Has anyone used frigid forage? I am considering using it for a plot this hunting season and over winter.
Look at the picture in my avatar. That is our Sweet Feast Brassica Blend. Half the price of big n beasty. You guys shouldn't have to empty your wallets to plant some food plots.
I was thinking that 40$ for 4 pounds was way too much, but many people seem not to care. Sweet Feast will be in my plan instead, and thanks for the input!
Well maybe I'm a sucker, but I planted it last year and the best results from a food plot that I have ever had. Hands-down, the best! I planted just over 1 acre of Big-N-Beasty. I did the recommended fertilizer and everything. The deer just absolutely wrecked the place! The same day I planted it, I planted another 1 acre plot right next to it of some other brand. Deer ate it, but nothing like the B-N-B. In the past years I was just going down to the co-op and buying a seed to make my own blend (clovers, sugar beets, tubers, beets, turnips, etc...) Based on my results, I'm planting it again this year. So I'll be able to back up the results with another year of trials.
I'll lay it out plain and simple. The brand matters, arguably yes, but isn't even the two top reasons for a food plot being successful: #1 - Nutrients in the soil. Did you soil test, did you do everything you could to get it to where you need it to be for the specific seed you are planting. If you believe in fertilizers did you do the proper recommended amount and apply it at the appropriate times. #2 - Rain and how the plot treats the rain when it comes. Some plots cannot handle a drenching due to terrain layout or soil types...others can. But the pivotal kicker to any food plot success is rain. #3 - Seed quality. This is to not be mixed up with the seed company it comes from or is packaged by. How fresh and good is the seed itself. Many old seed mixes set on shelves and people purchase them on clearance and than blast the company or seed store that made it when they should have lowered their expectations slightly anyways. The quality of the seed is vastly more important than who made it, so always look for seed from companies that go to lengths to describe why their seed quality is the best and freshest. I love Monsterraxx's seed blends, but the process to get them is still contacting Monsterraxx here (Tom) directly and not available to order off the website yet. Another person on the board here which has proven undeniably to have good quality seed is PastorAndrew and I know in the past he's made his seed available at times. Either way it won't matter what seed blend you get if #1 and #2 doesn't happen no seed can overcome those and flourish like they should. To believe otherwise is simply choosing to be ignorant.
Proper planting is also huge. There have been a lot of food plots ruined because the seeds got buried too deep.
Yes I could have added a #4 - Proper planting, which would include proper depth and not over seeding....brassicas have to be planted thin in order to produce the bulbs we desire!
I will make sure to do the recommended fertilizing, and I will hopefully get my soil sample mailed out this week. Brassica seeds can be broadcast, correct? I have no access to a seed drill.
Overseeding on the initial sow is my biggest issue, I tend to over do it. Although I haven't had terrible results I find that if I wait 2-3 weeks and cover seed on the bare spots I get much better results. I'll be eyeing this thread as I've been interested in winter plots since I have just a small piece of property and not many neighboring crop fields (all woods or pasture for cattle). They nail anything I put out in the winter but I'd like to give them forage, it's much easier on their stomach compared to grain/feeds if you can't be consistent.
Yes, the seeds are so tiny we don't even roll or touch the plot after seeding it, these things will sprout and take root if given some rain just fine. Spear definitely a brassica plot could be HUGE for your small set up. The good news is while the brassicas are growing, most deer don't crave them (save for one doe at our swamp property...she needs to go!). Normally the deer won't start pounding them to colder and frigid temps hit...basically when other sources of food our dwindling. Underseed brassicas is not a terrible thing. We do the same thing, seed them light and then when germination starts we quickly can tell if too thick or too thin (dust seeds over again in spots).
Yeah, that's what I was thinking of doing, BUT, the only place I can really put it is the same spot I currently have the clover. Since clover will likely come come back the following spring (may just need mowed and minor overseeding) I don't want to have to kill and replant back and forth. So I need to find a new spot and plan accordingly with the deer movement before I plant. It would definitely be a winner for late season and providing for the deer through the winter, especially for a small property like mine with very little help in the properties around. So I need to think carefully and figure out the right spot.
I hear ya! I've been replanting half quality plots the past few years which have grown in nicely, but none were self-sustaining perennials. That changed this year with the planting of our clover plot. I made the honey hole 3 times the size it was previously and I've been very very selective of how I set it up. I've got a very specific layout and flow of deer trails across the property. We have the feeder, honey hole plot, watering hole, mineral site, and small bedding area that have the deer on a specific routine that I don't want to disturb. I have a location in mind that shouldn't jeopardize their routine so we'll see how things pan out. I have a lot of other work to do on the cabin and driveway before I commit to another plot.
One thing about any brassica plot is until it becomes a main food source it will usually only be visited out of curiousity or as a pass through...
Frigid Forage is awesome! I have planted it for the last 3 years and have had more deer on any of my plots than ever before. You name I have used it and gone through all of the proper steps. I have all of the right equipment and lime and fertilize to specs. I have also had the most success I have had hunting also.
Yup I have planted big n beasty last three seasons. I'm not against trying out other products but for some reason the frigid forage still calls my name. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Wall hanger food plots has Big N Beasty on sale and free shipping so it won't hurt the pocket book so bad
