My last food plot that me and my hunting partner planted is not doing so hot.. And I think I know the food plot is right next to a bean field shoved in the open corner and some surrounding woods. The only thing we planted was purple top turnips. What could I add to it to make the deer like it better? The plot is only a few weeks old and the turnips are still germinating. The deer seem to walk right through it with out stopping (there's a cam on it). What type of plant should I plant that will outlast the beans? The beans are the only food source other than our corn and our other radish/turnip/brassica food plot which is about a 1/4 mile away on the property we hunt. I'm hoping the deer come here all throughout the Kate season as we'll. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Turnips....but seriously, turnips are not a food source plotheads use for early season stopping of deer as they are planted for the soul purpose of late season food sources....if you want something more palatable this late notice I would have to say winter rye sown in on top of the turnips (so long as you didn't seed them thick). The rye will germinate and grow tender easily by the time bow season starts.
The turnips will outlast the beans but don't get palatable generally until frost. Honestly, it'll be hard to compete with the soybeans right now, they are high protein and that's mostly what they want now. Grasses are more carbs so you could help out your situation by providing wheat or rye and add some protein that's tasty with some crimson clover. Those will all grow broadcast on top like 20% over seeded before a rain.
From what I am seeing in my area you are competing with one hell of an acorn crop right now. I moved some of my cams in those areas.
What one can do to make a deer like ANYTHING BETTER...is have a healthy soil with optimum pH, and a sound fertilizer and foliar plant foods program. If you do that, you will have elevated crude protein, mineral content and sugar content. I can get deer to eat brassicas all year long. I also can get deer to walk out to the middle of a hay field and select the clovers or alfalfas I want eaten if I spray a strip in the field with foliar plant foods. Healthy plants, that are insect free, disease free and not stressed are more palatable, more digestible and higher in nutrients. I use 2-3 applications of foliar on all crops and also use a fertilizer that has SULFUR... and don't overlook the boron.
