Food Plotting Rebel Without a Cause

[Native Hunter]

Sometimes I just get bored with doing what is normal and just want to try something unusual. Also, I would rather plant something too early and have good rains than plant at the right time and be in a drought.

This year I planted warm season species with cool season species together at the same time about three weeks ago (around the first of July). Actually I was watching the weather and saw a period where the rain forecast was especially good for this time of year. Below is what i did.

• Sometime in late June I sprayed the area I wanted to plant. It is a long corridor about 30 feet wide and 300 yards long. It is adjacent to doe bedding and since it is so easy for them to get to, everything always gets eaten well in this area. They even eat the turnips in this area but won't in the other plots.
• This was done with spray - throw - roll with pickup truck - and mow. Weeds and grass were heavy.
• Species planted were ladino clover, turnips, radish, wheat, oats, alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil and buckwheat. Please don't ask me the amounts. I just mixed it like granny used to make vegetable soup.... A pinch here and a cup there........
• Right now the buckwheat is taking off the fastest (as expected) and being eaten very well. It is tending to act as a nurse crop for the other species. The brassicas are also taking off very well, and the other species are visible but starting slow. Deer poop and tracks are everywhere and browsing is very evident. It has had two or three good rains.
• It will be interesting to see how this turns out, but really pleased with it right now. The key was watching for the rainy spell and taking advantage of that. We have another rainy spell coming over the next few days, and I'm getting ready to do another one of these plots. However, I will leave out the brassicas and buckwheat and go more with grains and clovers on the next one I do.
• This may sound crazy to start this early on fall plots, but over the last few years we have tended to have bad droughts in the fall. I would rather plant a month early with good rains than plant at the right time and not get any rains. So, if I am a rebel without a cause, there is at least a method to my madness. And, if something goes wrong, I can always come back later and overseed with wheat or rye as necessary. And, doing this keeps me from going crazy having to wait for the right time......

 

[SwampCat]

I like to try different things also. Every piece of ground is different and you never know what might be a success for you that isnt for someone else. If you have the time and money - go for it - especially when an alternative is available if the first plan fails.

At my place, I have learned the hard way - there will be a crop killing drought in either the summer or the fall - if not both. I have planted wheat in Aug and it came up well when it caught some timely rain - and then died in October after a two month drought. I no longer take a chance on the weather. I plant at the theoretical best times and if the weather is not kind, I go to plan B and replant later with something else that is suited to planting in that time frame. I planted sunflowers for doves in early May. When they had not come up by early june due to dry weather, I then planted browntop millet which would mature before dove season and caught a timely rain and it looks like it is going to scratch by. I planted golden millet in my duck holes last week - which takes 60 to 75 days to maturity. If it isnt up and going by the third week in Aug, then I will replant with Jap millet which takes 45 days. I dont plant fall plots anymore until Mid October

 

[Scott44]

The plots look really good! Timing on a good rain and everything takes off good, I planted my brassicas on July 3rd with a throw and roll and rain in the forecast for the next day and it never happened. First rain came 10 days later. Here's a pic 18 days later finally have brassicas.

 

[lakngolf]

If it works too well you can always clip the top with mower to create new growth

 

[dogghr]

People like you Native should be locked up and removed from traditional thinking of foodplotting.
Looks good. I also time w rain planting mixes and is why I planted this past weekend since rain was predicted for the entire 7 days. The 2 showers we’ve actually gotten in 6 days is not exactly what I had in mind!! Should’ve bought a mega million ticket instead.


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[Native Hunter]

People like you Native should be locked up and removed from traditional thinking of foodplotting.
Looks good. I also time w rain planting mixes and is why I planted this past weekend since rain was predicted for the entire 7 days. The 2 showers we’ve actually gotten in 6 days is not exactly what I had in mind!! Should’ve bought a mega million ticket instead.

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I used to be a respectable foodplotting guy until I got to running around with a crazy motorcycle gang guy.....

 

[TheOldOak]

I planted mine about a week ago with rain in the forecast. Only ended up with .4 inches, but received another .3 yesterday. Good enough to get the clover, turnips, etc going. Best food plot i ever had was the year a hurricane dumped 3 inches on the plot over about two days. Softball plus purple top turnips that year! I plant any time from mid july to mid august if rain is in the forecast, it works. Assuming you receive the first forecasted rain!

 

[Gator]

Nice Native. I was considering this very thing as well. The last two or three years here, I've had no rain in Sept right after I planted my fall plots. So when I saw the recent rainy period starting I thought the same thing but ended up not doing it for fear the radish would be rank by fall season. I might go ahead and gamble ahead of this next rain event though. I can just blame you if it doesn't work

My throw and mow corn is doing fantastic after the recents rains (can see more in the throw and mow thread). I planted a month ago or so and then immediately everything went drought like until last weekends 6+ inches of rain, but better was the next 2 slow inches that came after that.

