Here's an email we've received from a recent visitor to Bowhunting.com. We figured we'd let all you food plot experts chime in. Especially since I'm absolutely no help in this arena Here's his email: Thanks for your help!
Frost seeding clover even in rocky soil should work well. I would also suggest Eagle seed forage soybeans. I have seen them planted in the nastiest, rockiest, soil and still grow to waist heighth. The rest of the plant that isn't consumed can be disced into the soil to provide great fertilizer to the soil. I would suggest looking into some of the research Dr. Grant Woods has provided. He manages a similar piece of property in Southewest MO that is terribly rocky. He has had great results with techniques that anyone can use.
Im no expert with plots, but i have learned a lot about plant and crop growth from my father in law, who is a farmer. If youre serious about building a high end plot, you need to know what nutrients your soil contains a lot of and a little of. if you have your soil tested, you will be given an accurate report on what exactly your soil is rich in. this will tell you want will thrive in that soil. this is why farmers rotate their crops on a specific piece of land. Different crops draw and release different nutrients into the soil. So my best advice, if you want to go all in with your plot, is to get a soil sample tested then research what will thrive with those nutrient levels. Like i said, im no plot expert. This is just something we were able to do on our plot fairly easy. Im sure having a variety seeded in one plot will help balance soil nutrients aiding one another, which is why certain blends work better then others. hope this helps
I personally do a couple rocky(and high clay content) plots(my brother gets the nice ones - lol)...the fact is you need to get it turned over and a tiller or disc will not do much and sustain lots of damage. I went back to the old school plow(and beat the crap out of it to) and then level it back over with a box blade(with the rakes mounted). After planting I just go back over with a homemade drag to cover the seed. We have alfalfa, forage oats, clover, and millet(wetter spots)...even corn has grown well(with a little fertilizer added). The winter rye did fine but the deer couldn't have cared less for it so we don't bother anymore. I think it is more important that you make sure you have the right ph and enough nutrients in the soil. Rocky porous soil can leach out the nutrients pretty easy so it may just be deficient.
Rocky soil...that is really rocky (as opposed to just gravelly soil) is a tricky proposition for food plots. You're facing a lack of water retention probably far more than any nutritional defficiencies. Surprisingly enough a lot of really rocky soil is really good soil but simply can't retain enough moisture for vegitative growth. There's a trick I have tried, but I had the capabilities to do it...if you can get the stuff to do it, it can work. We had a rocky POS plot that was mostly limestone and I mean large ones. I took a chipper and cleared all the trash sprouts off of it and chipped them into mulch...vast quantities of mulch then respread it on the plot. I waited until it got a big rain on it and spread and harrowed in fescue (which I hate but the stuff is vigorous), clover and fertilizer and some lime. Seems to be working well but it was a LOT of work. After the fescue was established I sprayed it and killed it out. It provided some organic fiber to tie everything together and start the mulch to breaking down and the clover did well after that. I don't know...if there are any sawmills close to you that may be a cheap and viable source of sawdust you could use the same way if they don't have a use for it....doesn't hurt to ask. Also wouldn't be very viable if you're talking about acres and acres of plots or fields, the one I did was mostly an experiment on an acre and a half field. Another option mught be if you ca nfind a bunch of large bales of old hay that aren't any good for anything else. What you need is a lot of organic matter to spread and make your own top soil so anything like wood chips, sawdust, old hay, or even silage would work.
