Buck Magnet

Hey guys,

Today I purchased my seeds for the food plot that I am going to plant this spring. After talking to the PGC last night to make sure it was legal to hunt over a food plot (the regulations book is sketchy on this), I decided to do it and do it right.

Here is what I got.

4.25 lbs of Imperial Alfa-Rack alfalfa/clover blend. It has 30% protein.

Here are some specs on it,

15.4% is Mariner Alfalfa
15.4% is Excaliber Alfalfa
15.4% is Resistar Alfalfa
10.11% is Advantage Ladino Clover
9.49% is Multicut Berseem Clover
.20% is other crop seed
33.90% is inert matter
.10% is weed seed
33.80% is coating material
0.0% noxious weeds

I also got 4lbs of Pro-Vide Clover & Chickory. It is a blend for turkey and deer. It has 30% protein.

29.70% is Calipso Berseem Clover
19.83% is Tripoli White Clover
19.83% is Menna White Clover
9.96% is Forage Feast Chickory
0.05% is other crop seed
20.63% is inert matter (including 20.4% coating)
00.00% is weed seed
No noxious weed seed

And I also bought 2.5lbs of New Zealand Shot Plot Forage Attractant. It is the highest crude protein mix avaliable at 38%. It grows to 24" tall in 45 days.

It is
24.99% is Rangi Rape
24.97% is Rangiora Rape
19.98% is Barnpoli Rape
14.96% is Sampson Turnip
14.95% is Barkant Turnip
00.00% is other crop seed
00.11% is inert matter
00.04% is weed seed
No noxious weed seed.

These seeds can all be planted for either spring/summer or fall/winter growth. I will be planting mine in mid April so they will be used in the fall/winter. They are all perenial seeds that will last about 5 years without any maintance.

I am pretty happy with what I got, and I was under budget. I didn't want to spend more than $100.00 and I only spent $71.99

Hopefully this stuff works as well as the guy at the local seed store said. I can't wait to try it out though.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet



Check out my hunting PICS here http://community.webshots.com/user/buckmagnet

Dan O.

Buckmagnet; I don't think the rape and turnip are perennials. Has anyone had any experience this way?

Dan O.

Buck Magnet

Dan.

I was just reading what the packages said. I have no idea about alot of plants. The guy I talked to at the local seed store said that he had tried all three of these on his farm and they worked great in his soil without lime.

I am sure that I will be on here in the near future getting more information. I still have to purchase a PH test and use that. Then, I will have to get my lime and lime the field according to the results. Also, I know that I am going to have to fertilize the plot too.

Here are a few of the questions that I can already think of.

Does the fertilizer have to be a certain type? Could I go out to Wal-Mart and pick up a bag of lawn fertilizer and use that?

Also, do I have to use a certain type of lime on the field? Also, what is an average price for lime?

The area I am planting isn't an area where deer normally feed, but, they cross on it every night, should I put up a fence around the entire plot for the first couple weeks to allow it to grow good before I let the deer start eating it?

How often should I fertilize the plot?

The bags say to plant the seeds 3/16-4/16" below the surface. Could I just till and smooth the ground, spread the seed on, then put a thin layer of top soil over the whole thing?

If you guys have any tips, please e-mail me at [email protected] there is an underscore between jason and lowmaster

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet



Check out my hunting PICS here http://community.webshots.com/user/buckmagnet

Rob in VT

I think most clovers require a pH of around 6.5. In Vermont lime is pretty cheap. Pellets are around $4.00 for a 40 pound bag. Granulated and pulverized lime are $2.50 for a 50 pound bag. I guess the pulverized can be harder to put down, especially on windy days.

I think others will answer you fertilzer and planting questions.

. . . Rob

1sagittarius

If I am reading that correctly, you spent $72 on 11 lbs of seed.

You may not want to tell anyone you did that.

Alfalfas run .....$1.50 - $3.00/lb
Clovers ..........$1.00 - $2.50/lb
rapes/turnips ....$0.70 - $2.50/lb
a $6 bag of inoculant will do 50 lbs of legumes (clovers, alfalfa, beans, trefoil, each use a different inoculant)

Get a soil test and fertilze accordingly. You will most likely need 2-8 tons of lime per acre, 150 lbs of phosphorus and 200 lbs of potassium per acre. Disk this in if you can, or top dress about 1/4 each year.

Add 50 lbs of nitrogen per acre for the rapes/turnips.

This site has seed for 2.5x less than you paid..... Good luck.

http://www.alseed.com/

farm hunter

Buck Magnet - I know you have been planning food plots for some time - and its great to hear you've made the move to get some planted!

You seem to know your way around a computer - make sure you spend some time researching the topic on the net before you ever plant one seed - you'll be glad you did.

That said - make sure that you do the soil test - The next most important considerations are following the fertilizer & lime recommendations of the test - Next, is to prepare a level, weed free, seedbed, next is to seed JUST PRIOR, or in a rain.

This site will help you to maintain the plot - be sure you have a way to mow a clover plot at least 2 times a year.

Spend some time researching the planting process - I'll bump a post I made a while back that will provide you with links - you can also find others on the same sites if you look.

Good luck, keep us informed, and do not be afraid to ask questions.

Buck Magnet

Thanks guys. I have been reading up on this stuff all over the internet. I have e-mailed QDMA, Imperial Clover, and a couple other sites that deal with food plots to get there tips and suggestions. I am just waiting for them to reply now.

I still have got awhile till I am gonna plant this, probablly mid-late April.

I have the tools to be able to make a good seed bed, plant it, and keep it up.

I'll keep you guys posted on things.

Thanks farmhunter for the links.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet



Check out my hunting PICS here http://community.webshots.com/user/buckmagnet

SUSQHANNA CO TURKEY HUNTER

BM:
Looks like you got some very good stuff. But depending upon the size of your plots the first year the grow may be alittle thin. From what I see you have around 11 pounds of seeds. Just to let you know if you are going by what the packages say such as 4lbs covers 1 acres the plots will be thin the first year. For all intensive purposes to get good full coverage of a plot the best advice is to double the amount on the plot. We have been doing plots for over 5 years and we have learned if you what good coverage and no weeds to grow, you need to over seed your plots.

Dan O is correct turnips and rape are perennials they will need to be reseeded each year.

Your best bet for good results is to also lime and fert. your plots before you seed. Your local agway should beable to get you the corrct fert. just tell them you are planting clover and they should give you the correct stuff. As far as planting the seed you can basically just till up the soil and spread the seed, you really don't have to cover the seed with much if any at all. We don't .

What part of PA are you from? By the way.

Keepum In The Kill Zone!

Buck Magnet

Thanks guys, The packages say that they will each pant 1/2 acre. So, we figured that somewhere between doubling the seed amount and the "normal" amount would be good, thats how my friend and I figured on about an acre to plot.

Thanks again guys, I am buying a PH tester after I get off work Friday, well, its past midnight, so, I guess today. I figure that I have already put enough money into it, why not put a little more into it. Plus, I am going to go see what I can do about killing off the yard grass right now, if there is any way, with it still being safe to plant in April.

Keep the info comming guys, I have learned alot from this and really appreciate it.

P.S. I am from Indiana County in the southerwestern part of the state.

Good Luck This Season: Buck Magnet



Check out my hunting PICS here http://community.webshots.com/user/buckmagnet

Dan O.

Buck Magnet; forget the pH meter, you need a complete soil analysis. The pH meter will only tell you what pH you have, not how much lime to add. The soil test(s) will also tell you what other nutrients are required. Legumes (alfalfa, clover) need large amounts of P and K to grow well. As well as the correct innoculants.

Dan O.