like to see another close up picture, in particular to see what your Durana looks like. If you have a reasonable stand of it, I'd do what I can to save it and just over seed with wheat, 0-20-20 fertilizer and maybe add a "Florida Clover", to your mix, as well.

We like pichers, if you have them ..... it helps :)


Florida clovers.JPG.
 

Dbender

Senior Member
Really depends on how thick it has grown up. I'd start looking for a used atv harrow, assuming you have a 4 wheeler etc. Not sure how big an area you are planting, looks like you could mow with a push mower? In that sand, the harrow will knock down whatever grew up and have it ready to plant in no time. Then I'd just do the exact same thing you had success with last year except I'd wait until october to plant.
 
I do have a 4-wheeler and access to a disc harrow to pull behind the 4-wheeler, so that will help out.

I'm not sure what things look like yet as I have not been back up since end of season. Will probably make first trip up Labor Day weekend to pull my camper up and get some work done. Will definitely post pics then and provide an update.
 

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
Where is your property at?
 

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
Here, I thought you were in Florida! Well, I am probably 60 miles East of you, as the crow flies, near Talbotton, Ga. Knowing that, with your shadier plots, I'd focus on your Durana clover.

shade clover.JPG

Durana Graph.JPG
 

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
This plot is 11+ years old now and all I do is try to keep the weeds and grasses out of it. It feeds the deer, while you are not there, at some of the most important times of the year.


Durana1.jpg
 
Excellent! I planted a fair amount of Durana last season, so hopefully it is still chugging along and is nice and green. I just wasn't certain about planting more? Tilling up the existing? Simply spraying it with fertilizer? Again, all new to me, so I take what you guys give me and follow it step by step.

I will try to get one of my local club members to take some pictures for me if he's going by the club anytime soon.
 

Crakajak

Daily Driveler News Team
Excellent! I planted a fair amount of Durana last season, so hopefully it is still chugging along and is nice and green. I just wasn't certain about planting more? Tilling up the existing? Simply spraying it with fertilizer? Again, all new to me, so I take what you guys give me and follow it step by step.

I will try to get one of my local club members to take some pictures for me if he's going by the club anytime soon.
Weed control and lime/fert once per year.Add some varieties with it and you have a year round food source.
 

Canuck5

Food Plot advisor extraordinaire !
Well, I can't answer what it looks like right now. Can anyone take some pictures for you?

If you had a good stand of clover, when you left, meaning you saw lots of little plants, it probably exploded in April. You may only have to do some weed and grass control when you get down there. Like Crakajak says, you can add 0-20-20 fertilizer, lime (hopefully you'll get a soil test), some other varieties of clover, wheat ......... and not have to work the ground up.

Clover you can broadcast and get a good stand from opening weekend till Thanksgiving!
 

elfiii

Admin
Staff member
This plot is 11+ years old now and all I do is try to keep the weeds and grasses out of it. It feeds the deer, while you are not there, at some of the most important times of the year.


View attachment 977115

Holy wah at the clover!
 
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