 

[George]

My fall food plot took 3 weeks to sprout. Nice salad Native.

 

[Native Hunter]

Nice Native. I was considering this very thing as well. The last two or three years here, I've had no rain in Sept right after I planted my fall plots. So when I saw the recent rainy period starting I thought the same thing but ended up not doing it for fear the radish would be rank by fall season. I might go ahead and gamble ahead of this next rain event though. I can just blame you if it doesn't work

My throw and mow corn is doing fantastic after the recents rains (can see more in the throw and mow thread). I planted a month ago or so and then immediately everything went drought like until last weekends 6+ inches of rain, but better was the next 2 slow inches that came after that.

Sounds like your weather pattern has been the same as ours.

Yes, you can blame me if this doesn't work. Everybody will believe you when you tell them I had a hairbrained idea....

 

[Native Hunter]

Got some updated pictures. The recent rains have really made this monster take off. Deer are still hammering the buckwheat and nipping at the other stuff. The brassicas are really coming on now. Looks like I'm going to have a heck of a brassica stand here.

I thought about fertilizing this plot when I planted it. Glad I didn't waste my money. I like this so much I'm going to start doing it here every year. However, I think I will just make this an annual plot from now on. Next year = buckwheat, brassicas, wheat, oats and annual clovers.

 

[dogghr]

Dougherty's in their book Grow them Right, planted their brassica in the spring. I've never tried but have been tempted. Once they root, they withstand drought quite well and makes some since. After seeing your great soils, I suspect you could plant rocks and grow them. Plot looks great you rebel.

 

[Chipdasqrrl]

Dougherty's in their book Grow them Right, planted their brassica in the spring. I've never tried but have been tempted. Once they root, they withstand drought quite well and makes some since. After seeing your great soils, I suspect you could plant rocks and grow them. Plot looks great you rebel.

Can you elaborate on that? Are spring planted brassicas still going to be palatable to deer come Fall? Or is it more of a soil building thing?

 

[Native Hunter]

I've taken a real liking to buckwheat. This is the first year I've ever used it, and the deer took to it quickly. The lady at the feed store told me that she can get it for me with no shipping costs anytime I want it. 50 lbs will be somewhere in the $30-$40 range.

Thinking next year of doing a straight buckwheat plot in the summer and then mowing the buckwheat over wheat and clover seed for the winter.

 

[SwampCat]

Do you folks not have army worms? If we planted that early down here and were lucky enough to get some growth - the army worms would get it in September.

 

[Native Hunter]

Do you folks not have army worms? If we planted that early down here and were lucky enough to get some growth - the army worms would get it in September.

Dang things are eating one of my chestnut trees in the yard right now. I hate spraying but since its a small tree I probably will.

 

[dogghr]

Can you elaborate on that? Are spring planted brassicas still going to be palatable to deer come Fall? Or is it more of a soil building thing?

Been a while since read book but yes they spring planted their brassica for summer and winter feed. But they were n central NY so may make a diff. I want to try it as the prob I have anymore is deer love them so much they begin browse as they grow never giving them a chance for fall food or tuber formation.
Dougherty book is very good for eastern manangers as they are dealing w hilly forested , heavy hunted land. Even at that time they stressed variety of plots n diff locations on prob to gamble against weather issues. One of the best books I’ve read and it mixes w LC theory is still the basis of my management.


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[Triple C]

Ha! Maybe a rebel but not without a cause. Ain't nobody grows better looking stuff but pretty sure there's a cause behind it. Prolly won't do that this far south but sure does look good up in KY.

 

[Semisane]

Army worms can get really bad down here in S.E. Louisiana. I thought I had a good Brown Top Millet plot going for a September dove hunt. Then the dang worms moved in. Loss the plot entirely, but I was able to lasso one of those suckers. Threw a saddle on him and the kids had a ball riding him all over the lease that weekend.

 

[SwampCat]

Army worms can get really bad down here in S.E. Louisiana. I thought I had a good Brown Top Millet plot going for a September dove hunt. Then the dang worms moved in. Loss the plot entirely, but I was able to lasso one of those suckers. Threw a saddle on him and the kids had a ball riding him all over the lease that weekend.

I have about decided the guys in the central US, east of the Mississippi, have the best food plotting conditions. It doesnt seem like they have the extreme cold or heat. Shoot, I lost spring crop plantings this year due to drought and heat.