when to start preparing your food plots

[stevejedlenski]

all the mealting going on and im starting to think about the food plots i am planning on planting. i was wonering what is the best time to start spraying the herbicides. do you wait until you start to see green sprouts? also i know it varies with what your planting so i have some brassicas that i think ill wait on, but i also have clover. any help??

[deadeye]

Steve,
Generally herbicides need to be sprayed on the growing plants so with that in mind, you need to wait until the vegitation is growing.  I usually hold off until near Memorial day.  Then I wait two weeks and respray what I missed and any new growth.  Then plant clover.   You can hold off on the brassicas until August.

[LandDr]

Frost Seeding...now is a great time to get out and do some frost seeding.  I did some last Tuesday on one of my farms.  With the cold nights and warm days, the "freeze-thaw" action will move the seed into the soil for good placement.  This can be done on trails and overseeding in existing food plots.  I would not recommend frost seeding into existing sod/grass as that would probably be too much competition for the new seeds.  You need to prepare that site first and then maybe frost seed (overseed) in future years.  You can frost seed clovers onto trails and into existing clover plots, frost seed chicory and rye into existing plots and frost seed Brassicas into existing plots.  Note...the Brassicas could get very large planting this early but often they will be somewhat stunted and slowed due to the existing clover competition.

New Plots...if you are breaking new ground or have new clearings in timber areas, I would recommend going one year with Roundup Ready products such as corn or beans.  If it is a small plot, I would recommend RR beans as the deer will just mow the corn off as it comes up in small plots (< 2 acres).  They may be hard on the beans as well but the beans will continue to provide forage if not beans pods.  One year of RR will help break the sod down and get the weeds and volunteer trees under control.

There are many options for starting a new plot depending on the equipment that you have...plow-disc-harrow-plant-spray...spray-disc-plant...spray-spray again-disc-plant...etc., etc., etc.

Definately do not spray until the plants are actively growing if using a contact chemical such as Roundup.  4 to 6 inches is an ideal height and use 1.5 to 2 qrts per acre...1 qrt might be too light for sod bound vegetation.

My plan for this year...
1. Frost seed 2 to 3 acres of "All Clover" and "High Racks" on trails and light cover areas throughout the farm (completed already)
2. Plant around 16 acres of "RR corn" (around May 1 - May 15)
3. Plant around 3 to 5 acres of strategically placed "Brassi Buck" plots and "Peas & Oats" plots
* We have intentions of also planting several other test plots of all the food plot types we have...and then watch how the deer reach to each plot.  Have to see what kind of spring we have and if we can get all that done.
4. Harvest a 170+ whitetail next fall...that is also my intention :)

What does everyone else have for a plan?  Post questions if you have them.

Kyle, PLM
www.HabitatNOW.com

[Big E]

I agree do not spray until the plants are growing. Most sprays need contact with the plant to kill the plants. I like to spray when the weeds are shorter than a foot tall and then wait 2 weeks and spray again. If you wait the weeds get too long and you can't get spray on the shorter ones just coming up.
 I'm starting a new food plot this year that has been tall weeds for the last 20 years or more. I plan on burining it in the next week and spraying it until there is no more weeds coming up. I'm planting rye grain in it so I can take my time as I won't be planting it until late July or early August. I've already frost seeded clover/chicory into existing plots and a couple new ones. I did it last year on a trail that was all weeds but I thought if a few clover plants came up the grouse would have some food. Well to my surprise the clover took over big time and the whole trail that was tall weeds years past was all clover and the deer kept it mowed all yr. I'm planting beans, rape, turnips, AWP, corn, rye grain, sunflower along with spruce and pine trees.  I will have my hands full but this is what I love doing almost more than hunting.....almost.

[7outof10]

you need to keep in mind that some sprays are a per emergent spray so just read the box or buy it from a co op and they will have the right people there to tell you when to spray and how much and all of that fun stuff

[stevejedlenski]

these are a couple pics of a plot we are starting for next year. im super excited about this one. i think it will do great next fall. for anyone that has more experience, do you think i should plant this fall and then reseed next spring or just wait until spring to seed?

[Big E]

What do you want to plant in it? If it were me I'd plant rye grain in it this yr and hunt over it this yr. It will pop up right away in the spring and be a early food source when deer don't have much else to eat. You'll then have to kill it off and plant whatever you want for next yr after it gets to tall and become unpatable for the deer.
 Or if you have a way to mow it I'd plant Rye grain and clover this year. Then frost seed more clover in early spring. Then let the rye grain come to seed then mow it and you'll have clover for the deer and at the same time it will be producing nitrogen for your soil so come next July-Aug you can kill it and plant it again or just leave it in clover. After you mow clover it comes in very thick.
 If you do take this route make sure you buy Rye grain and not rye grass. Rye grain is very cheap. (50lbs for $14 or less. The seed looks almost like oats.) The clover mix that I use is Ladino, Aslike and medium red clover all in 1/3's. This mix will grow in just about every type of soil and shade.