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Year 2 food plot question

Old 07-27-2017, 06:46 AM
  #1  
Spike
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Default Year 2 food plot question

Hey guys,

I had an awesome food plot last year thanks to stuff I read on this site!

In the summer last year I sprayed roundup and mowed down to bare dirt to prep the plot. I sent my soil off to get tested, and then after a hunt club member dished my small woods clearing (a pine plantation log loading deck) , I added the recommended rates of fertilizer and lime, and then seeded 2 Lbs Durana Clover seed and 10 lbs Winter Rye (wintergrazer 70) seed in the last week of September before 3 days of heavy rains. It attracted deer/bear/rabbits/bobcats/yotes/turkey all season long starting with Muzzleloader 5 weeks later and I killed my first two deer ever over it.

Now the clover is doing great!

Here is my question - Can I add another 10 lbs Winter Rye to it again? Or should I let it be pure clover this year?
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:04 AM
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Spike
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Also:

Last year the VA Tech Coop Extension told me the following recommendations:

Tested @ VT in August:
Soil pH 5.0
Recommendations:
3.5 Tons Lime / AC
40 LB N, 170 LB P, 160 LB K per Acre


I applied as recommended.

Should I follow that same recommendation this year to maintain the plot? Or should i soil test again? I understand that Clover fixes nitrogen into the soil, so maybe I shouldn't just apply the same fertilizers again?
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:06 AM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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yes you can ad it if you like, but I honestly wouldn't, I'd rather just clover, far too many guy struggle to get JUST clover, but its your plot addd what you like

YOU might want to so another soil test, as lime and fertilizer is not a one time thing, you need to keep spoil at a happy use able rate for things to continue to grow, thus many times need to add more lime or??

you can also try adding a little turnip or rape seed(brassicia) very cheap at a agway type store and sold by the lb, I'd suggest getting some that produces a bulb, and lightly broadcasting in a part of your plot, it will grow and last longer into winter for you, making plot more desirable to your deer later in, will also make a bulb, which if any make it to next spring will help add some food for your clover, as it breaks down, like in a compost pile LOL

food plotting is a thing, with NO end of options, have fun and enjoy
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:16 AM
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I will second what Mr BB said with the exception I would do a soil sample first before adding anything else. Could save you some money not adding something in either the amount you think it will need or if it doesn't actually need it. I am all about saving a buck here and there to put to use in another area.
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Old 07-27-2017, 08:54 AM
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You can tell a lot by how your plot looks. It is a learning process, being able to spot, identify disease and nutrient problems. I have a book with good color pictures of typical diseases and nutrient deficiencies.

I usually mix my plots, if one plant doesn't do well I have a backup. I mix by sections, the good sections usually take over eventually. I call it my shotgun approach.

I've never been able to keep a Clover plot going for more than few years. I eventually have to plow and reseed. Either it dies off or something undesirable takes over. Likely the varieties I get here.

Most of my plots need extra iron (and fixer) eventually. Not something you'd normally be able to spot without a little research.
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Old 07-27-2017, 09:22 AM
  #6  
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I have been lazy about my approach. Read books on how to do it right. Finally got it to grow when I opened up the area, and made lots of firewood.

My clover and chicory came back up this year, so I throw some down on barespots. My goal is year round attractio, help them out a bit. Plus don't have to have bait out constantly. Plus something that comes back every year.


I tried a couple major brands. Probably didn't have enough light. Fleet Farms is what is working for me. It is just seed. They are all getting it somewhere.

If it keeps growing, I'll be lazy about it. If it struggles will need to look at testing soil, lime, and fertilizer. But the clover seems to grow easy. But at somepoint will probably want something else.
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Old 07-27-2017, 10:14 AM
  #7  
Spike
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Hopefully I can post this pic. Just showing you what I have (approx 3000 sq ft) so you see what I am talking about. It isn't exactly a lush clover forest.

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Old 07-27-2017, 10:16 AM
  #8  
Spike
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Guess I will not be able to post the photo until I have 10 posts.

Thanks for the comments so far. I also found that the VA coop has an option on the form for "Maintenance" of a crop in addition to just Establishment, so I will dig some dirt up on Saturday and mail it in.
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Old 07-27-2017, 11:14 AM
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Spike
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Here is part of the plot last year a couple weeks before the muzzleloader open with Winter Rye and clover.

I have 3000 sq ft (1/20th of an acre) planted.



Here is what my clover looks like now:

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Old 07-27-2017, 01:27 PM
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I'd start with a soil test there, it also looks like your pretty darn dry there, you can see the clover is doing best in the shades area,m that I gather is holding moisture better?

if soil PH isn;t right seeding will just be a waste of time and money
a soil test cost 10 bucks(biologic)

been planting food plots since 1988 , and been part time farming even longer!

cannot make anything grow if soil isn;t right, next will be weather, and from there, you at the mercy of sunlight(shade) and browsing from wildlife or the likes, too much browsing and your going to stress a plant out and it will die on you!

as for looking at plants and guessing what they need, its like looking at the sky and guessing what time it is
I don't mean to sound like an ass here saying this
but a plant can have all the right soil PH and look BAD off or?? from over browsing, too much or too little sun, being mowed too often or NOT at all, be an OLD crop(clover has a time life when its good to going south)
weather can again stress it, like can browsing
the SAME sign's you see from many things, so guessing, is all your doing
that 10 bucks on a soil test rules out ONE thing, NO guessing there, after that, its again back to guessing, but a much more educated guess when you can rule some things out, or things you can control, like mowing, seeing how much rain or not, or sunlight or not, and so on
to make the guess more accurate!

a small plot like your's can get over browsed real fast, and unless you fence it off and save it for hunting season, might not be much you can do to keep it at a prime, you can for sure give it the best chance again by giving it what you can
but its hard to hold small plots like that, due to things eating it all the time, things just get stressed out and not enough there to give plants a break from being eaten all the time

so that will be a problem for you I think?
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