Cold weather annual clover recommendations

[Savannah]

Hello all,

I am in upstate ny and our hunting season get cold. I have 3 different food plots. One is a pure perennial clover plot that does well. The other 2 I try and plant in some annuals. I haven't had much luck with brassicas. It seems I planted oats too early this year (middle august) they got tall, then wilted and the deer didn't use them much. The deer loved my Austrian winter peas and cleaned them out quickly. I am looking for some annual clover suggestions. A quick grower that I can add to the peas that will do ok in our colder climate. Any other fall, annual mixes you use, and where you get it please advise. Thanks in advance.

 

[Elkaddict]

Most annual clovers will die off with the first frosts so provide minimal attraction come November. I'd go with a medium red or a mixture of whites. My white mixture has been Ladino/Alsyke/KopuII with a little chicory thrown in. I'm absolutely a fan of varieties in all plots. In our big plot complex, all the deer would rotated through all plots (white clover/chicory, LC brassica, LC grain, red clover, corn/beans. I'd urge you to focus on the LC rotation in all your plots. I've watched deer repeatedly dig through the snow to get to it. The deer sometimes take a season or two to fully utilize brassicas. The LC rotation by far and away provides the most bang for your buck while corn/beans are stupid expensive. I order my mixes from Welters Seed and Honey or Deer Creek Seed. I get my red clover from a local agway (same with corn, beans, oats and rye). For any plots, having soils in shape makes a huge difference for both volume and palatability. What part of upstate NY are you from?

 

[JDunham]

Do the LC mix (Oats,Rye, winter peas, radish and red clover) and don't plant until labor day. As you found out, planting earlier results in the oats and rye getting beyond a palatable point for the deer. As Elkaddict said, the rotation between the LC brassica mix and the cereal grain mix I listed is a proven performer.

 

[BigMike]

I plant winter rye, crimson clover and some brassicas every September. Grows great all winter.

 

[OkieKubota]

Moving to the food plot forum...

 

[Savannah]

Sorry about the wrong section, I missed food plot altogether. Great advice so far. I am in Cattaraugus county in new York. 9N is our hunting area.