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Food Plot Virgin

katy

Ballagh
I have a excellant opportunity to experiment with a food plot for basically nothing through a local company. I need to know a little info before I begin.

1. How many of you do a spring planting, and do you do it NOW!

2. Do you use minerals etc. throughtout the year, or just around the fall?

3. How big of a area do you do?

4. How does this sound for a good year round plot?
20% Bulls-Eye Hybrid Turnips
20% Will Ladino Clover
15% Bridger Rape Seed
10% Sterling Rape Seed
20% Grand Daddy Perennial Ryegrass
10% Puna Chicory
5% Haifa White Clover

5. Do you drill these in the ground or just plow or throw on top of the turned soil?

I'm hoping to gain some valuable info at the QDMA Banquet from some fellow QDMA'ers, but need to know if I need to get on the ball now for spring or wait a month or so. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
 
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What is there now? That makes quite a difference in what/when you need to do something. Most of my annual stuff gets done in late April or early May. Other stuff I work on throughout the year- prepped a large new area last summer and fall that then got frost seeded with clover about 2 weeks ago. Are you talking minerals as in licks? Or minerals talking about fertilizer things? Haven't used licks but use lime, K, P, N per soil test. I get to play on 100 acres, at any one time I have 10-15 acres that I'm messing with. As far as your mix- I don't like to mix seed types that are annuals and perienials(sp) as the second year comes around and you have to redo it all or you'll lose the annual from the plot. I broadcast most everything but you should use a drill- get a long cord or a cordless and a new 1/8" bit.
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Pharmer - there is alfalfa there now. It is going to be placed along a stretch of a creek with trees about 20 yards on each side of it. Just plan on doing the side that is facing our property more. It is going to be fenced off to the cattle due to buffer strips going in. Also planning on doing a few smaller areas to try and concentrate the deer in a more huntable area that is not wide open. I got the 18V DeWalt all charged up.
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Can the area that I'm doing be reseded easily each year for the seeds that are not annuals? Or is it just going to mess things up?

Thanks
 
Take a soil sample to see how the balance of the ground is right now. You may need to alter the ph.
 
ST-
As someone with an over abundance of smooth brome it is really hard to picture tearing up alfalfa. I don't know what I'd do. Will the buffer strips be native grass? You may want to get one of the private lands biologists involved. They work for the DNR. I know from experience it is cheaper to do things right from the start. You may be better off concentrating on the smaller plots and really doing them right- turnips or rye would be a good fall alternative to the existing alfalfa.
 
Hey virgin, since it is your first time things might seem awkward and you will probably get a little nervous, but just relax. After all, bad food plot is better than no food plot right? I planted the same mix last spring. One area was broadcast and the other was drilled. Drilled seemed to do a little better, but plots were 30 miles apart so lot of other variables. After having the IDNR wildlife biologist out, I selectively killed the Rye grass with some high $ chem as per his recommendation. The rye seemed to be dominating the stand. I would also recommend keeping annuals seperate from perennials if that can work for you. The turnips and rape were dynamite in late muzzleloader season until they ate me out of house and home. I also did a .5 acre fall seeding of rape and turnips and it didn't do very well. Had a dry spell and germination was poor. I have heard to mow clovers close in fall and then broadcast brassicas, but have no experience. Spring brassicas and turnips were a great harvest plot in the fall. Lots of great info in the QDMA magazine. I found the wildlife Biologist to be very helpful also. He visited my places and got me thinking of many great ideas that hadn't dawned on me.
 
That is a very similiar mix as to what I planted last fall - it was a great fall producer and the clover should take over the following spring.

Something else you may want to think about is just fertilizing well the existing alfalfa - this may draw the deer just a well as planting a new plot and would be much easier.

You may have some issues as Highjumper stated if you plant in the spring.
 
Thanks for the info gentleman! I will tyr to get my biologist out there to take a look with me.
 
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