Foodplot direction

[jlane35]

What direction should a rectangular foodplot be layed out to receive the most sunlight possible when surrounded by taller growth?

 

[George]

north and south

G

 

[Jeff H]

If I had a blank slate I would plan a food plot around my ingress, egress, primary wind direction and stand placement.
Find that perfect tree that you can slip into and out of and start there. Kinda like planning your home design around the kitchen!

 

[jlane35]

If I had a blank slate I would plan a food plot around my ingress, egress, primary wind direction and stand placement.
Find that perfect tree that you can slip into and out of and start there. Kinda like planning your home design around the kitchen!

I'll post a picture later. I'm converting an old hay field. I'm starting with 1000 spruce this spring but I want to be prepared from the start and not have to remove or cut trees down in the future to put a plot in.

 

[Elkaddict]

north and south

G

George, why north south? I would assume east west would get more sun.

 

[Btaylor]

George, why north south? I would assume east west would get more sun.

Depends on the height of bordering timber but in a east west field the south side of the field could be shaded for large parts of the day for a large portion of the year. North south will still have shade zones but nearly the entire field will get sun light for significant periods of the day.

If location dictates it needs to be setup east west, if possible I would want to edge feather the south side and lower the canopy to increase sunlight to the south side of the field.

 

[MarkDarvin]

East/West.

 

[jlane35]

The field in the center of the picture is the field I'm referring to. And the field to right is my destination food plot. So if I do put a plot in this field in the future it won't be extremely large, just enough to draw attention while deer move to the larger plot before dark.

I appreciate the responses and east to west seems to be what everyone agrees upon.

The trees that will border this potential food plot would be pear and crabapple trees.

If I never put a food plot in the field should still be attractive to deer as it goes fallow and different fruit bearing trees and spruce will be throughout.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jlane35]

12 o clock is North.

 

[buckdeer1]

It really depends what time of year as the suns changes where it rises and sets but for general I use east and west with some of my best clover growing right on the east side of timber where it's protected by trees for last couple hours of day in summer.Looks like you have a good start

 

[DocHolladay]

It makes no difference what time of year it is, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Saying that, the sun ALWAYS makes its arc in the south for everyone in the US(Northern Hemisphere). North/South lets all the plants get the same amount of light. Thats why I always point my trail cameras North, when I can, so you don't get any sun shining in the lens. I provided the link where the pic came from, in case it fails to load.
Hope this works... http://www.bowsite.com/BOWSITE/features/articles/trailcamtips/

 

[dogghr]

Typically a N-S orientation will give you the most sun exposure. But with size of that lot, and a small plot you speak of, then either will probably work. The other consideration, is when you want it most produtive and what you are planting. If you want is good for summer in perhaps a clover, then some protection from heat would help, thus you should go E-W. If fall attraction is most important, then more sun later into fall would mean N-S orientation. The other Trump factor, is wind direction and how you want to pattern deer in morvement. Maybe a diagonal plot facing into the NW would be in order. Lots of variables. I have all the above on mine.

 

[OkieKubota]

I have an E-W oriented plot and a N-S oriented plot both in heavy timber and I seem to get better growth in the EW oriented plot other than right along the south side but I have figured that out too. I put my clover on the southern side so it has increasing shade throughout the afternoon to keep from burning it up. All my other plantings are throughout the rest of the plot.

My NS plot has poor growth on its eastern and western side but this is Oklahoma and we typically are in a drought with high heat much of the fall growing period...

I am expanding on my E-W oriented plot in less than 2 weeks and my N-S oriented plot is being planted to Hard and soft mast...

 

[j-bird]

Like was stated it's going to depend on the plot dimensions, the height of the surrounding cover and even the type of cover. The aspect of the sun will remain fairly constant - it will be a little higher in the sky in the summer and be a little lower in the southern sky in the winter - this becomes more pronounced as you move further north in the northern hemisphere.

Plot size and dimensions will have a critical impact as well the height and related amount of shade the surrounding cover produces. A real narrow type plot or real small plots can be great for hunting but may be more difficult to grow what you want because it may be more impacted by the shade. Larger, more square or rectangular shaped plots tend to be more open which is better for growing different plants, but may or may not be as suited for hunting. The exposure to the sun can dictate what you grow as well as when you plant as it can impact soil temps and moisture levels as well.

As with anything in habitat work there isn't 1 answer. It depends!

Your photo actually shows what we are talking about. If N is at 12:00 then I can tell you that this pic was taken in the AM, because of where the shadows are on the ground. You can see the shadows in your plots areas in the easterly edges. As the sun get higher in the sky as the day progresses - these shadows will get smaller and smaller.

 

[George]

George, why north south? I would assume east west would get more sun.

This is how farmers orientate corn and bean rows to maximize production.

For food plotters, clover, or other plots like brassicas, who cares?

In the hot dry periods of an Iowa August I found brassicas to grow best/or at all, where tall trees cast morning shade. This would seem to also support my N/S assertion.

G

 

[Jeff H]

What about an inverted "V" with the apex of the V in the N.E. ? Place your stand at the apex which should be right off the power line for decent ingress, egress and it should be good for any wind except a n.e. wind.
The only downside is you will significantly decrease the size of your plot.

 

[jlane35]

What about an inverted "V" with the apex of the V in the N.E. ? Place your stand at the apex which should be right off the power line for decent ingress, egress and it should be good for any wind except a n.e. wind.
The only downside is you will significantly decrease the size of your plot.

I like the idea of a V.

But Without drawing on the pictures I know words are tough to describe which field is which.

The field with the power line is my destination foodplot. The field below it surrounded by smaller fields is the one I'm referring to. But with a similar set up there is a logging road which comes up from the pond to the North.

My intentions are to have the knowledge to set the field up in anticipation of possibly planting a foodplot in the future. But until that time spruce, crabapples, and pear trees are my priority with some other variety mixed in.