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Food plot help for a newbie

2K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  Stillhuntn 
#1 ·
For years my dad has put in a small food plot on his property. When the kids were young it was for them to get their first opportunities. Then he kept the tradition so he could see deer when he was piddling around. Well...as hard as it is to acknowledge it, he just can't do it anymore. So I want to surprise him and do his food plot myself. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I know NOTHING about planting a food plot! I did help Dad a couple years, but it would be something like driving the tractor or 4-wheeler a little bit. He did all the planning and the work. So I really need some very basic instruction.

Is it still early enough? I can start work tomorrow. I need to bush-hog the area (approx 1-1.5 acres) and then disk it. Dad would normally mix the seed with the fertilizer and cast it out by hand. Then he would drag a gate from a chain-link fence behind his 4-wheeler to mix it all in, then finish with a water-filled roller behind the 4-wheeler. His little plot always turned out great.

Do I still have time? What plot mix should I buy? How much and what kind of fertilizer? Can I skip any of the steps above? Is there a better way? Thank you!
 
#2 ·
You still have plenty of time. All I can tell you is how we do it. We bush hog plots and spray round up a few days later. Wait two weeks and then till our fertilize in with a rear tine tiller. Spread seed (been using Pennington’s Mississippi Complete for about six years) and then drag with a section of doubled up chain link fence behind four wheeler. We have planted 14 food plots this year just like that. BTW if it is a new plot that has not been planted in the past years we disc before we till. If it has been planted in past years the tiller is all that is needed. All plots are up and look great with the rain we have had. Deer are already hammering them.
 
#6 ·
It's definitely not to late. What equipment do you have access to?
I have a late-60s Ford 5000 tractor, bush-hog, disk, chain-link gate (poor man's harrow), drum roller.

I'd like to do the simplest method possible, because I'll be doing it by myself and I really only have this week to get it done. I think the area is about 1 acre.

Thanks.
 
#11 ·
No, it's not too late, as mentioned. Typically, you can plant all of the way into early November and have plenty time for everything to come up. If you're only talking about an acre or so, I would bush hog it and then disk it really well incorporating the thatch into the soil but it doesn't need to look like it came out of a bag of top soil. You really only need to broken up enough to cover the seed well but if you want a "pretty" plot disk it until it's smooth. IMO, disking the plot is what makes a good plot, I'm not a fan of the throw and mow mostly because my grass isn't thick enough to do that.

For the acreage you're planting I would recommend at least 2 50# sacks, if not 3, of three way seed blend from your local co-op. We usually match seed to fertilizer so if you buy 3 sacks of seed get 3 sacks of 13-13-13. We always broadcast each seed and fertilizer individually because the heavier fertilizer will fall to the bottom of the mixture and now your seed and fertilizer aren't spread evenly. After you get all of the seed and fertilizer out drag it to your liking.

Before you roll it, for a little extra, you can lightly top sow the plot with about 3-5 pounds of clover seed. I like ladino myself. After top sowing with clover then roll it and wait for the rain. Do not seed the clover with everything else. Your food plot blend seeds need to be about an inch deep but clover only needs to be about 1/4" deep or just covered.

Good Luck!
 
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