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Alright so I'm going to attempt my own custom mix for a food plot this year just want to know what everyone thinks of this it's going to be 3/4 acre with a mix of clover turnip and kale has anyone tried this mix if so how was your success
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I've grown all as pure mono-culture.
Clover is great in early spring when it is young. But they tend to ignore it once it grows tall so it needs a cut to regenerate young tender shoots.
I've only grown kale behind an electric fence for personal consumption. Eventually I get sick of eating kale. But as soon as I take down the fence the deer come in and destroy what's left.
Turnips can grow to a big size. But in my area the deer won't eat them until December when they are frozen and covered with a bit of snow. Not much use for hunting season but a good early winter source of nutrition for them.
Put it them all together on 3/4 acre and I think you'll have an excellent summer fall and early winter food plot.
If you are custom blending seed, I would plant each as monoculture patches. Like concentric circles. Or parallel bands so that you'd have six strips of planting-- two strips of each seed type. Several advantages to this. You can cut the clover when it get too tall. You can more easily assess the growth success of each crop. You won't get one crop growing so big as to shade the other-- like kale over shading clover.
I do this mix every year mostly on the borders of my potato patch.The deer don,t really frequent the plot until well into the fall and wait until the frost hits the plants where they turn sweet.They will absolutely clean out all the turnips and there will be nothing come spring.They also have no problem eating squash and pumpkins once the frost hits them.I would do this but also drop apples and put up corn feeders of the simply pipe variety.Quote:
Originally Posted by aaron86
I was advised by an old timer farmer I know to plant parsnips so will give them a try this year.Clover is always good.
Avoid millet and rapeseed they are almost an invasive species and take over the food plots.IMHO
Alright thanks I'm going to add pumpkin too I forgot to mention a row or two of corn as well just on the outer edge I think it might make the deer feel a little comfort when grazing
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The marker is where the treestand is
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We've been doing food plots for a few years now and always stick with the rape seed......deer love it when the frost hits early in October and if you have a good crop of it they'll dig at the roots well after the snow covers it. Mixing in some chicory with the clover works well....I've had great luck with the mossy oak clover plus but like said previously it needs to be cut. There are so many variations out there and I bet you will mix it up from year to year and experiment to see what works best in your area....and rotating the forage on your plot will benefit you as well.
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I do kale, radish and turnip every year. Doesn't get touched till around the rut but that's the plan really lol
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Related question, what is the best source for a non farmer for kale, radish turnip seed etc?
As mentioned above, try to divide up your food plot by season. Clover works best for spring and summer and if you mow it down they will continually feed on that portion of the plot. Radish and turnip seems to get hit late in the season and actually the deer are digging these up this time of year at my plots. I like using soy as my main hunting season plot and consequently it is closest to my stand, but any cereal grain will do.
I have also had great success with mixes like Nature's choice, but I really like having food plots I can mow.
MBmellis, really depends on your location but most feed mills will sell you seed by the pound and even help you calculate how much you need for your plot.\ in order to create your own mix should you desire.
Any farmers co op can get you going. They are super easy to grow. Not sure about your late fall / rut weather but here in the north west they are hit by hard frost and perfect for deer to hammer. Others may have they're opinions on what works but I have nice deer on my wall to prove it works. Lolhttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...ea624d960d.jpgQuote:
Originally Posted by mbmellis
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