When to terminate Summer Food Plots?

[John Paul]

So this was the first year we planted true summer food plots. Not just relying on our ag fields, we planted a LabLab, Iron Clay Pea and sunflower mix in some food plots around the farm. The deer have been hammering them and they look so good it hard to imagine terminating them but they won’t last long into Fall. When do you guys go ahead and terminate and plant your Fall plots?

 

[TreeDaddy]

Seems criminal to terminate that^^^^

Is that a Craig Harper inspired mix?

bill

 

[white cloud]

That would be hard to terminate. Nice job and well done. I terminated mine yesterday.

 

[Baker]

If it were mine I would wait till the sunflowers finished and prep it for a dove field. That looks beautiful. How did the lab lab do up there?

 

[Jeff H]

Seems criminal to terminate that^^^^

Is that a Craig Harper inspired mix?

bill

My thoughts exactly. How many acres do you have in summer plots? I've never be able to get sunflowers to last very long but I have limited acreage.

 

[KSQ2]

I haven't done it yet, but after a lot of reading on here, I plan to plant buckwheat with sunflowers next late spring and use it for throw and mow, or a very light disking, for fall plots in September.

 

[Drycreek]

I usually don’t have that problem. Limited acreage, sun and heat usually determine that for me.I agree that’s a great looking plot.

 

[bearcat]

I’ve been wondering the same thing. My plots were more for weed control than forage, but some of them look pretty decent. I’ll be planting mid-sept, more than likely I’ll terminate around Labor Day

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[John Paul]

Seems criminal to terminate that^^^^

Is that a Craig Harper inspired mix?

bill

No clue Bill. I’ve read about the mix for years and finally tried it. I’ve been really pleased and so have the deer.

 

[John Paul]

If it were mine I would wait till the sunflowers finished and prep it for a dove field. That looks beautiful. How did the lab lab do up there?

Ha! Fortunately the dove fields look even better and cleaner!

The LabLab did very well. I think the first time planting it gave it a chance to get established before the deer knew what it was. I think they won’t be so kind next tine.

 

[John Paul]

My thoughts exactly. How many acres do you have in summer plots? I've never be able to get sunflowers to last very long but I have limited acreage.

We planted 15 acres in four different spots. We have about 700 acres of soybeans though on the farm which definitely helps take some pressure off. We just want to have something growing in our plots year round from now on.

 

[KSQ2]

Will lablab coexist with buckwheat? Might be nice to put a legume in with the bw next year, if possible.

 

[John Paul]

Will lablab coexist with buckwheat? Might be nice to put a legume in with the bw next year, if possible.

Hmmmm that’s a good question. I don’t see why not on one hand but on the other BW grows so fast and smothers competition pretty well that it might not.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Fall plot species often take smaller areas than summer plots, so if it seems to work out I often terminate only part of a summer plot for replanting and let some of it expire on its own. The section left standing can be utilized for a winter plot by overseeding a heavy seeding of rye into it around labor day.

 

[John Paul]

Fall plot species often take smaller areas than summer plots, so if it seems to work out I often terminate only part of a summer plot for replanting and let some of it expire on its own. The section left standing can be utilized for a winter plot by overseeding a heavy seeding of rye into it around labor day.

That’s not a bad idea. Plant my Fall plot in half then just overseed the remaining, standing summer plot!