I think you left out one of the biggest things>
ALL folks should do a soil test first< , 10 bucks, cheap to do and can save you a LOT of money with its REAL results of what the soil is
you can NOT have a proper PH and many things will NOT grow or have very poor takes,
next will be , adding the correct amount of fertilizer, as this stuff isn't cheap, no need to add more than you really need!
NOT spending the 10 bucks on a soil test is rather silly when you look at the amount of time and cash you will invest in a food plot!
a plot done right, will last a lot longer too, so, its a crazy step to skip, all the more so if your doing plot on land that hasn't been used before
Even on sites that have had other crops on, a soil test is a big plus, as all crop add's take nutrients out of the soil, or add some, , so things change all the time, why gamble with your money and time??