I am looking into 3 scenarios: Kill plot - clover, chicory, etc Late season plot - brassicas to provide nutrition in harsh winter months All year long plot - plot that can keep deer coming and fed all year long What is everyone's thoughts on best approach and what is everyone using for their brand of choice? Most blends seem very expensive, do you agree or is it worth it?
I always share this with any friends/clients or folks discussing food plots with so I'll start there: Before anyone starts posting lines like "Use product "x", it is the bomb" or "Unless you use brand "y" you're throwing money away"....that is all rubbish. Sure I have preferred brands which have not let me down, but I also know the local seed guy at the feed store too and order bushels of cereal grain and some other stuff from time to time every single year. You stated the brands are expensive for the seed...just a heads up that is not the most expensive part of making a successful food plot in most cases. That lower level of the pyramid is gonna be where the brunt of the monetary investment/sweat equity occurs. As you move up the pyramid it turns more to prayer than effort put forth LOL! Each of the plots you outlined are vastly different and will need various fertilizing, soil PH possibly and sunlight becomes an issue as well. Clover/Chicory plots will do best in areas that don't have the best sunlight....but still IMO if you're not getting at least 4 hours of direct light, don't waste money...focus on herbacious vegetation made from hinge cutting and or mineral stumps. Clover/Chicory won't need much nitrogen as the clover fixes it, and once established these are your less fussy plots IMO as well. If the deer don't mow it down you may need to mow it high (nothing shorter than 4 inches IMO) a couple times a year, the chicory handles trimming as well. **I like to establish clover/chicory plots by planting them in the fall, but that fall I'm throwing down 50-80lbs/acre rate of winter rye. This will green up and then the next spring act as a further nurse crop for the clover/chicory....I usually wait till they just go to head or even after and mow the plot really high so just the rye is cut and the thatch helps with moisture retention/weed suppression. By now your clover/chicory should be thriving. Your brassicas are nutrient sucking, sunlight needing beasts. Yes, I've had turnips the size of golf balls develop in less than best sunlight and next to no fertilizer but if you want to really put on the tonnage you gotta have light and you better have nitrogen on hand to put down. I prefer to put down nitrogen 30 days after planting and then won't hesitate to do it again 21 days later or so depending on how the plot is looking. I know many that have done brassicas in the fall, and then frost seeded clover into them 3 weeks before last frost with decent success in establishing a clover plot the following year. Your 3rd plot is what I like to call a unicorn plot...many argue they exist but at least in my climate there is no plot that will give deer 365 day food....well....kinda. Your clover/chicory plot in my area will have the broadest window of food, BUT if you do the winter rye technique you will have food from fall plot green up clear through the following year. Only a severe drought will knock a clover plot from being a good food source. Few quick thoughts as I had a moment this morning.
