I'm posting this in the Northeast forum because the deer management forum has alot of southern guys. I just don't think their experiences are all that relavent to me her in upstate NY. I was hoping some of you experienced farmers or food plot users could help me out at little bit. I'd like to plant a few plots this year but I don't know much about agriculture.
I'm good on the soil prep, where things really start to make my head spin is when I try to decide what to plant and when to plant it. I'd likesomething that is easy to grow, will last a few years with little or no re-seeding, and will provide fall & winter forage for deer & turkeys.
Can you guys give me some ideas about what you plant and when you plant it? I do have access to a tractor w/ plow.
Its getting late for corn, unless you get it in, in the next week or so. You can try sunflowers but mine never last Long into the fall.
Clover makes a great plot along with wheat ,yet when the deep snows come, corn is still the best available food .
If you get some 85 day roundup ready corn and get it in in the next week or so you should be alright.
Buck forage or Magnum oats are great for deer once we get our first frost or snow .
As far as summer plots I,d say clover , or chicory . \I had very good luck with clover .
After its planted and gets around 6 inches or so I mow it down to bought 4 inches .
Seams to help it grow and last around 3 or more years .
I,m trying out the chicory this year I herd a lot of good things abought it .
Mines been planted for abought a month now .
I like the annual dew to them growing every year with litle maintanance '
I have planted some clover and timothy grass up here. I want to keep away from it as much as possible and still have it growing each year. Something the deer will get used to and enjoy during spring and late fall before the snow comes along. Also if you wish to plant it each year you may want to try turnips. They love to go after them during late fall as well..
Straightarrow:
you might want to take a look at this website(if ya hav'nt already) it's farmingforwildlife.com I joined the thing and get a magazine,,,i really like the articles and i learned a good bit from it on food plots,,,and it's got a style for every wallet,,,from rototilling to the large tractors and small plots on up to 100's of acres
It's never too late for clover but make sure you mow every month or two to keep the weeds from choking it out.
Another option we're experimenting with this year is soybeans with the plan of broadcasting wheat, winter oats and turnips right over them in late summer when they begin to dry up and let light hit the ground again.
Havent tried this yet but heard of it on the web and it sounds like a very feasibleidea for a longer producing plot well into the hunting season
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You can also check into this site for idea on what seeds you may want to purchase either from them or some place else.
Look ay habitatnow and look your area up.. Good Luck with what ever you decide..
Obviously, at this point I think I'm going to be limited to something that can be planted in the summer and/or fall.
Hopefully next spring I can get out early. I got married this May so my spring was pretty much shot.
Any more ideas?
Thanks again!
First,congratulations. May you and your new wife have a happy and prosperous life.[/align][/align]You already got some great recommendations. The only other thing I can add is first get a soil sample.Just take a small hand shovel and take a couple samples from different locations in the area you plan to plant.Then take these sample bags your local county extension office to have the soil tested. Good luck![/align]
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I have been experimenting with plot for the past few years. My FL ground is surrounded by hundreds of acres of corn and beans which can't really be beat but the key is finding something that is green to suppliment into the fall.I found the the Clover/Alfalfa/ Rape mixes to grow and get hammered the best even with the abundance of food.They are also very high protien sources during key times.Turnip greens got hit good but the deer didn't really seem to care much about the actual turnip so I won't plant those again. If you don't have any soy beans around and have a decent plot area I would highly recommend beans or "deer crack" asI like to call them, deer can't resist from whatI have observed. I should mention I have tested all plantings both from the fingerlakes region of NY, to my homerange of Malone in the extreme northern are of NY where growth is the tricky part
Food Plots for the Northeast
