When is comes to having the best Deer Food Plots in the area there are a few things you need to have;
Screening to get those bigger bucks to come out before dark (Provides a sense of security), Food Plot Cover to keep the weeds down during the off season and provide green manure (fertilizer) & Green Forage for both the early and late deer hunting season (Fall through Winter)
Screening:
A great Food Plot is well screened from buildings and roads. We recommend using Switchgrass (perennial grows 5′ – 6′) and Sorghum (annual grows 8′ – 10′) until your switchgrass is mature, two to three years. You can plant Switchgrass by frost seeding or as soon as the soil can be tilled and planted, the earlier the better. Switchgrass seed will not germinate until mid June, just after the field corn starts to grow. The Sorghum is to be planted at the same time as the Field Corn and will germinate within 7 days.
Cover Seed:
Cover seed is used to keep the weeds down during the off season and add Green Manure to help fertilize the soil. There is no doubt the that best cover seed is Buckwheat! For Food Plots you will want to plant this in early to mid June. In mid August you will kill this off and plant your forage.
Early & Late Forage (Food):
In mid August you will want to kill off your Buckwheat and plant your two types of Forage, early and late. We recommend no till and spreading your seed before running a Cultipacker over your Buckwheat and killing it off with Glyphosate. This will not harm your forage seed. Plant your Food plots with 1/2 early and the other 1/2 with late forages. We have listed the best of both!
Best Deer Stands for 2022!
Switchgrass for Screening
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a summer perennial grass
Switchgrass is a perennial and will grow up to 4ft tall the first year. For best results, if you have weeds and other grasses growing where you planted your Switchgrass then keep it mowed down until mid July, just as you would with your lawn. Then let the area grown to 18 inches and mow this down to 6 inches. The Switchgrass will grow much faster than the other weeds and grasses and will then take over. Recommended to also plant Sorghum!
Sorghum for Screening
Sorghum is a summer annual grass
Sorghum is an annual crop that looks a lot like corn. It is considered an annual warm season grass and is planted the same time as Field Corn. We recommend planting this every year on the outside of your Switchgrass for better screening!
Outsidepride Buckwheat Cover Crop Seed
Summer annual which can be used as a green manure crop
There is no better Cover Crop to keep the weeds down and add Green Manure for the planting season. Buckwheat is an early maturing wheat suitable for almost any type soil. Seeds remain on stalk after ripening, providing food over extended period of time. Buckwheat has a short growing season, maturing in 10 to 12 weeks, making is perfect for Food Plots.
Brassica Blend Food
Hale Habitat & Seed Brassica Blend
You want to make sure to plant half your food plot to a Brassica Blend (early food source) and half to a late food source such as oats, peas, rye, ect. This Brassica Blend is great and contains the following food sources; Daikon Radish, Purple Top Turnip, Rapeseed, Kale, & Winter Camelina. Recommendation, rotate the two food blends each year as the Brassica will add Nitrogen and Calcium while the Fall Blend will use more than it provides.
Seed Fall Buffet for Late Season
Hale Habitat & Seed Fall Buffet Food Plot Mix
This blend will provide Green Food for the late season and contains the following food sources; Winter Pea, Winter Rye, Forage Oats, Crimson Clover, Daikon Radish, Purple Top Turnip, & Chicory. Recommendation, rotate the two food blends each year as the Brassica will add Nitrogen and Calcium and the Fall Blend will use more than it provides.
Glyphosate 41
Compare-N-Save 75324 Herbicide, 1-gallon, white
Get to the root and kill grass and weeds with Compare-N-Save 41-percent Glyphosate Concentrate Grass and Weed Killer. Use for lawn or garden replacement, on patios, walkways, or in and around fences and gardens to remove unwanted grass and weeds. The 2.5 gal. container will treat over 630,000 sq. ft. with visible results in as little as 2 to 4 days. Kills all grass and weeds.
