You can catch up with update 4 and it's links to the begining here: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1568549

I went into my food plot to check on it and mow/weed where necessary. The clovers were too high for my mower deck so I mowed the perimeter and trails into and out of. I took my weed wacker along and I ran it over the tops of the clovers to hack off the weeds that were growing. All in all the clovers are fantastic except the wet areas, the weeds are growing somewhat and the brassicas, rapes, turnips are almost nonexistant. Will the clovers choke them out or will they grow up under the cover of the clovers?

I did find one good one and took a pic. Looking hard you can find them so either they are being choked out or the deer cleaned them out.

Here's the latest set of pics.

Looking toward the treestand, you can see the opening in the trees where the treestand goes. I'll hang it in Sept.



Here's a shot of what the clovers look like. They are higher than my ankle and too high for my mower deck. You can also see how the field might otherwise look and the trail I mowed from the woods. It's a natural trail the deer have used for years. That is the landowners rifle house.



Close up of the turnip(?) and clovers...





And a shot of the trail that leads from the bedding area and where I drive in and out. Again, it's a the trail the deer have used for years and what the field would otherwise look like.





I figure I will check it again late next month, and add my trail camera somewhere. I'll then hang my stands in Sept and check my camera and maybe move the camera....I'm counting the days to the opener....

I'm disappointed that the rapes, turnips and brassicas didn't really come on. Next year I think I'll disc an area that is not thick with clover and plant more. Of course I'll lime it over winter so it's prime for spring. What do you guys think?

Looks good to me, you should have some good hunting this fall. I would get that camera up and see whats hitting it. There does seem to be a lot of grass coming up, there is a herbicide you can use that will only kill the grass but its name escapes me for the moment......dabow

sethoxydim willkill grasses and won't hurt your clovers/broadleafs. it's expensive (in my opinion), and it takes about 2 weeks for the grass to turn brown. but it works. i used it in my clover plots with success.

The grass killer I suggest to clover growers is Arrest. I use one almost every spring to cover my 1/2 acre plot of clover. It works great. The sethoxydim only comes in gallons and I'll never use that muchup. I think I pay $22.00. My grandsonson orders it from the Whitetail Institute. I don't have their number but you can find it on the net.

Same active ingredient but you don't need to buy the big quantity. Give it a try. I've used it two years now and it gets rid of 99% of the grass within 2-4 weeks.

POP

Thanks guys, I'll watch the weed growth and make sure to try your suggestions. This has been a fun project but I'm yet to see any real sign of browsing. Of course there are bean fields nearby and when they are young, beans are hit hard. I understand my clovers will be more effective when the beans age. I'm hoping that's the case come Oct, Nov.