Throw & Grow
 

Well, deer season is right around the corner for us South Carolinians. I'm gonna go ahead and get started prepping my deer sites by trying to grow a few personal-sized food plots. A little background on me and my situation... I hunt on a farely large lease in a swampy area. I don't have access to a tractor, 4-Wheeler, or anything like that. I suppose I could rent a push tiller and use that if it's absolutely necessary. But I was just going to clear a small patch with a rake and maybe hoe the soil a little.

I was just looking for something I could use without liming the soiland constantly tending to it. Would this throw & grow stuff be worth it?

Also, what's a good fertilizer to use once they plants start growing a few inches?

RE: Throw & Grow
 

my uncle uses the Imperial Whitetail No-till stuff andit works great. he just uses a brush-hog and then rakes it until he gets bare dirt then just throws the seeds on it. he comes back a couple weeks later and waters it just so it doesnt dry up

RE: Throw & Grow
 

Clover grows just about anywhere and you don't want to cover with soil, just throw on top...Go to Southern States and get white ladino, it would be best to plant in the fall...

RE: Throw & Grow
 

out of all the "throw and grow" i've used, i've learned it's pretty much a waste of money (atleast the "throw & Gro" brand is). the only thing that came up was the rye and it was few and far between.

RE: Throw & Grow
 

Same here,No luck whatever and I am a retired farmer
RC

RE: Throw & Grow
 

I'll give it a shot and see what happens. I think I'll just use a heavy rake to disturb the ground a bit and then you a fertilizer thrower to disperse the seed. I figure I'll come back out every couple of days and give them some moisture if it doesn't rain. But it has been raining lately. Then when they start to show a little, I'll spread some fertilizer on them. Hopefully it will work.

RE: Throw & Grow
 

Soil, seasons, etc. are much different down there but you may be able to just scrape the soil up a little and throw turnip/rape seed down...it grows pretty well without much help and it's a tough plant...can withstand a lot. Only problem is that it's really planted to turn sweet at first frost, but I don't know if that'll ever come down there!

RE: Throw & Grow
 

the best stuff i have used so far is LabLab. do like you mentioned, get a hand tiller and till up a spot. broadcast the LabLab seed throughout your tilled area and use a rake to lightly cover the seeds. then spread some fertilizer, i used Red Fox 12-12-12 which worked like a charm. i didn't bother with liming and measuring the soils pH due to the LabLab being very tolerant of acid soils. within a month all of my plots were green and flourishing.

RE: Throw & Grow
 

Try this if you can. As soon as possible, mow the spots as close to the ground as your mower or a weed eater will handle. Spray the food plot area thoroughly with "Round - Up". Generic such as Eraser will work. Wait a couple of weeks. Go back in a "till' the area as best you can. Take a soil sample and sent it off to be tested for pH. Cost for the lab test is minimal.

Meanwhile, check with your local county ag extension agent or state's ag university for info on what to plant. Clovers, rapes, winter peas etc. are all area specific to some degree. I would not advise you to spend the premium $$$ for commercial "buck clover mixes". I went this route years ago with White Tail Institute's "Alpha Rack" and "Imperial" clover... and tried their no-till product as well. Followed the instructions to the T. I could not even locate a sprig of the "Alpha Rack". The Imperial came up fine, but about 50% or more petered out before the season got rolling. The no-till? What a joke. May as well have seeded with grits (oat meal or cream-of-wheat for you Yankees !!!)

Wasted good hard earned $$$ on a "product" that faired poorly at best and that was later substituted for with a mix of good, local growing stuff for about 30% the cash out lay.

You indicated you have small areas you want to work. I would think that pH correction would be at least affordable using pelletized lime .... and it sounds like you could manage this with what you have at your disposal. It is expensive no dowbt when compared to spreading ag lime, but I think from what you posted, this is a good option. Good Luck !

RE: Throw & Grow
 

Thanks for the great info fellas!!!