Food Plots Complete plot failure

I've never seen this happen. Of course we had the same drought here as anywhere else but the rain was finally forecast for Sunday, 10/6. I was going to be out of town that weekend. This normally very productive area had been disced a long time ago waiting for some rain. On Wednesday morning I put in 100# of oats, 100# of wheat, some crimson and alsike clover. Topped that by broadcasting some triple 15 fertilizer. Hooked up the drag, then cultipaked it. I went on my trip we got 4.5+ inches of rain in a hurry on Sunday.

Here it is Thursday afternoon and the fields are barren. I see the occasional wheat sprout. But it generally bare dirt. I've never seen complete field failure like this before. A little of this seed was put in another location - a very small spot. I got some germination there so it's not the seed.

I don't know what to do at this point. More rain is forecast for Friday night. I'm thinking of broadcast some more wheat and just let the rain do it's job. That may just be bad seed on top of bad seed. Looks like I'm hunting over barren ground this year.

RedDawg

Deer will still eat with or without plots but I'm not seeing much wheat yet either in my spots. We got about 2.5" and the soil drank up most of it. The woods are full of acorns so it may be a while before they even bother with plots.

May have to hunt mobile on natural food and terrain features. Much later and I wouldn't bother.

You put out seed on 10/2 right (Wednesday prior to the 4.5" of rain)? Went to check out the plot today and it was just starting to sprout? Am I right on what I gathered?

If so, you should be fine - It's just been 4 days since rain. I see your concerns, but I've checked plots 2 weeks after planting under good conditions and they were very sub-par, and they turned out just fine.

Willing to bet by next weekend, you'll be pleased. Only thing going against us is the timing before the first frost

Yea it has not been long enough. Mine are showing very little today and I got the same rain you got. By next week end it will b fine.

JCDEERMAN":18ymhl9i said:

You put out seed on 10/2 right (Wednesday prior to the 4.5" of rain)? Went to check out the plot today and it was just starting to sprout? Am I right on what I gathered?

Click to expand...

No, in two acres there may be 3 or 4 sprouts. That's it. I've planted this field many times before with different things - corn, radishes, oats and wheat. I'm vary familiar with what it should look like now. That's the point. It's barren.

You got many turkeys? I got turkeys out the wazoo and wheat and oats sitting on top of the ground for 4 days...the turkeys and tweety birds will put a hurtin on it.

I've got a little home field advantage- I sowed my vegetable garden down the same day as my plots. Almost overnight I'm covered up with 2" wheat plants. A day or two ago there wasn't anything showing.

Looked at 7 or 8 today out of 15 planted last week and about half show growth. Another week will make a big difference, especially with more rain in forecast!

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