Need some advice on plan...

[ir655]

I went down and checked the area I put out a Biologic food plot mix, which is mainly grazing wheat and other stuff mixed in. It looks like a failure...I have the photo's you can see. I am just going to see what happens to it by the end of this season. I was down there and spread another 50lb bag of seed to fill in the "empty" gaps, just waiting for some rain.

Here are the pictures from the plot and a "plan" picture.



Plot starts by that pole and goes down towards me (where I was standing while taking this shot)


They are obviously around, and I have even seen them graze on it...


It looks like it is dying, I don't know...


Here is my "plan" picture, please fill in what you would do or even suggestions!


If the lower half of the plot seems to die, I might just put out corn and other "mixes" to attract them in there?

[Rob in VT]

Is it BioLogic's "Green Patch Plus" you put down? The third photo shows clover coming up and the grass looks like wheat or oats. Remember that this takes a while to get established (the clover) and the second year will look 10 times better than it does right now. How big is the plot? An additional 50 pounds is alot to put down. Give it some time. This stuff is expensive and you don't want to waste it.

Legumes (clover) needs about 4 hours of sun light a day. Your plot is pretty narrow and the tall pines seen to shad the edges. This could cause the edges not to grow as well as the middle. How is the plot orientated? Does it run North - South or East - West? If possible, it's a good idea to run your plots N-S so the can get the most sun light possible. You may want to cut back the pines 30 to 50 yards on each side. This will allow natural browse (berry bushes, etc.) to grow along the edges of the plot and provide a little cover. Keep your stands on the down wind side as this is the side the bucks will cruise looking for doe.

[ir655]

ORIGINAL: Rob in VT

Is it BioLogic's "Green Patch Plus" you put down? The third photo shows clover coming up and the grass looks like wheat or oats. Remember that this takes a while to get established (the clover) and the second year will look 10 times better than it does right now. How big is the plot? An additional 50 pounds is alot to put down. Give it some time. This stuff is expensive and you don't want to waste it.

Legumes (clover) needs about 4 hours of sun light a day. Your plot is pretty narrow and the tall pines seen to shad the edges. This could cause the edges not to grow as well as the middle. How is the plot orientated? Does it run North - South or East - West? If possible, it's a good idea to run your plots N-S so the can get the most sun light possible. You may want to cut back the pines 30 to 50 yards on each side. This will allow natural browse (berry bushes, etc.) to grow along the edges of the plot and provide a little cover. Keep your stands on the down wind side as this is the side the bucks will cruise looking for doe.

Thank you for the input Rob. I guess giving it some time will also show what is going to happen to it. The plot runs N-S and I am not sure about the measurements, but it is inbetween the powerlines. I know for sure that they get sunlight, a couple of hours at least. I will try to push the edge back some, but think I will wait until later when we go in to thin the woods out. Once again, thank you very much for the input, very helpful!

[farm hunter]

Looks like the lower half of the plot has a PH problem. Or maybe its too wet alot of the year. Either way, that part of the plot is a good canidate for a fall plot. The rest could support a perenial like clover. I see some growing, and if you keep it mowed, it may even come to dominate for a while. - It does appear that some grasses are already in the plot - maybe they are in the mix - but the will eventually be the downfall of a clover plot.

Good luck this fall.

[RonM]

Spread a little ferilizer on it, see how it reacts to nutrients, then wait and see, at least you have something there for the deer, you say you have seen them grazing. Wal mart has fert in 40 # bags about $4. a bag , get 8 or 10 and either spin on or winnow on by hand....

[ir655]

Thank you guys very much! When you came to say it might be a "flood" problem, I came to think about when we had Hurricane "Gaston" move right over us about 2 weeks ago. We had HEAVY rain and many areas flooded. I think it might have gotten too much water . But I will also go to wal-mart to get the fertilizer, to see how it reacts to that. I am guessing the fertilizer is in pellet "format"? That would be great!

Thanks again gentlemen!

[Hawgnman]

Arman, be careful with the fertilizer. I burnt my clover last year when I applied to much.

[RonM]

Dont overdo dthe fertilizer try 4 or 5 bags , dont burn it up, get it on this week end before the big rains get here, *It will be granulated fertilizer, not pelletized that is usually for lime the pellets, wouldnt hurt to put a little of that on as well...