I have a big area that I want to make it into a summer plot and possibly a large winter plot also.. My problem is that it is thick hay grass, and it makes it difficult to disk.... My question is, do I try to bush hog it really short and then disk, or would burning it off be a more effective way to get it disk ready?
I've been in this position before, and, because it's next to impossible to get a burn permit where I live, we mowed the area done as best as we could. We sprayed weed killed on the area, then, came back a week later and tilled it up. Worked fine.
Thanks guys... My next question is what should I plant for summer food... I know the deer love soybeans and such, just not sure what will grow in south MS...
Don't waste your time with beans if it isn't a very big plot, they will hammer it early and it won't take likely. I'm doing a blend of beans, peas, and turnips late summer for the fall.... Clover this march for the summer.
You will have to spray twice to kill the grass. I'm assuming you're talking about fescue. Fescue is extremely hard to kill off and usually is sprayed in the fall and then again in the spring when new growth emerges. Burning it after your second spray will help get your disk into the earth. Burning it alone will seem like a quick solution but the grass will reemerge quickly and compete with whatever you decide to plant. QDMA is a great site for all food plot ideas.
I find this statement to be half accurate. I've planted beans in small plots, before. They come up and continue to regenerate during the growing months. This statement is only true after the first frost, when almost ALL regeneration ceases. Albeit, any small plot is susceptible to being eaten down, but, to what extent, depends on a handful of variables. You CANNOT go wrong with beans. Turnips are also a GREAT idea. I have turnips on one of my properties. Right after the first frost, the deer movement DRAMATICALLY changed as the leaves of the turnips became extremely palatable. Eventually, the deer began to pull the turnips out of the ground.... Standing beans and turnips are my new late season plot strategy.
I would plant a plot with something like Megaplot by Evolved Harvest. It has fall and winter forage which will stay green well into the winter months. As far as disking you will need to brush hog and then leave the grass and weeds start to grow again and then spray with Roundup. You will probably have to disk then and spray again after a couple of weeks. The only reason I say this is because typically when you disk you will bring weed seeds to the top soil which will then germinate and grow. So spraying a couple weeks after disking is a must for an area that has not been planted in a while. After the first year of planting/spraying once will be enough. G/L
The plot will actually be about 300 yards long and 50-75 yards wide... and I am thinking of soybeans for the summer and then disk alternating strips into for the winter and trying turnips and something else of that variety... The reasoning for alternating strips is to always have something standing if that makes sense... I have also though about alternating strips of corn and beans... An older gentleman told me I could try peanuts to.. This is not somewhere I expect to grow trophy deer and its really more of just an experimental thing as I hope to have my own place in the next few years and I want a small of understanding of things before then.... and also an area to draw in deer for my younger brothers to bow hunt.. I am trying to start him off right and not let him get frustrated right away so I want to draw deer all phases of the season if for no other reason than for him to see them..
make sure you give them something they dont have everywhere...beans are all over, they want something different =[]
Variety is the spice of life! This is equally true in the whitetail woods. The more forages you can offer the better and the more deer you will pull off of neighboring farms and properties.
This probably means your deer density is not very high, because in maryland i planted 1 acre in corn. Didn't see one ear.
If you have adequate amounts of sunshine on that field, I would try and go with tecomate seeds. Alpha extreme is a newer blend they came out with has hybrid alfalfa in it which has a faster recovery and growth after high grazing pressure. This alfalfa blend has better digestability for the deer as well. clover and chicory are also present in this blend. They have a great website that has ideal information for following proper steps for a great foodplot. There are alot of great food plot seed companies out their these days that have great success. I have used tecomate in the past and it is a great seed company. good luck!
