Food Plots Need some advice

[lafn96]

Only one of my plots came in well; the others not so much. Lots of grass, wild onion, and weeds with buckbusters seed mix coming in throughout. However, the deer and turkeys are showing up in it every day feeding.

I've got some more seed mix; as well as some oats, winter wheat, and clover seed. Could I just broadcast over what's already growing to try and thicken it up? Should I mow and cultipack after I broadcast? The thatch is fairly thick. First year doing this so not sure what the right approach should be at this point.

Also have several trails/small clearings through thick woods; anything I could throw down in those areas that do ok with minimal sunshine? The plots are surrounded by natural grass that is baled; thick woods, and a neighbors cornfield.

Equipment available is a side by side; sprayer with boom, hand seeder and cultipacker. Plots total about 3 acres between all of them.

 

[DoubleRidge]

We are in the same boat with the plots we planted early...and our plan is to do exactly as you mention....top sow your wheat, oats and clover you have just before a good rain...with the blend you already have started it's going to be hard to spray anything unless your wanting to start over?...and you already have deer using the plot so I wouldn't start over...I would top sow what seed you have but understanding you won't get all of it to germinate....so sow heavy....layer it in thick....and if the weeds or grass are getting tall...yes mow after you sow...this time of year if you knock the weeds back the cool season stuff will out grow the weeds....for the oats however...just remember that they are not as cold hardy as the wheat or cereal rye...the frost here in two to three weeks will be harder on the oats..where your wheat and cereal rye will be fine and will grow on those warm fall afternoons...I know the term gets over used...but as for food plots this year..."it is what it is"...top sow your wheat and clover before a rain and hunt....good luck!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Only one of my plots came in well; the others not so much. Lots of grass, wild onion, and weeds with buckbusters seed mix coming in throughout. However, the deer and turkeys are showing up in it every day feeding.

I've got some more seed mix; as well as some oats, winter wheat, and clover seed. Could I just broadcast over what's already growing to try and thicken it up? Should I mow and cultipack after I broadcast? The thatch is fairly thick. First year doing this so not sure what the right approach should be at this point.

Also have several trails/small clearings through thick woods; anything I could throw down in those areas that do ok with minimal sunshine? The plots are surrounded by natural grass that is baled; thick woods, and a neighbors cornfield.

Equipment available is a side by side; sprayer with boom, hand seeder and cultipacker. Plots total about 3 acres between all of them.

For the trails and small openings you can be certain the pH is not right and everything I've read is cereal rye is the most tollerant of poor pH soils followed by winter wheat ...and with Cereal Rye being $20 per 50lb and Wheat being $15 it's worth a shot.... again, I'd sow it heavy before a rain....it will green up and handle the cold.....and not to be negative....small hidden plots are nice....but leaves falling and smothering new seedlings can be a challenge.

 

[BSK]

The only problem I've had surface seeding a thin plot is the type of rain you get the first rain on the seed. Last year, after my cereal rye plots were wiped out by army worms, I broadcast wheat and crimson clover onto the bare ground. And it did germinate well - all around the edges of the plot after the first rain we had on the plots after reseeding was a frog-strangler that floated all of the new seed out of the plots.

I steady to even moderately heavy rain, you're OK. A thunderstorm that drops an inch or two in 30 minutes, say goodbye to your seed. It's all floating downstream.

 

[lafn96]

Thank you! I was hoping for rain tomorrow but they've changed the forecast now to just a 20% chance of rain. Should I mow after I seed or just broadcast and leave it?

 

[lafn96]

We are in the same boat with the plots we planted early...and our plan is to do exactly as you mention....top sow your wheat, oats and clover you have just before a good rain...with the blend you already have started it's going to be hard to spray anything unless your wanting to start over?...and you already have deer using the plot so I wouldn't start over...I would top sow what seed you have but understanding you won't get all of it to germinate....so sow heavy....layer it in thick....and if the weeds or grass are getting tall...yes mow after you sow...this time of year if you knock the weeds back the cool season stuff will out grow the weeds....for the oats however...just remember that they are not as cold hardy as the wheat or cereal rye...the frost here in two to three weeks will be harder on the oats..where your wheat and cereal rye will be fine and will grow on those warm fall afternoons...I know the term gets over used...but as for food plots this year..."it is what it is"...top sow your wheat and clover before a rain and hunt....good luck!

Just saw your advice to mow after where the grass and weeds are tall; thank you!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Just saw your advice to mow after where the grass and weeds are tall; thank you!

Yeah....no harm in mowing and knocking the grass & weeds back....and the thatch you cut will give your new seed some coverage and help hold what limited moisture you have...Not perfect but the best we can hope for in these difficult circumstances.....and you already have some deer using the plot so that's good.