Hardy & easy to grow?
10-23-2018, 05:18 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA
Posts: 1,921
Hardy & easy to grow?
What would you all recommend (if anything) as a hardy & easy to grow food plot for deer, bear, & / or turkeys? Something that I can cut to 6-8" high & will still do well. Would cereal Rye be any good? Moderate + sunlight, poor soil (working on it). Really want something that will hold the soil on an eroded slope w/ little maintenance that I can keep cut at 6-8" or so.
10-24-2018, 03:08 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
On my last lease I planted a slope that was too steep for agriculture in wild bird seed mix. I also hauled in piles of small limbs (to small for firewood) from tree removal and built large mounds, Pheasant and Deer.
I also planted Deer Pea Vetch. Vetch is going to take awhile to get going, figure two years. But once it gets going it is both beautiful, good forage and the seed is good for birds.
And the old standby Blackberries. A Blackberry thicket is a wildlife sanctuary. Another multi year project that can really pay off. Every fall I dig up root shoots from an established thicket and plant in containers, compost earth with a dab of fertilizer mixed in. In the spring they grow vigorously. You can also cut new sprouting canes (two feet long) from an existing thicket in the spring and plant them in moss planting soil, keep moist. In a few weeks you have a start that can be planted. Or take the long canes from a thicket an stick the end (growing end tip) in a container with a rock on top in the spring. After a month or so you have a really hardy small plant and root ball. European (late) Blackberries are hardier and more prolific after they are established.
Wild Rose is another, once established that draws a lot of game. The trick is to fence them off until they get established, once they are established they take off.
I personally think mono culture isn't the answer, too much chance of disease, drought or whatever wiping you out. Weeds are called weeds for a reason, the hardiest survive and thrive. IMO diversity is your friend.
I also planted Deer Pea Vetch. Vetch is going to take awhile to get going, figure two years. But once it gets going it is both beautiful, good forage and the seed is good for birds.
And the old standby Blackberries. A Blackberry thicket is a wildlife sanctuary. Another multi year project that can really pay off. Every fall I dig up root shoots from an established thicket and plant in containers, compost earth with a dab of fertilizer mixed in. In the spring they grow vigorously. You can also cut new sprouting canes (two feet long) from an existing thicket in the spring and plant them in moss planting soil, keep moist. In a few weeks you have a start that can be planted. Or take the long canes from a thicket an stick the end (growing end tip) in a container with a rock on top in the spring. After a month or so you have a really hardy small plant and root ball. European (late) Blackberries are hardier and more prolific after they are established.
Wild Rose is another, once established that draws a lot of game. The trick is to fence them off until they get established, once they are established they take off.
I personally think mono culture isn't the answer, too much chance of disease, drought or whatever wiping you out. Weeds are called weeds for a reason, the hardiest survive and thrive. IMO diversity is your friend.
Last edited by MudderChuck; 10-24-2018 at 04:29 AM.
10-24-2018, 07:29 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,743
rye grass, but you have to think about things from more than the EASY to grow side of things
as many things that grow easy and last long with little care, have ZERO real draw to wildlife, to be a HUNTING plot, critters will eat about anything that if growing and after a mowing when things are again new on the ends
but the name of the game in a HUNTING plot, is drawing deer/game when you want top hunt them
and well, now of them are really easy or cheap to upkeep and keep attractive to deer in HUNTING season in most places!
most are honestly seasonal plots., you plant every yr!
have to decide what your overall goal is
as again even a wild field with you planting NOTHING will grow and attract critters to it, just won';t be a BIG draw and odds are if any pressure is in the area at all, it will ALL happen at night!
where as food plots with higher more attractive food will draw critters more in Day time as competition for the prime food can be higher making them try and beat each other to it(SOME WHAT HERE) if you follow!
and as stated above , the TIME of yr you want "X" to hold and draw food, can determine what you might want to plant, and as always, PH of the soil is a HUGE factor period on ANYTHING growing ! so SOIL test should always be done before buying ANY seeds!
as many things that grow easy and last long with little care, have ZERO real draw to wildlife, to be a HUNTING plot, critters will eat about anything that if growing and after a mowing when things are again new on the ends
but the name of the game in a HUNTING plot, is drawing deer/game when you want top hunt them
and well, now of them are really easy or cheap to upkeep and keep attractive to deer in HUNTING season in most places!
most are honestly seasonal plots., you plant every yr!
have to decide what your overall goal is
as again even a wild field with you planting NOTHING will grow and attract critters to it, just won';t be a BIG draw and odds are if any pressure is in the area at all, it will ALL happen at night!
where as food plots with higher more attractive food will draw critters more in Day time as competition for the prime food can be higher making them try and beat each other to it(SOME WHAT HERE) if you follow!
and as stated above , the TIME of yr you want "X" to hold and draw food, can determine what you might want to plant, and as always, PH of the soil is a HUGE factor period on ANYTHING growing ! so SOIL test should always be done before buying ANY seeds!
10-24-2018, 07:30 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Germany/Calif.
Posts: 2,664
11-01-2018, 02:16 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA
Posts: 1,921
I have to keep it cut to a manageable height b/c my beagles don't get along well w/ all the copperheads & rattlers we have around here. Late in the season but it was 70+ degrees today. Bought 2 bags of Winter Rye & planted Tuesday, we'll see what happens...
