I was wondering if I could get some direction on what to plant for a fall plot. This summer I cleared out an area that is about 30x30 yards out of a small patch of spruce trees on the edge of mature hardwoods. This patch was mostly short grasses and scrub trees, I cleared out all the trees and hit the grass with roundup. The grass is still mostly dead and very little vegetation has grown back in the area. I am looking to plant something relatively simple as I have no farming experience whatsoever. I will also not be able to get any equipment in there except for a backpack sprayer and small garden tiller. Also, this will be my first food plot and I am on my own. What kind of plot should I be looking at planting this late in the season? I have heard that brassicas and oats can be good late but am unsure. The area also gets a decent amount of sun, I would say at least 4-5 hours a day. I should also note that the land I am planting it on his 2.5 hours from where I live so the plot needs to be relatively low maintenance as I am only back there about every 6 weeks. Any help and tips from those more experienced than me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
First year doing a food plot my self. You need to go plant when rainfall is expected. If you can broadcast seed after a decent rain with an expected rain in the next few days then you probably dont need to worry about dragging anything across the food plot to make sure seeds get full ground cotact - the rain should do that for you. That said, based on advice on here I would get that plot in the ground ASAP! Pobably a mix or turnips, clover, and oats would make for a decent food plot. Probably cheapest at your local co-op they will be able to tell you exactly how much you need. Be sure to put 12/12/12 fertilizer down and probably some lime sice this the first time you have planted. Make sure its the chalky/powdery lime that will soak into the soil much eaiser. Hope this helps - I'm no expert! Like you a beginner!
How do you broadcast fertilizer and lime? Can you just do it with a seed spreader? Also, how do you know how much to put down? If I took a soil sample to a co-op would they be able to tell me how much to put down?
You can use like a bag broadcaster an just walk it or you can use a speed broadcaster - whatever you want. Hell you can use your hand if you start in the back an work your way out of the plot. Depends on the size of ur plot how much lime youd need. I have a quarter of an acre food plot and used a 50 pound bag of lime. As far as seed - just tell them the size of your food plot an they will tell you how much seed you need. Personally I don't kno if I'd worry about a soil sample this late in the year. You don't have much time to get it in.
yeah, I like what sycamore said, you could use a mix of winter wheat and oats, that will be a dynamite little spot, make sure and fertilize it! that will make all the difference! it makes plants taste like candy to a deer. I use the analogy fertlizer is like salt and pepper. without them mashed potato's are not so good, with them they are amazing! Good luck!
also with a plot that size I would get 1 bag 50 lbs of 12-12-12 or 19-19-19 fertilizer, and tw bags 100 pounds of pelletized lime. spread them evenly over it, broadcast on the seed, find a way to set the seed in. (you could use a big spruce limb and just drag it over the plot.) then pray for rain!
Well I got my planting in this weekend. I planted a sort of "Frankenstein" mixture of a bunch of seed I have, hopefully it will work well. My dad got a mixture of seed from a guy he works with that he thinks included turnips, clover, and some kind of brome grass. I also threw out some winter rye and just a little bit of winter peas and buckwheat my uncle had left over from his planting. Hopefully something grows at least, we just need some rain. I also didn't have time to get a soil test and lay down lime so I'm hoping the pH is tolerant for something to grow. I am in the Loess Hills of Iowa so I would think it would be conducing to growing. I was able to lay down 40 lbs of 10-10-10 fertilizer too. We were able to till it up and seeded it in with a leaf rake. I'm just hoping something comes up with this being my first food plot and how fast we had to throw it together. Next year I will get a soil test and do everything right step by step. Thanks for a ll the advice.
Something out of that mix should grow if you get any kind of rain at all. Being there was spruce trees and it is near hardwoods I'd bet you need some serious liming done tho. You can still get growth, just not as much as if you would have limed. The lime allows the plants use the fertilizer. Without proper ph you are just wasting money fertilizing. The plants just can't use it without the proper ph.
