Putting a food plot in for the first time and looking for advice from some of you more seasoned food plotters. My plan all along has been to plant my food plots this coming Labor Day weekend. However, it looks as if there's no rain in sight on the 10 day forecast which has me hesitant to plant this weekend after all. From what I've read it seem like it's best to hold off to wait for rain, but at the same time I don't want to wait too long in fear of not giving the plants adequate time to grow before the first frost. What would you some of you more experienced guys recommend? I'm planting a brassica plot, greens plot, and a clover plot. How late is too late if I do hold off. Thanks!
Food Plots Plant or Wait
- Thread starter EastTNboy
- Start date
A lot of seed is wasted on Labor Day weekend. You will be far better served most years by waiting until after Mid September.That being said, brassicas really need to be planted earlier IMO. Like August or even late July in the higher elevations.
September can be our driest month. Been burned several times for jumping the gun. In process of getting everything sprayed & disked but won't put any seed in ground until I see significant rain in forecast, preferably several days of it.
BSK
Well-Known Member
^^^^
THIS!
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
Watch the weather. We don't plant til the end of the month. As said above been burned way to many times labor day.
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Labor Day weekend is understandably popular because of work schedules....but I was told few years ago, likely by someone on here, "dont plant by the calendar....plant by the forecast"....i agree with the advice already given....wait on a better chance of rain or better yet wait on multiple predicted rains.
And use the long weekend to work on other habitat projects....spray and kill some invasives, open up some closed canopy, clean up some logging roads, cut shooting lanes.....but wait on rain to plant.....you've got plenty of time to develop a green plot before the first frost.
And use the long weekend to work on other habitat projects....spray and kill some invasives, open up some closed canopy, clean up some logging roads, cut shooting lanes.....but wait on rain to plant.....you've got plenty of time to develop a green plot before the first frost.
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
We are waiting. Not only for the rain aspect, but to also hopefully evade any potential army worm infestation.
I always start in August, did some the 18th , some the 25th. My 18th stuff is coming up nicely with the recent rains . I have never had an issue at all with anything but I guess it's just been pure luck. I still have two small areas to do and will get to it in the next week. Think about all the top sewn wheat fields for dove that always look so good. Now again that's wheat, I think it would grow anywhere, anytime and is a big part of my mix. Good luck!
Last edited:
If you use winter wheat it comes up quickly. I usually do a staggered approach when possible, deer love the young grass.
RS
Well-Known Member
I agree with the other responses. I will have my plots disked and ready to plant, but I won't plant until there is decent rain forecasted.
But be ready!
Last Thursday the forecast for my Stewart and Trigg counties farms we has a 30% chance of .17 Inchon Sunday.
Lol, we got 3.7 and 4.1 respectively Saturday thru Monday morning.
Luckily I mowed last week, spraying today. I will load the drill in the morning and start looking skyward!
Last Thursday the forecast for my Stewart and Trigg counties farms we has a 30% chance of .17 Inchon Sunday.
Lol, we got 3.7 and 4.1 respectively Saturday thru Monday morning.
Luckily I mowed last week, spraying today. I will load the drill in the morning and start looking skyward!
BSK
Well-Known Member
I've planted the last week of October and still had attractive growth for Muzzleloader.
bigtex
Well-Known Member
Sowed Winter Wheat, Oats and Crimson clover last Friday. Checked the plots just a while ago and they are already greening up. We had a good rain yesterday and again today, they should be prime by opening day archery.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Wait. I'm burning down fields this weekend to drill directly into a couple of weeks out.
I've mowed, sprayed, and disked. Now the waiting game. Last year, maybe 2, I kept on waiting and never planted.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
All my plots are prepped and waiting. I may just go ahead and plant the lowest 2 acres this weekend, as they hold TOO much soil moisture. But gonna wait on the rest till the next big rain event
BSK
Well-Known Member
Last year, because of the drought, I didn't get to plant until about October 20.
The other thing that alot of people don't think about with wheat/cereal grains is that they can get to mature if planted too early. IMO deer want that tender not tough.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Good point, and you are exactly right.
If I were just planting cereal grains, I'd wait until late Sept/ early Oct.
But I'm planting a blend and really needs time for the brassicas to pop and form a huge bulb before cold hits, so I prefer to plant around Sept 1st, weather permitting
So did you get enough growth during the season to make it worthwhile?
