Food plot tiny
03-14-2020, 08:50 AM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 16
Food plot tiny
hello folks! I have a small place i’ve tilled by hand! Its a puny spot but i love this little L shaped food plot area! What should i plant? Its in the woods and we have corn all around us! In a few mile radius im thinkinh possibly beans or clover, possibly chickory?
03-14-2020, 01:04 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
honestly it will come down to what the soil PH can actually manage to grow, so, I strongly suggest a soil test here or you can be wasting your time and money trying to plant anything
THEN next, after soil test and TRYING to correct PH to correct level, its NOT going to happen ASAP
so any seeds will not grow that great till soil ph adjusts to be able to support any seeds
and lets NOT forget, that any plot made in the woods, once green up happens(leaves grow on tree's) if plot doesn't get enough sun light, planting again will NOT grow!
its not magic, seeds need proper soil conditions and "X" amount of sun light to grow,(and don;t forget water )
SO< your best bet is, so a soil test(cost like 10 bucks) then se what that says the ground can support, and then plant THAT Seed this yr, and treat soidl to get soem better readings on the next soil test and plant something better that attracts deeer maybe
also keep in mind WHEN do you want this plot to attract deer?
not all plots attract deer at the same time,
clover is a spring/summer and into early fall type of planting, as once a few frosts hit it will stop growing and be less appealing to deer,
BUT from the time it is established till it gets dormant like, it will make a LOT of food
Take like suggested above, Brassicia's( and keep in mind all brassicis's are not the same, there more or less a Rape seed or Tuirnip plant to be honest here too, some make a bulb of sorts and some don't , and most have different growth periods!. some are low amount of days some are longer))
as brassicia will grow and SOME deer might eat on it while growing(most don't as it is bitter till it gets a few frost to sweeten up)
so its more a late season plot, than a plot that yields a ton of food
it also does not regrow once they eat it, like clover is(the difference is between an annual and perennial plant, one is a one time plant and needs to be planted again every yr and one will grow for yrs if conditions allow)
SO< before a answer can be really given here, you have to see
1 what the soil can handle,
2 what your goal is?
do you want to hunt over plot, , and IF SO< what time of yr?
what location are you in to matters here too
or
3, do you just make the most feed, to try and help your deer grow better and find your land more appealing MORE days of the yr!
once you know what the soil can actually grow, and then consider the sunlight the site will get???
you can narrow down seed s that will grow there
from there you pick the seed for the TIMING you want the plot to be most appealing to the deer or??
Chicory tends to be a good balance of things IMO, grows well yr round till it gets dormant , but even then lasts longer than closer will due to being taller
but again, if the soil is NOT at the right PH and nutrients there or added, NO seed will grow, al the more so if NOT enough sunlight is there to make it grow and KEEP growing!!
its why most food plots in woods fail, Lack of sun light after leaves grow!, and poor soil quality!
about 30+ yrs of doing food plots here, and as much time part time farming! so do know a little omn this subject!
more you tell us, better we can help you!
THEN next, after soil test and TRYING to correct PH to correct level, its NOT going to happen ASAP
so any seeds will not grow that great till soil ph adjusts to be able to support any seeds
and lets NOT forget, that any plot made in the woods, once green up happens(leaves grow on tree's) if plot doesn't get enough sun light, planting again will NOT grow!
its not magic, seeds need proper soil conditions and "X" amount of sun light to grow,(and don;t forget water )
SO< your best bet is, so a soil test(cost like 10 bucks) then se what that says the ground can support, and then plant THAT Seed this yr, and treat soidl to get soem better readings on the next soil test and plant something better that attracts deeer maybe
also keep in mind WHEN do you want this plot to attract deer?
not all plots attract deer at the same time,
clover is a spring/summer and into early fall type of planting, as once a few frosts hit it will stop growing and be less appealing to deer,
BUT from the time it is established till it gets dormant like, it will make a LOT of food
Take like suggested above, Brassicia's( and keep in mind all brassicis's are not the same, there more or less a Rape seed or Tuirnip plant to be honest here too, some make a bulb of sorts and some don't , and most have different growth periods!. some are low amount of days some are longer))
as brassicia will grow and SOME deer might eat on it while growing(most don't as it is bitter till it gets a few frost to sweeten up)
so its more a late season plot, than a plot that yields a ton of food
it also does not regrow once they eat it, like clover is(the difference is between an annual and perennial plant, one is a one time plant and needs to be planted again every yr and one will grow for yrs if conditions allow)
SO< before a answer can be really given here, you have to see
1 what the soil can handle,
2 what your goal is?
do you want to hunt over plot, , and IF SO< what time of yr?
what location are you in to matters here too
or
3, do you just make the most feed, to try and help your deer grow better and find your land more appealing MORE days of the yr!
once you know what the soil can actually grow, and then consider the sunlight the site will get???
you can narrow down seed s that will grow there
from there you pick the seed for the TIMING you want the plot to be most appealing to the deer or??
