Wild idea, but I read that about five days before hunting starts to spray a sugar solution on your food plots. It is suppose to make your plots much more attractive to deer. This is in conjunction with applying urea and AMS several weeks before hunting. Has anyone done this and if so did you get a positive result?
Sugar on plots
- Thread starter LEWinMI
- Start date
I’ve never done it, but Ed Spinazzola does it. He knows his stuff and I always listen to the older guys who have have lots of experience and been around. He told me that this year and was thinking about trying it. The problem is, my buddy’s farm has so many deer, I wouldn’t really know if it worked. I see deer every time out.
j-bird
Well-Known Member
I have never done it, but I can see where a shot of fertilizer on a cool season plant that is actively growing can make it more to the deer's liking. Especially a cereal grain or brassica with a shot of nitrogen (Urea). I am not sure what the sugar will do. If anything I would fear it being considered bait (not legal here).
Cap'n
Active Member
I think Ed was referring to using fertilizer and lime to boost the levels of sugars in the plants in your plot. Making them more palatable to deer.
John Barnes
Member
Spreading sugar on your fields is a great way to feed the microbiology in your soil. It is mostly recommended for the first year after switching from conventional tillage to no-till regenerative agriculture. It will quicken the return of beneficial fungi and bacteria that tillage destroys.
I don't believe your plot plants can take in the sugars, as they make it themselves. But your plants will benefit from stronger, or more plentiful, microbiology in the soil.
I don't believe your plot plants can take in the sugars, as they make it themselves. But your plants will benefit from stronger, or more plentiful, microbiology in the soil.
Gator
Well-Known Member
I sprinkle sugar on stuff I eat all the time. Why wouldn't deer like a slightly sweeter taste from the plot? Molasses is mixed with lots of deer feed right? Question I would have is how much would it take to make a difference and would it be worth it. Seems rain would wash it off to the dirt....
rlb165
Member
Here's an article where Ed Spinazzola explains "The Sweetening Thing"
http://www.deerattraction.com/Article-6.htm
http://www.deerattraction.com/Article-6.htm
jsasker007
Active Member
They trying to bring in deer or bear? Why bother with a food plot at all? If sugar is the answer then everyone can just let the grass and weeds grow and just spray it with sugar to attract deer when you want them to come in. I think i'll start selling sugar and put a big buck on the bag and call it "SWEET SPOT".
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John Barnes
Member
The article actually has nothing to do with sugar. What he does is spreads fertilizer just a week or two before bow season to 'sweeten' up his plots.
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jsasker007
Active Member
That would make a lot more sense.
THE LLC
Well-Known Member
Especially fire ants.
MarkDarvin
Well-Known Member
Got my old drum out today to bang it...
Sulfur is the sugar in a food plot. You can grow about anything with the rest of the fertilizer. But you wanna see a preference in identical forages, sulfur.
Sulfur is the sugar in a food plot. You can grow about anything with the rest of the fertilizer. But you wanna see a preference in identical forages, sulfur.
catscratch
Well-Known Member
Best way to add sulfur??? And is it toxic if you go overboard?
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Sulfur is considered an essential mineral and helps form enzymes & plant proteins. Deficiencies can cause plant health problems but soil tests for sulfur are very unreliable. Professional growers usually rely on plant tissue to determine sulfur deficiency. It is needed in very low amounts, plants only need 10 to 30 pounds of sulfur per acre total. There are various sources of sulfur including manure and phosphate fertilizer (12% sulfur) and ammonium sulfate which is probably your best source and gives you nitrogen to boot. Your chances of getting your sulfur levels too high isn't going to happen unless you really get crazy with application. Don't apply more than 30lb per acre total sulfur.
