Opinions on S. IL food plots...

[uncle matt]

........100 acre farm in Johnson county. About 70 acres are tillable and leased out to farmer. He'll most likely plant beans this year. The 80 acres square across the road to the east will probobly be beans but could be corn this year.

Now my question is what to do forfall food plot(s) totaling about 3-4 acres?

a) clover or clover mix.

b) chickory

c) regular old corn

We want our plots to really be at peak development around end of october early nov. with the tillable acreage crops coming down then. I am leaning towards the corn.

[Phil from Maine]

I'm not sure what you are plotting for ? But if it is for deer I would go with a, clover. With what sounds like alot of farms around I would want to give them something different that will stay green longer when the cold fall weather starts in. Also might want to try turnips as the tops stay green for along time. If it is for birds check out www.HabitatNow.com as they have millet and other things that can be used. And good Luck

[Redneck Bill]

There is a lot of corn,soy beans and winter wheat planted around me.I have had my best luck planting winter Rye around the 1st of September.
I am experimenting with Canola and Chicory this year to see how well it holds up during the Summer drought and how well the deer like it.If it isn't doing well by september I will till it under and go back to the Rye.I use a lot of 12-12-12- fertilizer.

Bill

[Cougar Mag]

Matt, are there any farmers in the area that plant clover or alfalfa, as in anyone in the area raising cattle? If not I would think about planting alfalfa, that should be a magnet.

[Redneck Bill]

Matt;
You can never go wrong with clover,I haven't tried Ladino,but the deer love White Dutch Clover and Trefoil.I had a problem with an Alfalfa planting when I tried to resseed it after it thined out,following drought and heavy grazing.The autotoxicity of the adult plants woulden't allow new seeds to germinate.I just planted some Turnips in an experimental plot to see how well they do.I keep trying different stuff hoping to find something I can plant in the spring and it will last through gun season.So far,I haven't found anything to beat a Sep planting of Winter Rye,heavily fertilized with Tripple 12,and the seed is a lot cheaper than clover.

Bill

Bill