Food plot in the middle of the woods(.need suggestions)

True....white Dutch however can be grown in fairly sandy soil. It retains moisture better than most clovers. It's about the only one I've seen do well in sandy soil

 

I would concur with this whole heartedly.

 

Interesting on the Durana. I have never tried it. May have to make a small test plot of it just to see.

 

Killer food plots has a blend called deep woods. It has clover and radishes and is supposed to grow well in poor soils. I'm going to give it a try this year. Good luck to ya.

 

Treat the soils with some lime and fertilizer...otherwise no miracle seed exists for poor seeds. Certain seed types do better in sub-par soils but nothing flourishes in poor soils. The awesome thing about micro plots is honestly a bag of lime can go a long long way. Same as fertilizer and seed....to avoid treating the soil is a crucial mistake way too many guys make.

 

Exactly....a sandy soil with a ph of 7.0 will grow a better plot than black dirt with a ph of 5.5. Soil health= plant health= deer health

 

I won a drawing for $50 off any purchase for prairie archery so I picked up a bag since it was pretty much free. If I remember I will make a post telling you how it works.

 

deer creek's wildlife mix was mentioned in an article by jay elliof in the deer in deer hunting.

there is an experimental called sweet retreat that i have out in a number of places. It is designed for shady areas, kill plots and lower pH areas. It has triticale, annual and perennial clovers, high sugar rye and rape.

 

I completely agree. I should have qualified that a little better. Like you said, you still need to lime and fertilize to give the seed the best chance you can. You cant change the soil type but you can give the seed as much food as possible. Where I am, we have a lot of grey clay, which isn't ideal soil. Its not all clay but I'm hoping that the deep woods and some lime and fertilizer would give me the best chance. Thank you for the clarification.

 

Look at the ingredient listing. It is extremely easy to be fooled when filler grasses like ryegrass are tossed in...stuff will green up anywhere and give the plotter a warm fuzzy feeling but the deer themselves will not be attracted to the grasses like they would winter rye or wheat or oats.

 

If possible situations like this I have had some clients do well with incorporating organic matter back into the soil like the leaves that fall and the plants the plot grows....slowly over time this once less than ideal soil is getting better and better each year. I don't always like incorporating leaves into the soils as it can definitely screw up the PH big time...but some soils lack any true organic matter that I'll sacrifice the PH and the need more work to help that than have a soil of less than adaquate make up.

Good luck, and I didn't think you didn't know this stuff, stated what I did more so for others that pass through the thread which may be brand new to plotting.

 

Yeah, I really should have worded my original statement better and I'm glad you added to it.

As far as adding leaves to the plot site, I hadn't thought of that. That sounds like it would definitely be worth a try.

 

I wouldn't go to the extent of bringing in leaves but a spring shallow tilling of the leaves present isn't a terrible idea....if you are going to go to the extent of bringing organic matter in there are some better options than leaves.

 

Not to intentionally thread jack, but on the subject of food plots in the backwoods, I have recently received my soil sample and subsequent instructions to bring it to a ph of 7. I understand somewhat the chemistry of how lime works in soil etc. At this time would it be prudent to put out the appropriate amount of lime, and then till the soil to break it up, and further integrate the lime in the soil? I do not have the ability to take an ATV or small tractor up the hill, but a self-propel rear-tined tiller would be reasonably able to get up to my plots. I say now, as to give the soil time to settle/compact as opposed to trying to til closer to plant date.

thanks.