I have already picked out a good spot for next season, in between a thicket and a hay field, the deer dont always venture out into the hay field and it is not and option for me to plant in anyway, so on the thicket side, I have one pine big enough for a stand, everything else is skinny tall and thick, but in front of this pine is about a 20yd X 20yd opening with plenty of sunlight, I want to plant a thick and Effective food plot in this space. Right now it is nothing but broom sage and those tall weeds that feel like twigs...(?).

I dont really want to go to the extremes of a PH test, just thought i would lime a fertilize generously. What i would like from you food plot guys is to know How to plant, when to plant, and what to plant. (i.e. what kinda of fertilizer, seed... etc) I want to plant something for spring and fall if possible. Guys i know nothing about food plots, i just want something small and effective, where i can see the growth and results, I would greatly appreciate any help and I'm probably a little late getting started but if still possible i start right away.Detadetailed pictures will be provided as i progress, I just wanna try something new and see how it works. Thanks guys.

Here is the way my favorite plot is set up. About 4 years ago when I planted my fall mixture of rye, wheat and oats I planted a little Crimson Clover and completely covered the plot with Yuchi Arrowleaf Clover. Now about the end of January the clover starts coming up as the cereal grain is phasing out for the year. Right now the clover is about 6 inches high, just right for a supplement feed as the bucks will soon be sheding their antlers and the deer are coming off of winter. I don't mow the clover, and by September it will be waist high (I know I probably should mow) and in the fall it gets disc in when I plant again (I planted Buck Forage Oats there the last two years). I think the clover helps build the soil up.

I would not skip the soil test. It is the single most important thing to make your food plot a success. It is not expensive at all either.

Why don't you want to do it? Without it you are just guessing what to put on it.

Yeah the soil sample is the most simplest and important of a successful food plot. Take a shovel and a bucket out there, collect soil a few inches down from about 5 spots in that size plot, mix it together, and pull out a enough to fill a quart zip loc bag. Take to the soil and water conservation office in your area and they will test it. Around here it's less than 5 bucks for the basics, tells me the ph and p, and k. In you boat I would plant a fall hunting plot. So there is plenty of time to work on this know and be ready to plant in Aug, Sep range.

Yep, don't skip the soil test. If the soil happens to already have a suitable pH, say 6.0 or better, then you will be wasting time and money to apply lime that is not needed. Conversely, if the pH is too low, the fertilzer you apply will not provide the nutrients the plants need resulting in a minimal to nothing plot...again wasted time and money that a simple test can resolve for you.