Kansas Wheat Plot question

[THE LLC]

Question for you Kansas guys. I see several wheat fields planted out here in north central Kansas (near Marysville) that look like they’re only 3 or 4 inches tall with lots of bare ground between the drill rows? Is that how wheat behaves out here or was it just planted late? If that is all the growth you get out of wheat planted in the fall out here how could it ever be a good food plot plant??

 

[SwampCat]

I noticed a lot of wheat like that when I was in Oklahoma this past winter. Farmers there were grazing their cattle on the wheat - keeping it eaten down. I plant my wheat for mid fall to winter hunting. To be honest, I dont like a no-till drill for planting wheat in a food plot for several reason - but one major reason being the rows as you mentioned. Wheat planted with a drill takes quite a while to “fill in”, especially in high deer density areas. I want my wheat to provide a quick flush of green growth because I wait until the first week of October to plant and hunting season is already open.

 

[OkieKubota]

Question for you Kansas guys. I see several wheat fields planted out here in north central Kansas (near Marysville) that look like they’re only 3 or 4 inches tall with lots of bare ground between the drill rows? Is that how wheat behaves out here or was it just planted late? If that is all the growth you get out of wheat planted in the fall out here how could it ever be a good food plot plant??

It’s the same here in Oklahoma...we don’t get much fall growth of wheat or rye but come springtime it takes off...I figure down south you guys might get more growth but here the “winter” plants just set root growth to be ready for springtime jump start...

 

[j-bird]

A grain farmer has no interest in how much forage wheat provides in the fall....he just needs it to have enough time to get established enough to survive the winter. As a plotter we tend to think differently when it comes to wheat as we see it as a forage and not so much as a grain. Different mindset, different goals.

 

[FarmerD]

The Kansas Farmer will plant wheat after his soybeans are harvested. 3" - 4" is great, for it to jump out of the ground in the spring and be ready for a July harvest.

 

[Drycreek]

The difference in latitudes and growth rates is a no brainer but evidently I have no brain because I had really never thought about it. Oakie is right of course, we get quick growth and lots of it, and that’s why almost all the time I plant wheat in the fall. And I also agree with SwampCat, I wouldn’t plant wheat with a drill if I had one, I like that green carpet.

 

[catscratch]

Besides what's mentioned above planting early can also lead to diseases like mosaic. Planting late does nothing that hurts the farmer.

 

[SwampCat]

Planting early in our neck of the woods will almost certainly guarantee a drought - and if it does actually rain and the wheat germinates and grows - the army worms will get it.

 

[Drycreek]

Planting early in our neck of the woods will almost certainly guarantee a drought - and if it does actually rain and the wheat germinates and grows - the army worms will get it.

Last year was the first time I’ve had army worms. I had to replant two plots because of them. I think this year I’ll wait !

 

[SwampCat]

Last year was the first time I’ve had army worms. I had to replant two plots because of them. I think this year I’ll wait !

I went a long time without having army worms. Once I got them, I got them almost every year until I started waiting until at least the first week of Oct to plant

 

[THE LLC]

So what y’all are saying is it is about timing, not just the way wheat grows out there due to weather, etc.??

 

[SwampCat]

So what y’all are saying is it is about timing, not just the way wheat grows out there due to weather, etc.??

I think it is a combination of several things. Even in S Arkansas, my next door neighbor row cropper waits until November to plant his wheat. He told me he doesnt want it too big and robust during winter because it can suffer more winter damage. Right now, my wheat - which I planted early Oct looks much better than his - but his will look great in June when it is time to harvest. Kansas and OK wheat also doesnt grow as much in the winter as Arkansas or Georgia wheat because it is colder there, and will not grow during those cold periods.

 

[THE LLC]

That makes sense. Also makes sense that wheat planted for food plots specifically would be planted earlier, without regard to crop harvest.