Perennial smorgasbord?

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Already planning for next season

We have what I call a destination feed field which is our biggest plot located very centrally on the farm. Plots approx 3 acres+\-. I have planted with beans past few yrs then overseed with WW or rye in early fall. This has been a solid draw. This yr my beans failed misribly so I turned the soil an planted WW alone in Sep. It's performing well now that the acorns are rotting. Due to time constraints (4 kids an busy life) I'm considering frost seeding WW plot with a perrenial smorgasbord. Looking for a lower maintenance destination plot. Has anyone went crazy with perennials and thrown everything they can think of in the mix? I'm thinking
Lidino white
Med red
Alfalfa
Chicory
If so how did it perform? Not sure this would draw them in like beans. I would like to use the time I spend annually working this plot on creating more hidey hole woodland plots which I have had great luck with this yr!
Would love to hear yalls thoughts an feedback on perrenial planting and combinations that perform best for you

Thanks Jordan

 

[Native Hunter]

Jordan, I have planted that exact combination of those 4 species you show. I didn't frost seed, but planted them in the fall with cereal grains and brassicas. I see mostly the grains and brassicas in the fall, and the next spring the perennials take off. The chicory and red clover are the biggest draw, but the alfalfa and ladino get eaten too.

If you get one of the premium red clovers rated for longevity, you will see it last for 3 years and possibly longer if you get some seed. Common red clover will probably not last over 2 years. The alfalfa has lasted 2 years so far and we will see what it looks like next year.

If you don't have any weed problems, I would recommend not mowing the above mix very much. Let it get tall and seed if possible. The deer here will keep on eating chicory even after it gets 5 feet tall. They will not only eat the leaves but also the stalks.

Even right now my chicory is still green and being eaten. I can't tell a lot of difference in plot use between the existing perennial plots and the ones put out this fall with annual nurse crops.

I think you are on the right track. That plot will feed deer most all year long, and you can always overseed in the fall with some grains and brassicas if you want to sweeten it up some for the winter.

 

[dogghr]

^^^^ Yup!

 

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Jordan, I have planted that exact combination of those 4 species you show. I didn't frost seed, but planted them in the fall with cereal grains and brassicas. I see mostly the grains and brassicas in the fall, and the next spring the perennials take off. The chicory and red clover are the biggest draw, but the alfalfa and ladino get eaten too.

If you get one of the premium red clovers rated for longevity, you will see it last for 3 years and possibly longer if you get some seed. Common red clover will probably not last over 2 years. The alfalfa has lasted 2 years so far and we will see what it looks like next year.

If you don't have any weed problems, I would recommend not mowing the above mix very much. Let it get tall and seed if possible. The deer here will keep on eating chicory even after it gets 5 feet tall. They will not only eat the leaves but also the stalks.

Even right now my chicory is still green and being eaten. I can't tell a lot of difference in plot use between the existing perennial plots and the ones put out this fall with annual nurse crops.

I think you are on the right track. That plot will feed deer most all year long, and you can always overseed in the fall with some grains and brassicas if you want to sweeten it up some for the winter.

Thanks Native. I was hoping you would chime in! I knew you had great luck with chicory.
What premium red clovers are you referring to?
Only thing they seem to sell around here is med red which they run sales on every spring an fall for $95/bushell. Glad to hear they prefer it on your place!
Their is a small bench above this plot that I will plant with some annuals like milo an corn. I planted feed corn couple years back and had great results with it. It was ROund up ready as well! My deer seem to really like milo. It's as easy to grow as anything i ever planted. These will serve as a plot screen as well making those mature bucks more comfortable during daylight

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks Native. I was hoping you would chime in! I knew you had great luck with chicory.
What premium red clovers are you referring to?
Only thing they seem to sell around here is med red which they run sales on every spring an fall for $95/bushell. Glad to hear they prefer it on your place!
Their is a small bench above this plot that I will plant with some annuals like milo an corn. I planted feed corn couple years back and had great results with it. It was ROund up ready as well! My deer seem to really like milo. It's as easy to grow as anything i ever planted. These will serve as a plot screen as well making those mature bucks more comfortable during daylight

Jordan, the premium red clover I have used the most is Barduro, and it is a medium red. One place that had it earlier in the year was Tecomate, but you might be able to find it cheaper if you look around. I don't recall their price, but you can look on the web site.

