SE Virginia food plot question
 

I live in Yorktown,VA and im about to plant a late summer, early fall food plot but was wondering what would be the best seed to use? Ive never done this before so this is all new to me. I was looking at bass pro's website and they have a bag of throw & grow that a few friends of mine have tried and they said it works ok but not the best. Another person mentioned a bag called "Hot Spot" is also a good mixture for the price. Any info. on what would be my best bet in my area and this time of the year would be great.

A little background on the soil pH, fertility, or at least the site conditions and field history would be useful.

Hours of sunlight, acreage of the plot (if overgrazing is an issue) and time frame when peak attraction is desired is also good. Also what equipment do you have to work with?

"Soybeans edge out tobacco for the number two position, providing about 5% of the state's total agricultural receipts. Tobacco generates around 4% of total receipts. Other field crops grown in Virginia are hay, cotton, wheat, peanuts, and barley.

Tomatoes and corn for grain are other major crops grown in Virginia.

Other important vegetable crops grown in the state are potatoes, snap beans, cucumbers, and sweet corn.

Leading fruits grown in Virginia include apples and grapes."

found this...
from it i would do peanuts...
deer love em here, and they survive the cold and can be eatin in winter.
soy being number 1 leaves alot of soy fields they can pick at all winter...
yours would just be another...
if ya have the candy, what ever the deer yurn for.....ben and jerrys hafbaked for me..., then ya get some real bruisers, cause they will fight to keep the little guys out of their stash.
hard to figure out whats few and far between that the deer want real bad.
i never talked to a deer before.......ok i have, but they never answer....so i really dont know.

sorry guys i guess i should of said that this isnt gonna be a huge food plot in a filed or anything like that. im actually just trying to make a small food plot where i bow and still hunt. its mainly gonna be used for my 7yr.old so he can try to take his first deer this year and be able to see some deer action. i have about 3/4 of a acre that im gonna till up and make a food plot. i havent taken any samples but i actually had a small garden in a portion of this spot im gonna use and in the garden i had cucumbers, tomatoes and a few rows of corn. so i would imagine i shouldnt have any problem growing something in there. and yes if you are wondering it is in my back yard, thats why i was wondering about the thrown and grow and the secret spot.

hoss- the spot i plan on using butts up to the edge of the hardwoods and is in sunlight about half the day or so, and i can get my hands on any peice of equipment i would ever need, all my family is into farming and i got a friend that works for carter cat and they do rentals there and he can use any equipment he needs.. but with what im doing my buddy has a kubota tractor with all the attachments we need and is actually coming over tomorrow to start on the grading for me

If you have the stuff to do it right, skip the throw and grow mixes. Buy a bag of oats, and mix in 10-15 lbs of crimson clover (from local feed store or order online). After tilling broadcast the oats and pack. Then broadcast the clover and pack. I like a soil test, but a ton of line on a new plot that size is probably a safe bet. Also, probably needs 300 lbs if 10-20-20 fertilizer.

If you want to make it a perennial plot, just add 5lbs of durana clover. It is a slow starter. You will not see it this year, but it will be there by next fall.

For early bow season try some LAB LAB. I planted some at a spot behind my house the Deer prefered it over Soybeans or Cow peas. If you can afford it the peanuts would be awesome if its not too late in the season for them.

people were tellin us that too...we just got the soil test, and low and behold, we didnt need anything but a lil trip 13 fer grins. the soil was fine and our plot took off, where it was getting watered anyways.

thanks for the info guys, im gonna check out a few things and see what i can do.. might try 2 things and see how they both work. might be a stupid question, but where or how do i do a soil test? is there a kit or do you have to take a sample and send it off?

That's why we do em halfbaked. Not only does it make sure your plants get what they need, it can save you some money doing it.

VA soil test here... http://www.soiltest.vt.edu/soiltest.html

Will cost you $10 but it will either save you that much trouble or money guaranteed.