Food Plots Summer food plot update

[Vermin93]

Plot #1: 10+ year old logging deck. Disced and limed, but no fertilizer added. Broadcast buckwheat on May 29th. Seed was cultipacked. Evidence of light browsing. I'm very happy with how the buckwheat is performing.

Plot #2: New logging trails heavily covered in pine needles. Disced and limed, but no fertilizer added. Broadcast buckwheat on May 29th. Seed was cultipacked. No signs of browsing. I'm very excited about how well the buckwheat is doing on these logging trails.

Plot #3: Evolved Harvest Maximize (commercial mix of soybeans, cowpeas, sunflowers, sorghum and vetch). This was an established plot that grew an awesome stand of radishes and turnips last season. Plot was disced and limed, but no new fertilizer added. Broadcast the mix on May 29th. This planting was pretty much a bust. Very little germination and pretty lousy growth. Not sure what went wrong. I cultipacked this seed, so that was not the issue. Bad seed? Not enough rain?

 

[MickThompson]

Was the seed left over from last year? Looks like germination was terrible. I doubt rain. we've had enough for it to show. Fertilizer wouldn't have anything to do with germination either. A couple other folks I know had germination issues this spring too- not sure why though.

 

[Vermin93]

Yes, the seed was about a year old, but would it really degrade that much in a year?

I bought a bag of Tecomate Lablab Plus on Sunday and broadcast it with a couple bags of 13-13-13 before the rains came yesterday. We'll see what happens.

 

[MickThompson]

It can, depending on how it is stored. Heat and humidity are the enemy of seed. I plant 1-2 year old garden seed regularly, but i store it in sealed containers in my freezer.