Food Plots
03-02-2009, 09:03 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 18
Food Plots
Does anyone have any good info on planting small food plots, like when to plant, what to plant, how much to plant.
Me and a buddy of mine are planning on fixing some small plots for the summer and hopefully they will carry on over into the fall.
Me and a buddy of mine are planning on fixing some small plots for the summer and hopefully they will carry on over into the fall.
03-03-2009, 12:34 PM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Person Co. NC
Posts: 884
RE: Food Plots
When to plant depends on what you plant, which also depends on where you plant. How much to plant is up for debate ranging from 2-10% of the property. I like 5% for a easy estimate.
Where do you live?
Here is some big help for the mid south http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/PB1743.pdf
Where do you live?
Here is some big help for the mid south http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/PB1743.pdf
03-03-2009, 08:22 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 18
RE: Food Plots
I live in the southern part of North Carolina, near Fayettville. One place that we are planning on planting is a dark and somewhat wet soil and the other is a loose wet area near a river bottom. So far we've picked out perrenial plus and added chicory and some Imperial clover. I also thought about planting some turnips cause I heard that the deer really liked them and that they were cheap.
03-04-2009, 05:39 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Person Co. NC
Posts: 884
RE: Food Plots
Poor draining soil is going to be tough for most anything. Clover likes moisture better than most things. You can plant clover/chicory now if you hurry. You could also wait till first of sept and plant it. I've personally had better results in the fall with clover and chicory. Make sure the area you have gets atleast 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. Lots of folks plant under a heavy forest canopy and cant figure out why the plots not growing. Keep the deer off of a small plot till it gets established or they will kill it before you get a good stand.
03-04-2009, 05:56 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Person Co. NC
Posts: 884
RE: Food Plots
Oh, and the turnips. Deer love them in the middle of winter, usually after hunting season is out(atleast where I am, season's over jan 1). I tried them a few years ago and the deer didn't touch them untill january, then tore em up until spring broke.Turnips aregood to help a herd get through winter, but not so good for a hunting spot.
03-04-2009, 10:02 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Person Co. NC
Posts: 884
RE: Food Plots
Ought to be a good weekend to do it. I'll be stuckin a booth at the dixie deer classic all weekend, if you get a chance come see us(dorton arena side)!
I think a good clover/chicory mix for NC is 5 lbs of ladino(or duranaor patriot)clover and3 lbs of chicory per acre. The red clovers are usually annuals so I don't like to use them, unless you want to do it every year. I'm not a big fanof the pre-mixed foodplots in a bag, but it will work if its what you got. I've had plots of clover and chicory last up to6 years before Iseeded them again. The lastcouple droughts have been tough on them though.
I think a good clover/chicory mix for NC is 5 lbs of ladino(or duranaor patriot)clover and3 lbs of chicory per acre. The red clovers are usually annuals so I don't like to use them, unless you want to do it every year. I'm not a big fanof the pre-mixed foodplots in a bag, but it will work if its what you got. I've had plots of clover and chicory last up to6 years before Iseeded them again. The lastcouple droughts have been tough on them though.