Sunflowers for deer.

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I have the same problems with sunflowers. I plant them for doves and the deer maul them long before they head out. I plan on planting some in late Aug. or early Sept. as a deer foodplot.

The turnips are a whole different story. Turnips and rape are generically called brassicas. Deer will not even touch them before a good frost. The frost causes the sugar to enter the leaves and they magically become deer ice cream. They are absolutely the very best late season deer food plot and worthless prior to frost. We used to see very few deer in late Dec. and early Jan. after the rut until we discovered brassicas. Now we find the deer are concentrated on our brassicas plots. We plant a variety called Dwarf Essex Rape. The seeds germinate very well and are easy to grow. The seeds are very small like clover and don't need to be disked under very deep. In fact, just sowing on top of a good seedbed gets very good germination. Using a cultipacker enhances the process even more.

One other thing about foodplots. If there is a good acorn/mast crop, your foodplots will get very little use. Acorns are far and away a deer's favorite food source. All the oats/wheat/clover in the world will not get them away from the mast producing oak trees.

 

[N80]

You got that right about acorns! We had more than I have ever seen this year and they showed little interest in my meager little food plots.

But, for us here in SC that is going to make foodplots a huge issue this coming fall. We had a spring deep freeze a while back that killed most new tree growth. Killed all the leaves on the poplar trees and a lot of the growth on the various oaks. I have young, but acorn producing sawtooth oaks that the freeze killed all new growth, even 8-10" of stem growth. Even my pines had the top tassles killed. So my predicition is that we will have few, if any acorns this fall. Which is going to make food plots more important.

However, as I've said before, if you can find one tree with acorns during a bad acorn year, well, its better than bait!

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

You got that right about acorns! We had more than I have ever seen this year and they showed little interest in my meager little food plots.

But, for us here in SC that is going to make foodplots a huge issue this coming fall. We had a spring deep freeze a while back that killed most new tree growth. Killed all the leaves on the poplar trees and a lot of the growth on the various oaks. I have young, but acorn producing sawtooth oaks that the freeze killed all new growth, even 8-10" of stem growth. Even my pines had the top tassles killed. So my predicition is that we will have few, if any acorns this fall. Which is going to make food plots more important.

However, as I've said before, if you can find one tree with acorns during a bad acorn year, well, its better than bait!

N80.....I plan on putting out some sawtooths (or would that be sawteeth?) next spring. I hear that they grow like a rocket. How many years did it take for yours to start producing acorns? Are the deer readily coming to those acorns?

 

[N80]

These were on my place when I bought it from my B-I-L, so I don't know exactly. Maybe 10 years? But yes, they grow really fast. They are also very hardy. Right-of-way crew had to take a couple of them down to stumps and they shot up like gum trees from the stump.

The deer do like them. The acorns are huge. Mine are 15 to 20 feet tall and they've been making acorns for several years now. I wouldn't say they make tons of acorns at this age, but you will never find a whole one on the ground. They get gone fast. They eat them right off the low branches.

 

[bigdeer2000]

i also planted sunflowers for dove. planted 4-5 acres and all that is left is the 10 or so rows that are next to the road. planted the giant gray striped variety.certified seed was 7.00 per pound.ended up buying purina bird feed seed witch happens to contain the variety that i wanted for 50 cents a pound.it did contain some trash but not enough to be a concern to me. germination was great, only problem is the deer. only other thing i have planted that the deer worked over faster was lab-lab.should be planting millet this week for dove season (60 day maturity) but is so dry don't think i will.hopefully we will get some rain to plant fall food plots later this summer. deer,turkey and squirrels will have to make out without mast crop, so fall and winter food plots will be important.

 

[Sigarms]

I will eat a mess of turnips 1-2 times a year but really enjoy just pulling up the roots, wiping them off and eating them right there in

Being a relocated yankee, you made me think of a phrase that I've since learned "down south".

"My asss is like a turnip patch, come get your mess".

Is the phrase only used in N.C by some "strange" people I know, or is that phrase used in other areas as well?

 

[gary pate]

Good evening Sigarms; I'm going to be like Roy and be nice. I don't see what your phrase has to do with my thread. I've heard the saying several times in Alabama. If you decide to come further south you might want to think twice about using that phrase so freely. You could wind up getting your plow cleaned! Have a nice day.

 

[N80]

Gary, I think it was just the turnips that reminded him of the phrase. I've lived in the south all my life. Never heard that phrase. Sounds to me like it may have been born in a trailer park. Who you been hanging out with Sigarms?

 

[gary pate]

HI TNhobbyfarmer; The part that puzzled me the most is that all the roots were still in place. It being February, they would surely be sweet. I can't remember seeing them the next trip so I guess they finally ate them. I planted a patch 2 years ago one half the patch I planted Buck Oats and the other half I planted Bio Logic. Sometimes they would walk through one to get to the other, then other times it didn't seem to matter. Good luck and have a good day. P.S. remember to thank GOD for all we have.

 

[Sigarms]

Good evening Sigarms; I'm going to be like Roy and be nice. I don't see what your phrase has to do with my thread. I've heard the saying several times in Alabama. If you decide to come further south you might want to think twice about using that phrase so freely. You could wind up getting your plow cleaned! Have a nice day.

Number one, it was not your thread, but your post (N80 started the thread). I made a comment to your post.

N80 hit it on the head, I'm sorry for your misunderstanding. Thank you for your words of wisdom, next time I'm in Mobile and Birmingham (sp?), I will be more careful. Should I look you up

Have a nice day yourself

I might add, when I feel like saying whats on my mind (per the correct time to do so), I say exactly what I mean, not some phrase that leaves you scratching your head trying to figure out what the heck the guy is talking about