Throw and Mow Seed Combinations?

Need some throw and mow combinations needed for Maine. I have 4 small plots going in. 2 are completely new and have never been planted (wooded clearings). The other two where planted in WR last year and just never really attracted the deer. Just looking for some mixes to diversify. I’d like to do both spring and fall planting due to not much food around.
 
Need some throw and mow combinations needed for Maine. I have 4 small plots going in. 2 are completely new and have never been planted (wooded clearings). The other two where planted in WR last year and just never really attracted the deer. Just looking for some mixes to diversify. I’d like to do both spring and fall planting due to not much food around.
I think I read on another of your posts that you were already working on ph and Fert. And that you had achieved some good grain growth on your plots. Thats good. You could frost seed oats and RC into the plots. Both should establish decent for summer and you can mow grain, or let it summer die off. Come fall, you could do a brassica rotation into that plot, or simply add annual and perennial clover along with some more grain to carry thru into the next year.
The other cheap and easy work is to improve edge feathering around your plots. Trees on the ground give deer sense of protection, even forcing their pathway into the plot. It also puts food within reach when you drop trees, and is a big plus this time of year. And new growth will sprout from available sunlight.
If you havn't read the link on here of LC/lickcreek thread. Most of us do some variation of his great mixture and plantings. Good luck.
 
Small plots + wooded clearings = perennial white clover + medium red clover

Not sure how big your small plots are, but if they are in the woods and less than 1/2 acre, establishing a perennial white clover will give you close to a year round food source, with a little TLC. Clover is more shade tolerant than most cereal grains, and your yield is greater.

Every time you work up ground, you take away food, for a period of time (and burn up organic matter). If your goal is to maximize food, clover is hard to beat. If you have an established perennial clover, you can always over seed it with wheat or even brassica's in the fall.

If you have small plots, spring planting soybeans or copweas might be a waste of time, money and effort. I gave up planting them when 5 acres got wiped out.

Clover soil.JPG Clover soil-1.JPG Deer Nutrition.JPG durana yield.JPG Nutritional Requirements.jpg Potassium.JPG
 
This is a 1/4 acre plot of mine, on a pine tract and you can see that I have part of it in white perennial clover and the bare spot, was just planted in cereal grains ..... just an option. I know you're trying to do throw & mow and you could still do something like this.

80.JPG
 
FarmerD,

Your post is most helpful and timely to me and my son. We have been roughing in footplot locations on a timbered farm with a D5 Dozier.

I didn't see you mention Ladino Clover. Would it be unwise to plant a mixture of medium red clover, Ladino and Chickory in a 1/2 acre food plot that has good sunlight in the woodlot setting. Our farm was logged 2 years ago.

Thanks for any advice you can share.

Wayne
 
There are lots of different types of Ladino clover and really, the main differences between them is how tall they get (Durana is an intermediate Ladino and is shorter) and how long they will persist. I have a Durana plot that's 10 years old, but there's lots of good ones out there. Regal Graze, I'm using Advantage Ladino, which I am liking. Imperial Whitetail Institute, for small acreage is great.

But mixing medium red, ladino and chicory is good. The chicory limits what herbicides you can use and within 2 years, the ladino will take over everything, which is just fine. If your clover looks weak, you can always over seed with more clover in the fall.

Just get good weed control, lots of P & K and your ph above 6 and you'll do great! Below are all perennial white clovers.


Imperial Whitetail Institute2.JPG
 
Just for some added info., on my 10 year old plot .... you can see the amount of organic matter that's there, plus the Durana is reseeding itself in a bare spot.

Durana - 1.JPG
 
If some of my plots have pH below 6.0 or well below, would you plant buckwheat or some other choice and then come back with clover and chicory in the fall?

I do believe some of our plots will be in this situation and others will have pH that is suitable for ladino, red clover and chicory.

Thanks for the assistance. It is appreciated very much.

Wayne
 
Before you inve$t in a perennial clover, make sure your ph is above 6 ...... work towards that goal. It really can take 6 months, after an application of lime, to see a noticeable difference and probably 3 years for the lime to peak. If you've limed several months back, take another ($10) soil test and see where you are, before the fall.

You can plant buckwheat as an option or alyce clover (not a real clover), which the deer will take to, as well. Or you can just work on weed and grass control, till the fall.
 
I used winter rye in my woods after clearing a spot to get seed to soil contact and it grew pretty good and was used during the winter by the deer. That was about as easy as it gets growing something for deer to eat. clear a spot, throw out the seed by hand and walk away. Winter rye will grow anywhere except under water.
 
I used winter rye in my woods after clearing a spot to get seed to soil contact and it grew pretty good and was used during the winter by the deer. That was about as easy as it gets growing something for deer to eat. clear a spot, throw out the seed by hand and walk away. Winter rye will grow anywhere except under water.

I tried the winter rye last year and the deer barely touched it at all.
 
I don't know if Buckwheat is an option that far north, but if it will work in your climate you may be looking at it because is a great soil builder for newly cleared plots like you described. However, I can tell you from personal experience that those large seeds do NOT work well with Throw and Mow; I tried it and germination was all but non-existant..
 
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