food plot instructions
 

i hunt in northern ky and have never had a place to do food plots. I now have a new lease and next season i would like to do something next to a creek bottom... Obviously above flood level. The are now has real tall grass growing and I plan on bush hogging and tillin about an acre area to do a food plot. What kinda product do you guys reccommend and how do i go about doing it. Already have clover behind me naturally by the way. Thanks

SOIL SAMPLE SOIL SAMPLE SOIL SAMPLE
after ya get the results back, you can either find something that will go well with your soil, or you can lime it and do alot of other fertilizers to get the dirt where you need it.

Ditto on getting a soil sample,then You need to decide what You want to plant there and in which season,early spring or fall or possibly both depending on what you plant?I'm a firm believer in the Brassicas/Rape and Turnips in the Fall even a little winter wheat or foraging oats to help with some growth in the Spring time.

so whats the best brand you guys are finding

Get the soil sample as soon as you can. Correct the pH for sure as soon as you can. Because your plot is "only" about 1 acre, consider using a fast acting pelleted lime. This product works great and is easily spread with a standard pull behind spreader. It is however a good deal more expensive that bulk "ag lime". If you can manage the work, about mid June over-spray with Round-Up. Generic stuff like Eraser works great and is usually less costly than Monsanto's labeled product. If your plot has saplings or heavy with briars in it, I suggest adding about 2-4-D to the mix. After 3-4 weeks, what is going to be killed should be dead and dry. Bush-hogging will be easier. Then again about 2 weeks before you plan to disk the field, repeat the application of Round-Up. This should break the seed cycle and reduce the fall weed competition to a minimum.

Go to your local USDA extension agency or check with maybe U. Kentucky's web site for suggestions of what to plant in your area. I have found local seed mixes are big time better as far as germination and survival, and 50% or less costly than the nationally advertised so called "monster buck" blends. I must be fair and add that several of my friends that have smaller food plots use these products with excellent success. For example the mix I used this fall was $15/50# and contained 3 grains and 1 clover that grows great in SE Alabama. I added to the mix a few more pounds of Crimson clover which does well here, and turnips just for grins. Problem with turnips is once they are frozen hard the roots rot and they are of no value. So it is a gamble. I also use 13/13/13 for the fertilizer at a rate of 200#/acre. That is what my soil test suggested for game food plots. I would estimate that between the herbicide, seeds and fertilizer I am probably at about $125/acre not counting the cost of the ATV sprayer, pull behind spreader and fuel.

Buck Forage Oats