Chicory tends to be a good balance of things IMO, grows well yr round till it gets dormant , but even then lasts longer than closer will due to being taller
but again, if the soil is NOT at the right PH and nutrients there or added, NO seed will grow, al the more so if NOT enough sunlight is there to make it grow and KEEP growing!!
its why most food plots in woods fail, Lack of sun light after leaves grow!, and poor soil quality!
about 30+ yrs of doing food plots here, and as much time part time farming! so do know a little omn this subject!
more you tell us, better we can help you!
03-16-2020, 06:59 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 293
Lots of knowledgeable posts already and a soil sample is a must. I'll add one more opinion based on my experience with my poor soil (pine tree plantation) and my research.
A clover blend is the best I've come up with for my smaller food plots with high acidity. They can be broadcast by hand or spreader on top, regenerate on their own with heavy browsing, and do a good job attracting deer and turkey. Add lime now to your plot, it won't help now but you'll be better off for the fall over seeding.
Here's an article that might be helpful. https://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/bl...need-to-plant/
Brassicas are great but for my small food plots, I find they get browsed so heavy they're gone almost immediately upon coming up.
A clover blend is the best I've come up with for my smaller food plots with high acidity. They can be broadcast by hand or spreader on top, regenerate on their own with heavy browsing, and do a good job attracting deer and turkey. Add lime now to your plot, it won't help now but you'll be better off for the fall over seeding.
Here's an article that might be helpful. https://www.tenpointcrossbows.com/bl...need-to-plant/
Brassicas are great but for my small food plots, I find they get browsed so heavy they're gone almost immediately upon coming up.
Last edited by Coastal Mountaineer; 03-16-2020 at 07:03 AM.
03-16-2020, 10:42 AM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
OK again, before suggesting any seed here, get the soil test and tell us what that says,
as if we recommend a seed and the soil won't allow it to grow and thrive, or it will again be a waste of time and money planting it!
NEXT also, tell us HOW small this plot is, as in MEASUREMENTS of it, don't have to be exact, but try and be close, use a range finder to get measurements if needed, or some tape measures(50-100 ft one's are rather common)
so, is it an 1/8 an acre a 1/16, or ??? larger /smaller???
as again, NOT knowing this info is hard to suggest something that will both grow and LAST till OCT, and or be attractive to deer then as well!
as if we recommend a seed and the soil won't allow it to grow and thrive, or it will again be a waste of time and money planting it!
NEXT also, tell us HOW small this plot is, as in MEASUREMENTS of it, don't have to be exact, but try and be close, use a range finder to get measurements if needed, or some tape measures(50-100 ft one's are rather common)
so, is it an 1/8 an acre a 1/16, or ??? larger /smaller???
as again, NOT knowing this info is hard to suggest something that will both grow and LAST till OCT, and or be attractive to deer then as well!
03-16-2020, 10:47 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West Central Illinois
Posts: 1,099
Soil sample first and foremost. Then strongly consider Imperial Whitetail Clover. I've had a lot of success with it. Maintained properly it will regrow for 5 - 7 years. Years 2 and 3 generally the best. Clover likes sunlight after it is established. Planting timing is very important.
03-16-2020, 11:14 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
Soil sample first and foremost. Then strongly consider Imperial Whitetail Clover. I've had a lot of success with it. Maintained properly it will regrow for 5 - 7 years. Years 2 and 3 generally the best. Clover likes sunlight after it is established. Planting timing is very important.
but again without knowing soil conditions, NO seed will just magically grow and thrive
and if you just BUY seed and plant it, it MIGHT grow for a bit, then die off, and again, just be a waste of money!
same as if this site will end up all shady due to green up and leaves,
over browsing will also be something to think about pending HOW Small the plot is!
if real tiny and has good soil and sunlight, you MIGHT want to consider fencing it off to SAVE it for hunting season!
all food for thought here
here is a link to a deal on soil test kits
best 10 bucks you will, spend here before doing any real work!
https://www.plantbiologic.com/pages/soil-test
03-17-2020, 08:08 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Central VT/Big Horn WY
Posts: 1,532
Soil test is certainly the first thing to do. Also orientation (south facing, north facing, etc), and type of soil (clay, sandy, etc) are all important factors before deciding what to plant. Also do you want a fall plot or a spring/summer plot? Things like alfalfa and clover are generally dead after the first hard frost where brassicas and oats can stand tall into winter months.
I am in Vermont and have a number of plots. I keep all small under 1/4 acre and try to keep soft edges (tall grass/brush) so they deer feel comfortable coming in earlier and in daylight.
Also plan on a good approach and exit to a stand that won’t alert the deer. This is very important.
I prefer fall plantings at my place so I go heavy on brassicas. You can only plant them in the same spot for 2-3 years so I also rotate them with clover. You might want to split your plot in half with two different plants.
Best of luck!
I am in Vermont and have a number of plots. I keep all small under 1/4 acre and try to keep soft edges (tall grass/brush) so they deer feel comfortable coming in earlier and in daylight.
Also plan on a good approach and exit to a stand that won’t alert the deer. This is very important.
I prefer fall plantings at my place so I go heavy on brassicas. You can only plant them in the same spot for 2-3 years so I also rotate them with clover. You might want to split your plot in half with two different plants.
Best of luck!
