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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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Oh boy I can't wait this will be my second food plot but first of my own imagination the first one was a premix from my local Tsc think it was rack stacker
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbmellis
Try Johnnys Seeds from Maine.
Close enough to our climate to be usefull for Ontario growers.
Only a few grain seeds have restrictions for Canada.
Food plotting is very addicting. Now I enjoy it almost as much as hunting, well not quite but I really enjoy it. Hunting a large plot that you've planted is a whole new feeling. It's amazing to sit and watch critters walk in and graze. Totally different experience then when they come into a pile of corn.Quote:
Originally Posted by aaron86
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Is this plot to attract deer during hunting season or to feed them all year ?
The turnip and kale are annuals and will be killed off by frost and winter but the clover will continue to grow. If you want something permanent try a 50/50 mix of Ladino and Alice white clover and chicory which will last several years and all it needs is fertilizer (P&K, no N) and 2-3 mowings. Plant this in mid to late August with a nurse crop of grain.
Friggs
There are so many varieties of kale on the market from Italian to Russian, to scarlet leaf and blue curled.
Which Kale seed did you guys use in your food plots?
The one in the bin at the
Co op. Lol
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Typical red neck answer LOL!!
Yes. Hahaha [emoji2]
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Not sure of the type of kale I plant really. When planning your brassica plot remember there is a order in which it gets eaten. For me the kale goes first, then the radish leaves, then turnip leaves, then turnip and radish bulbs. It might be different where you are but that's what happens for me. So plant the amount of each according to when you'll hunt it. I only use so much kale cause that gets eaten before the hard frost when I really start hunting hard.
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QUOTE=northern_rednek;961389]Not sure of the type of kale I plant really. When planning your brassica plot remember there is a order in which it gets eaten. For me the kale goes first, then the radish leaves, then turnip leaves, then turnip and radish bulbs. It might be different where you are but that's what happens for me. So plant the amount of each according to when you'll hunt it. I only use so much kale cause that gets eaten before the hard frost when I really start hunting hard.
Thanks for the info much appreciated.
Looks like Kale and Alfalfa are going into 2 of my plots may be using soybeans and or ?? in the other 1
Haven't decided yet, still doing some research on certain types if seed blends
Cant wait for this snow to melt so I can get to work!
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That's awesome. For me the real gold is the turnip and radish. If I only had time to do one plot it would be those. Plant them beginning to mid August then wait for the hard frost. It's amazing how hard the deer will hit it. They are soooo cheap to grow. You have to give it a go even if it's just a small area. I've been doing it for about 5 years now and I'm up to planting over an acre of them now.
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K I will plow and prep an extra 1/4 acre and give them a go as well...any variety in particular>
Daikon radish and purple top turnips. One thing is after a hard frost be ready to hunt over the plot. The reason I plant so much now is they totally hammer it and wipe it out fast.
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I will find out how much is needed and buy the amount required for a 1/2
I'm sure PH levels should be between 6-7 and my plots are in and around that but can be tweaked if need be.
Are there any special fertilizer requirements?
I used natures choice last year for my first food plot. I noticed the ryegrass really took over. I planted on virgin ground, tilled everything up and planted. No Fertlizer program or nothing. I should have mowed it as I heard will benefit and obviously fertilized. But I feel the deer didn't really love it, ended up baiting last month of season, or I wasn't patient enough. I know I want to use turnips this year. If I was going to plant three or four species what's my best bet. I know buddy above said plant in sections, is that really necessary? I want so that deer hitting throughout year not just when frost hits and when they decide to eat turnip. Any info would be great. I'd say 3/4 acre as well. Adequate sun, unfortunately beside massive maples where when leafs drop it covers my plot.
We plant our plots which are about 3/4 an acre , with half whitetail clover and the other half with turnip.
They eat the clover till it's gone , usually late October early November. Then start on the turnips.
This works well , couple of years ago the turnips failed due to drought. But the clover was still good and provided us with a good plot and some venison.
Fertilizer we use is 18-18-18 on turnips. 6-24-24 on clover , put out some mineral around water ... Creek or spring hole.
Been doing this for 5 years now and it's working great. Bucks are getting bigger every year and the moose love it too.
We're in central ontario. Have fun it is addictive.