Mowing food plot?
 

I have a small plot of Biologic Maximum that is about 10 inches tall. It has some weeds in it
that are a little taller, actually quite a few weeds. What would happen if I mow it?
Will the plants leaf back out again? Thanks!

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Yes the brassicas in the Biologic will continue to regenerate growth throughout the growing season. However if the competing weeds in the plot are grasses I would recommend a grass herbicide such as Vantage or Poast as this will be much more effective than mowing when it comes to grasses.

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Thanks Pilot, I have spayed Vantage on the plot, I was just thinking
that if I mowed maybe that would give the Brassicas a chance to outgrow
the grasses?

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Mowing usually favors grasses, and discourages broadleaf or annual weeds.

Vantage should have knocked out the grasses. Once grasses become well established - its usually a 2-3 year countdown to out competing clovers - Brassicas are an annual for the mostpart in most areas - and mowing usually hurts them.

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

My uncle just bought some property in ohio over here and i guess the people who owned it before had planted clover and its all over i think its crimson clover but its knee high! Is this a good thing, i mean its hard to tell if the deer are eating it, because there is so much, what do u guys suggest? Bush hog, and leave a little? or what?

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Sounds like a ready made food plot. But you could put in a little variety, maybe in a spot or spots that may be thin or weedy. Put out a couple of monitor cages, this may help to see if they are grazing on some of it. I beleive Crimson is a annual, coming back each year from the seed. It should be past the bloom stage by now and will get sort of tough. Kenland Red and Ladino White would give them a choice.

Russ

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

I heard about the Maximum and planted a small plot, mine never did much. My neighbor planted it and had some sign but very little usage. It was pretty but no deer. Huh???????

What gives??????????

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Slumpbuster,
Did either you or your neighbor have a monitor cage to tell if the deer were feeding or not? A small wire cage with a top can help to establish if deer are grazing or not. I put a cage in every plot and you can really see the difference. In some plots, the Clover in the cage is 18 inches but the plot is only 4-6 inches. Something is eating it.

Russ

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Russ, I have used exclusion cages before and you're right they work. I recommend them to anyone who plants plots.

What I was speaking of in my reply to the original post was Biologic Maximum. You mentioned your clover showed quite a bit of usage. Biologic Maximum has nothing but brassicas in it. There is no clover in it. If your Biologic Maximum had clover in it, you didn't get what you paid for. My clover also shows quite a lot of activity but the Biologic showed none.

By the way, I'm almost positive deer are eating mine.

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

I have only Clover, no Biologic. I just mentioned the cages because they will work with any planting. I primarily buy from the Coop, not sold on the brand names. The only brassica that i have planted is Rape. And something ate it to the roots. Lots of turkeys in the area, and a fair amount of deer. I've seen both frequent the area.

Russ

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

slumpbuster -

Like you, I planted a decent brassica plot once - but the deer use was so lor, I never tried it again. People assured me that once a heavy frost hit, the would be all over it, but it just was not the plot for my area.

We have clover, corn and usally a fall cereal grain like rye - it seemed the deer preffered all 3 over the Rapeseed I planted. It did however make a nice nurse-crop for a ladino clover plot I planted.

I still hear how great it is in some areas - so all's I can say is try it and see. I wish it worked better for me - it was so easy to plant, but I would not mow it.

Good luck again.

RE: Mowing food plot?
 

Thanks Farm Hunter, your results with the brassicas sound like mine and everyone else I've talked with. I'll never waste my money on them again.

I wasted one entire season when I planted it in every plot. Deer sightings were down over 80% on our lease. At my age, I don't have that many seasons left. I'll stick with what I have had luck with. CLOVER

My imperial clover has been good for the last few years. I know it's a little more expensive than basic clovers but when I compare them, the deer hit the Imperal about twice as hard. I also have never had trouble growing it. I tried to get a cheaper clover from a feed and seed store and it just didn't work. My plan for every new field is to pour the lime to it and plant it on top of a prepared seed bed.

Call me crazy but I'm happy with it. It seems almost every post on the board mentions clover so I must be at least doing something right.