This year I planted another variety in a small no till plot called Kenland. It is also supposed to be ling lived.

PS: I just found this link for you from University of Missouri. They say that Kenland and Kenstar are superior cultivars for that region, with Kenstar being the best. This should get you started:

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/G4638

 

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Tks much Steve!

 

[dogdoc]

Kenland is the variety I planted. This spring will be it's 3rd spring. Been a huge draw and held up to drought well.

 

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Kenland is the variety I planted. This spring will be it's 3rd spring. Been a huge draw and held up to drought well.

Did you plant any other perrenials with it? Notice any preference if so?

 

[Doe Shooter]

Add some crimson.

 

[j-bird]

Already planning for next season

We have what I call a destination feed field which is our biggest plot located very centrally on the farm. Plots approx 3 acres+\-. I have planted with beans past few yrs then overseed with WW or rye in early fall. This has been a solid draw. This yr my beans failed misribly so I turned the soil an planted WW alone in Sep. It's performing well now that the acorns are rotting. Due to time constraints (4 kids an busy life) I'm considering frost seeding WW plot with a perrenial smorgasbord. Looking for a lower maintenance destination plot. Has anyone went crazy with perennials and thrown everything they can think of in the mix? I'm thinking
Lidino white
Med red
Alfalfa
Chicory
If so how did it perform? Not sure this would draw them in like beans. I would like to use the time I spend annually working this plot on creating more hidey hole woodland plots which I have had great luck with this yr!
Would love to hear yalls thoughts an feedback on perrenial planting and combinations that perform best for you

Thanks Jordan

I have done this and the biggest issue I had was with the alfalfa. It needs to be mowed and the clippings removed if at all possible to reduce smothering. The clover and chicory will do fine but the alfalfa doesn't like competition. I'm not say it's was a disaster - but I won't do it again. I do t have the deer numbers to keep the alfalfa short and in a tender state so that results in frequent mowing which puts you in th plot more.

 

[dogdoc]

Did you plant any other perrenials with it? Notice any preference if so?

In my true perennial plots I have a blend of ladino clover, kenland red clover, and chicory. Many people say the red isn't as palatable as the whites but I feel the red holds its own and I see high palatability. It also seems to do better in the middle of the summer compared to the ladino. Chicory is foraged on but not anything like the clovers.

 

[dogghr]

I've got a plot that will be in its 4th year coming up. A combo of WC,RC, alfalfa, and chicory. I only mow couple times of year a foot high to control weeds. The deer keep the alfalfa mowed for me, and since it is not a monoculture alfalfa, and I mow high when need to, the issues that supposedly happen with competition, and smothering is nonexistent. Deer love the plot and with it on a high ridge, south facing, the chicory and alfalfa are excellent choices especially during dry times. Alfalfa is a draw until the first couple hard freezes, then the deer back off and just browse the clover and chicory, and come back to alfalfa mid Dec thru rest of year. I keep an exclusion cage in the field or I probably would have deemed it a failure since the deer keep it mowed so well. I do have my ph at 7 and add 0-20-20 and Boron each year per soil test. Most fun plot I've done since there is so much stigma with non baled alfalfa. It's not pretty, but the deer love it. Was planning on doubling size of plot this year but drought put that on hold. Good luck.

 

[Chestnut Valley Farms]

Thanks for the great feedback fellas! I knew several of you had been there done that with perrenials!
Question????
Any of you switched an existing bean plot to clover? You notice any reduction in usage an draw with clover compared to the beans. Beans sure brings them in

 

[Jason Broom]

I don't think you'll find many who argue against the attraction level of beans, especially during cold, late-season hunts. I'm not a fan of soybeans for a couple of reasons, but IF I planted them, I could alleviate one of my concerns by simply over-seeding with rye and clovers in the fall.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[j-bird]

If your looking for hunting season attraction I think beans would be the ticket......especially later in the fall and into winter (provide great summer forage as well). Clover plot would do well for hunting in the early fall (I would add a heavy dose of chicory to it if possible if you go this route - deer hammer chicory in the fall on my place when we start getting the cooler fall temps). Chicory however may limit your choices of herbicides used if needed later.

I have never converter a bean plot to clover.