Food Plots Running behind .

[southernhunter]

I normally have my food plots sprayed by now so everything will be dead by Labor Day when I normally try to plant but this year I haven't been able to find te to get it done .i might get a chance tomorrow to spray. do y'all think I should give it two weeks to start turning dirt which will be after Labor Day or is a week good enough ? Or should I just save my money and till up weeds with dirt and plant on Labor Day . My plots have been bushhoged for a month or so and there located in southern Lincoln county .

 

[BONE-HEAD]

I bushoged friday sprayed saturday going disc up good next friday and sew seed and hope for the best lol

 

[spoon]

I'm in west tn and won't plant until mid-Sept

 

[DCA-DEER]

I usually plant middle of Sept try to before good chance of rain

 

[hitek7]

I would give it 2-3 weeks and then plant if your schedule allows. That would not be too late for sure.

 

[tellico4x4]

When you mow, you put the plants in shock and they are subdued for a while. Better to wait a week or two between mowing & spraying to get a good kill. Don't get hung up an planting when everyone else does or a date on the calendar. Do it when conditions are right for your place.

I had a guy tell me years ago that more seed (and $) were wasted on Labor Day weekend than any other time of the year. That bit of advise is always in my mind when planting.

 

[RedDawg]

Labor Day is early this year - the 1st! Wait a week and plant an you are right on schedule.

 

[southernhunter]

Thanks guys .

 

[Wompuscat]

I used to plant Labor Day weekend no matter what. I too wasted a lot of seed doing this. Now I usually get them ready to plant and do it the first GOOD chance of rain mid September. Seen a lot better results by doing it that way.JMO

 

[tellico4x4]

Last year we were done by August 10, but conditions were perfect. This year we also planted early, but again soil moisture was awesome and we got 1" rain the following two days. On the other hand, we have waited until mid-October due to drought.

 

[Jarred525]

I used to plant Labor Day weekend no matter what. I too wasted a lot of seed doing this. Now I usually get them ready to plant and do it the first GOOD chance of rain mid September. Seen a lot better results by doing it that way.JMO

My approach exactly. Doesn't bother me to wait until late September or early October if conditions dictate.

 

[woodsman87]

To me Labor Day is only good to plant because I am normally off work, and that gives me an extra day to get it.

I will not be doing it this year though. Too hot, too dry. I am confident that if I get my stuff in by October 15th I should be good.

I have lots of perennial clover pots that I don't have to worry so much about either.

 

[southernhunter]

Going ahead and planting a few small plots tomorrow . 60 % chance of rain next couple days , going to wait on my bigger plots

 

[hitek7]

We are able to hunt bucks on our plots the first few weeks of season with good success if we plant within next couple of weeks. Can't see me ever waiting until middle of October but I may eventually... We have corn planted for later on season.

 

[WDS]

if ur not running behind, you are not planting enuf !!!!!!

Hard to hunt Canada and Alaska and get your fall plots in. Fortunately we started early this year prepping ground. Will still be planting a tad late, but I have had early to mid October plots do just fine. Moisture , of course , is the main issue.

 

[WDS]

hitek7,

I have given up on corn. Unless you have 30+ acres ...... waste of good clover and turnip space IMHO. I would rather plant a dang good crop of sorghum than have the corn. besides, we are starting to get our quail back utilizing smaller sized "grass" grains. Round uo readt corn is on my back burner now.

We plant both warm and cool season. I would rather have beans than corn as well. May have to mow your beans a strip at a time, but that is why we have switched to sorghum . We call it poor man's corn, but plant around 20 acres of it to supplement our 27 acres of clover and 10 acres of turnips/DER/MRC.

Just a thought from NW Perry County bro.

 

[darn2ten]

I've planted from mid August threw early October. Imo, if you wait till October you start getting cool weather and frost. That stunts growth and you just don't get a good stand like you do if you plant no later than the second week of September. A lot depends on what your planting. If you were planting straight wheat then October is not to late. If your planting something like winter peas, beans, or oats then you are better served getting started a little earlier. I always let the rain dictate when i'm going to plant as close to early Sept. as possible. I sprayed exactly 2 weeks ago today, and we got 80% chance of rain this Sat. and Sun. I'm going to try to get my seed in the ground tomorrow which I think will work out just about right.

 

[muddyboots]

I got 2 buddies took off today and racing to beat the rain. Farming. U gotta love it. LOL

 

[hitek7]

hitek7,

I have given up on corn. Unless you have 30+ acres ...... waste of good clover and turnip space IMHO. I would rather plant a dang good crop of sorghum than have the corn. besides, we are starting to get our quail back utilizing smaller sized "grass" grains. Round uo readt corn is on my back burner now.

Just a thought from NW Perry County bro.

According to what your definition of waste is...? We have clover plots and our plots of oats/peas/wheat as well as the corn. The corn is really not planted for health or nutrition for the deer. It is planted for late season killing plots and has worked well for us. The corn normally gets cut the first or second week of December and there is normally corn through the youth hunt. I may try some sorghum in the future for an experiment though. Do you cut the sorghum or do the deer eat on it standing?

By the way, I have not paid for nay corn seed the past 3 years so it is minimum work to money to get it in the ground. Have tried the soybeans but it is hard for us to plant enough that the deer do not wipe them out as they come up.