OK so my plots did fantastic last year but this is my first spring post plot life so what now?? I have a few plots that were winter forage like radishes, turnips, beets, rape, chicory, some oats and so forth. I hate to just let them grow over with weeds for 3 months but I also don't want to till the ground every couple weeks either. Would I be better off planting something in the spring like oats to keep the weeds out as well as give the deer an early food source?? What do you guys do with your late season plots come spring??
My favorite and easiest thing for spring plantings is Buckwheat. You can throw in oats or peas as well. Buckwheat will grow pretty much anywhere, not as soil picky, somewhat good with dry conditions and can be then tilled in for natural green compost come fall plantings. Let it go to seed and stand for turkeys or till under and broadcast seed again once it goes to seed.
Oh sunflowers also are easy to plant and the deer atleast around us love them and we use them in the spring some as well.
I would frost seed a mix of annual clovers into the standing crop you have already. Being that you used mostly brassicas in the plot this past season. Brassicas are heavy nitrogen users, so your soil may be low on nitrogen depending on how hard the deer hit them. Clover is great at nitrogen fixation. Red clover is an annual and although it is not quite as desirable as the white clover (perennial) it still will provide plenty of food and is very low maintenaince (mow now and then). You really do not want your oats to go to seed as those seed will grow and have to be sprayed back. The clover will also help to fight back any cool season grasses and weeds. This would be the easy way out there are also many other options out there if you want to spend the time and money. Good Luck!
I agree if you want clover stand. We don't desire clover in all of our plots and if we do plant clover I like to let it be a 2-4 year stand depending on use and flourish-ness (made that up )
last year I planted oats, let them mature fully deer had feed available in the plot from end of April through late July, I sprayed round up, worked it in, then planted my brassica's. Oats like cool weather so you can plant them earlier than lots of things. plus they are cheap. I let mine mature fully, then the deer came in and in a week ate every single head off the oats. worked perfect. I was well pleased with the turn out. its simple, in expensive and oats produce a ton of forage good luck!
here are some sequence shots of the plot, early may, pregneant doe using it, she had her fawns and they utilized the plot morning and evening all summer. couple young bucks getting a snack my crew and I food plot checkin, changin cards in cameras fast forward to July, full grown oats, still being utilized, homeboy in the plot. overall oats are a great inexpensive option for a spring plot before fall brassicas.
Plant cow peas the deer love them and they put nitrogen back into the ground so they will help fertilize your fall plots also. While I am on here does anybody know any good hunting and outdoor shows? I build and sale food plot seeders we are a small company Golden Valley Enterprises and are looking for some shows to do. Thans
