food plots

[Zig]

Morning all,

Was just thinking about getting part of my plots ready to plant again and wanted some ideas on what the deer seem to like in your neck of the woods. I think that I am going to remove the majority of the brassicas and just put in the perennial clover and alfalfa. The deer seemed to like these better anyway. Any thoughts in your areas. I am in central Kansas.

 

[Western]

Zig, :welcome: to the forum!!

You should start a new thread, that is probably a common question for guy's that will plant a Spring plot, I might, haven't decided yet. This thread has been rather dormant anyhoo!!

 

[PaPitt]

... Zip if you could tell how you plant that Alfalfa .. I've planted it here in my area 3 times about 5 ac of it and I've never got enough up too even see a plant.
... I was going to plant & fertilize it ... Then cut and bale it in square bales . Taking the access to the barn for winter sick cow hay. But the biggest point being to have a killer food plot for our deer heard.
..............
... But I've not got any up. Please give the... time of year planted .. Kind.. Soil PH.. hOW YOU PREPAIRED THE SOIL .. And then how you planted it..... And then how you rolled it or compacted the soil. Thanks.

 

[Western]

PaPitt, I had a farm S. of you in the 90's and had about 7 acres of Alfalfa. (Duffau)

I used Dryland Ladak developed by A&M since it handles the dry heat a little better. I broadcast mine onto a soft disked bed in September, I didnt "pack" it, but drug a 4"x4" stock panel before and after I broadcast. (Once to smooth it and the second time to cover the little seed).
I also planted Oats as a cover crop, (Broadcast at the same time)

I only put out 100# per acre of fertilizer mostly for the oats, you dont want to use much on alfalfa (Google fertilizer and alfalfa)

I saw growth by mid November, then in the Spring it came in good enough to square bale and paid me back for the $200 in seed. I had that plot for over 4 years, but each year it got thinner, but you couldn't run the deer out after they figured out it was food.

BTW I also put the plot in a low lying,but not flood prone area trying to get as much moisture as possible. Texas Extension office there in Stephenville, was a great help "back then"

 

[PaPitt]

Well thats good to hear that some got a crop . One time I plowed it with the offset then tandem about 3 times it was really tore up. Broadcasts seed . Then packed it in .. Never one sprig. I got that seed from out in west Texas trying to buy a heat tolerant plant.

 

[Western]

I plowed mine twice, (from each direction w/ chisel plow), I then disc it several times in October then one light disking just before I planted.

BTW I mixed my fertilizer, oat seed and alfalfa seed all in the "buggy" you can barrow at the fertilizer supply (I used Davis feed in Hico) and figured almost double the alfalfa seed ratio. then a very light drag with the stock panel, want the little seed just under the surface.

 

[bzimmel]

Morning all,

Was just thinking about getting part of my plots ready to plant again and wanted some ideas on what the deer seem to like in your neck of the woods. I think that I am going to remove the majority of the brassicas and just put in the perennial clover and alfalfa. The deer seemed to like these better anyway. Any thoughts in your areas. I am in central Kansas.

I'm in NE Georgia. There's not a lot of agriculture near us, so I've decided on a spring plot of Large Lad soybeans from Eagle. The reason is for my area, this seems to be the best for drought tolerance and produces the most forage for the buck. Just my humble opinion. I've tried other mixes before. They get wiped out easier.

 

[super55]

I have both a disc and a tiller and for me personally I prefer using the disc. The tiller will leave a much fluffier and smoother seedbed but breaking ground with the tiller it always gets clogged with roots and stalks plus I think my land grows barbed wire because I always seem to end up with some wrapped around the shaft. I hate having to get off the tractor to clean out the weeds/roots every other pass or so. With the disc I just keep going over it until the soil is well broken up. Usually can be done in one or two passes and then drag an old gate to level it out. Even with going over the same area 2x with the tractor as I would need with a tiller it is still much faster in my situation.