Food Plots Buck Forage Oats

[NChunt1]

What ratio are you guys using in the wheat/oats and crimson plots

 

[BSK]

Seeding rates can get complicated. First, listed seeding rates are the recommended rates for a single-species planting planted with a drill. However, when mixing species, the standard recommendations are: 1) for a mix of two species, cut the poundage per acre for each by 1/3; 2) for three or more species, cut the poundage for each by half. But again, those rates are for planting with a drill. If broadcast seeding, the recommendation is to increase the rate by 50% (because of much lower germination rates when seed is broadcast versus a drill).

So let's say you're mixing Wheat and Crimson Clover. The wheat's recommended seeding rate is 100-120 pounds per acre. The Crimson is 20-25 per acre. Because this is a two species mix, each should be cut by 1/3. That gives a seeding rate of 67-80 pounds for wheat and 14-17 pounds for the Crimson. But if you are broadcast seeding instead of drilling, each needs to be increased by 50%. So if broadcast seeding, the rates jump back up to the original 100-120 for wheat and 20-25 for Crimson.

 

[megalomaniac]

I've found 50lbs wheat, 3 lbs clover, 3lbs radishes per acre works great when drilled on my large (2ac plus) fields, and use the same ratio but cover the ground with the drill twice with the same mix on the small kill plots (half acre or less). Reasonable per acre cost with that recipie.

 

[BSK]

Another thing to consider when it comes to recommended seeding rates is deer usage of the plot. Recommended seeding rates are based on growing a crop to maturity and take into consideration plant crowding. In essence, too many plants per square foot will produce overcrowding and plant stunting. Yet what if deer are eating away a high percentage of the plants? Then overcrowding isn't such an issue. For that reason, if I expect very heavy usage of a plot, I tend to overseed because I know plants will never be making it to maturity.