I was wondering what yalls thoughts were on planting a food plot... how small is too small to not really be worth it, what to plant, and will it be worth planting now or just wait till next year? An area I hunt here in North central Indiana likes to retain some water especially when raining alot like it has been lately. But a "normal" year the ground usually just stays fairly moist. It's about a total of 25 acre area with mostly all tall grass/ crp or something with about 5-8 acre finger woods that comes off of 40 acres of woods. I think I can get around (2) 1/2 acre areas that doesn't seem too flood out easy. Wondering yalls idea are. Thank you
You have time to put them in for fall and winter and I like those types the best anyway personally. Spray it out, decide what you want in there, test the soil and amend then plant according to desired crop plant dates. You'll want to look at cool season crops for fall planting. Winter wheat or rye or triticale with clovers (annual or perennial) Winter peas and brassica blends should give you fairly easy results. Now is the time to be thinking about it or time will get short.
Deer seem to love soy beans and if possible with at least a acre or more is good for it. Another one might be white clover if you are able to get in and cut it every once in a while. Clover will grow just about every were that grass will and the clover would be good to grow this year soy beans not so sure good luck
Alsike clover tolerates water. Spray one now and in two weeks spread fertilizer and brassica in the dying grass and roll it flat.
I hunt over in Fulton County (N. IN.) a couple times a year and if your area is anything like it then its mostly crop fields with nice wood lots and crp fields/stripes. If you are surrounded by crops and crp I would say put a clover or brassica blend in. Give them something green to feed on. If you want a annual then go with brassicas, if you want a perennial then go with clover. I like hunting over something green when its winter time over there. The deer seem to hammer green fields.
Everyone else has commented on what and how to so won't waste time there....other than realize if you plant soybeans in a small plot you could run the risk of it never coming close to full growth and may never get above 4/6 inches...be ready to sow in it some winter rye/oats or brassicas...beans are awesome but can really get hammered in small plot settings. As for the size, no size is too large or too small. I have a couple plots that are barely a truck bed wide and twice as long...it is all about the location of them and what you expect out of them. Micro/Small plots are not made to compete or attempt to be a deer's primary food source...but a spot they feel safe hitting early in the evening and later into the morning...giving you the best hunting chance at a deer coming to or from the food source to your small one or to/from the bedding to your small spot.
Keep in mind that there is a difference between a "Food Plot" & a "kill plot" .. My central Indiana "Food Plots" are used to maintain good nutrition to the heard .. thus more deer, more antler growth. more shed finds, ect. that being said .. Kill plots are typical smaller .. or even the corner of a food plot... ... Make good use of what you have .. and plan a crop to match it's purpose....I love forage soybeans for a "Food Plot" they are there when the ag soybeans are long gone here in Indiana .. !!
