When is it to late to plant a food plot?
 

I know it is getting late, but is it to late to plant a food plot? We have a lake that dried up this year and we weren't sure if it would flood. However, it is probably not going to take on water this year so we are considering planting a plot. Last year we planted millet around the waters edge for duck season in late August and had a fantastic crop. I was wondering if it is to late to plant turnips or clover this year that would benefit deer. This ground is located in the Illinois River bottoms and is approximately 200 yards from the river. Thoughts?

RE: When is it to late to plant a food plot?
 

I've planted fall annual plots as late as the second weekend in September for fall hunting plots. And I'm quite a ways North of you. It's not too late.
Brian

RE: When is it to late to plant a food plot?
 

You still have plenty of time and there are loads of different crops you can put in there. Most of the seed companies make fall blends but sometimes they are a little pricy. A cheaper solution is to read one of these blends label for ingredients and ask your local feed & seed dealer for similiar seeds and mix it yourself. A simple solution is a wheat/rye grass which will do quite well during fall and winter and you can even mix in like snow peas or austrian pea blend which deer love and they alsodo great through the winter. Some of your seeds (rye, timothy, wheat) are very small and to get the best coverage you can mix the seeds with 50-100lbs of sand. This will help prevent throwing all your seed out too quickly and not getting as much coverage as you would like. If it is your first planting I would overseed the area, just throw an extra few pounds of seed into the mix. Local feed & seed stores are an excellent way to find out what worksgood in your region (aska farmer).

RE: When is it to late to plant a food plot?
 

We are still geting milo in the ground in Kansas. Makes for a good chap food plot. Winter wheat is good also if we would get some rain.

RE: When is it to late to plant a food plot?
 

i don't plan on putting anything in until mid august. I am located in NE wisconsin