Shaded area's (Food plots)
- Schultzy
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3138
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Shaded area's (Food plots)
My brother and I have decided were going to thin a small spot out In our woods and put a food plot In. Nothing big, 1/4 acre or so. The soil Is black peat ground. The area will be shaded quite heavily. We've had corn and or beans In our other small plots on edges of fields but this time we'd like to go a greener route. What do you all suggest?
As for mineral blocks and such, what would you say Is the best thing for this as well?
As for mineral blocks and such, what would you say Is the best thing for this as well?
- BackWoodsHunter
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:13 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
I'd go with clover/winter rye or winter wheat but I'd wait til fall to plant. Clear the area, and spray with round 3-4 times this summer starting mid-may. I would spray 3 times actually. Mid-May, Mid June, Spread seed and spray right over the seed after you broadcast it killing any of the remaining weeds but it shouldn't kill the seed in Mid to late july. By planting in fall next spring the clover will come back strong and early providing food for the deer and fighting off weeds from producing in your plots. I wouldn't plant anything in spring it will be a constant battle with weeds.
Just my opinion good luck!
Just my opinion good luck!
"The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind." Fred Bear
- Schultzy
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3138
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
- DEERSLAYER
- Super Moderator
- Posts: 8353
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
- Location: Western L.P. of MI
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Schultzy wrote:...The area will be shaded quite heavily...
Your going to have to open it up to let some sun in there if you want good results.
If you aren't willing to open it up you might try an experiment by broadcasting some rye and see if that big seed has the energy to grow enough to be a draw. I know the spilled seed will grow about 5" in the back of my truck. I'm not sure if it will work in the shade though. You could try a test area in the yard that is shaded about the same and if it works out then broadcast it real heavy where you want your food plot. It may or may not work, but the best thing to do is to just open it up and let in some sunlight. It shouldn't be to hard to open up the canopy a bit if you just girdle some trees.
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
- DEERSLAYER
- Super Moderator
- Posts: 8353
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
- Location: Western L.P. of MI
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
BackWoodsHunter wrote:I'd go with clover/winter rye or winter wheat but I'd wait til fall to plant. Clear the area, and spray with round 3-4 times this summer starting mid-may. I would spray 3 times actually. Mid-May, Mid June, Spread seed and spray right over the seed after you broadcast it killing any of the remaining weeds but it shouldn't kill the seed in Mid to late july. By planting in fall next spring the clover will come back strong and early providing food for the deer and fighting off weeds from producing in your plots. I wouldn't plant anything in spring it will be a constant battle with weeds.
Just my opinion good luck!
BackWoodsHunter,
Why the July spraying? There should be nothing left to spray at that time. An early fall spraying is very useful (the most effective actually), but a third month in a row should not be necessary unless something was done incorrectly. I'm also curious why you picked the time that you did to spray at his latitude? When you say spraying on the seed "shouldn't" kill it, what exactly did you mean? I ask because many chemicals WILL kill the seed.
Schultzy, you said it will be "shaded quite heavily" so I was thinking you intended to plant in the timber and not clear out an opening. Is this correct or was I wrong?
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
- BackWoodsHunter
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:13 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Sorry got carried away I'm not sure where he plants at. I know for us the mid to late july planting of a fall crop is recommended and works well. I also know that broadcasting seed and spraying over it right away shouldn't hurt the seed. At least with brassicas. The first 2 apps should kill everything but the third application is a "just in case" to get rid of the last of the surviving weeds that may compete with your food plot crops. On a 1/4 acre it shouldn't take much to spray the last of the weeds. Good tip on girdling the trees that will definitely get you some sunlight without having to deal with a mess to clean up.
"The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind." Fred Bear
- BackWoodsHunter
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3011
- Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 7:13 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
By shouldn't kill seed I mean if you broadcast seed and an hour later go back and spray any remaining weeds, the coating on the seeds will (should) protect them and they will sprout. I have not done in depth studies or anything like that but from what I have seen spraying over the seeds in that fashion won't hurt the crop. I chose the times I did to spray because they are about a month apart starting with when things should really be greening up in the upper midwest. This is all assuming he established/prepped nothing last fall as well. Because yes prepping the plot last fall and frost seeding clover this spring would probably be effective as well.
"The history of the bow and arrow is the history of mankind." Fred Bear
- Schultzy
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3138
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Deerslayer,
Yes It's going to be shaded but we did clear out about 10 tree's. I talked with my brother yesterday afternoon and we were thinking of putting oats In now and then tilling It up and putting clover In right around August. We will have spray for the clover as well. We might do turnips as well. What you think?
Any other opinions on mineral blocks?
Yes It's going to be shaded but we did clear out about 10 tree's. I talked with my brother yesterday afternoon and we were thinking of putting oats In now and then tilling It up and putting clover In right around August. We will have spray for the clover as well. We might do turnips as well. What you think?
Any other opinions on mineral blocks?
-
- Posts: 5586
- Joined: Tue Aug 31, 2010 12:35 am
- Location: Appleton WI
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Schultzy - IMO due the mineral yourself... go a local co-op, get a bag of stock salt 50lbs = $5, trace mineral salt usually 25lbs bags, $ cheap, and a 50lbs bag of Di-Cal-Phosphate, $10ish. Mix all three in equal parts - start this time of year. Makes 150lbs of mineral mix for much cheaper than blocks/name brands and they will pound it. If you want the deer to find it quicker add a scented product like Apple Jam, Deer Cane, etc the first time you start a lick. Place in shaded area, near food source/water, in place that you don't intend to hunt near = awesome spot for setting up cameras in summer to take inventory of the bucks within 1-2 mile radius...
If you notice deer are not utilizing the lick as much, add more salt
If you notice deer are not utilizing the lick as much, add more salt
"When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values, with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God." Fred Bear
- DEERSLAYER
- Super Moderator
- Posts: 8353
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
- Location: Western L.P. of MI
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Schultzy wrote:Deerslayer,
Yes It's going to be shaded but we did clear out about 10 tree's. I talked with my brother yesterday afternoon and we were thinking of putting oats In now and then tilling It up and putting clover In right around August. We will have spray for the clover as well. We might do turnips as well. What you think?
Any other opinions on mineral blocks?
I would skip the turnips and use Shot Plot from evolved habitats. Just make sure to go light so you don't choke out the clover. What kind of "spray" will you be using? Have you got a soil test yet?
If you want your mineral in block form then I would try this one. I had very good luck with it in the past. It is expensive from this company ever since they got exclusive rights to it (never was cheap though), but it's the best block out there IMO.
http://keystoneweb.com/users/wennawoods ... at=bigrack
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
- Schultzy
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3138
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Not sure on what the spray Is Deerslayer. A friend of his has some that he uses for his clover. Thanks for the responses everyone, greatly appreciated!!
- DEERSLAYER
- Super Moderator
- Posts: 8353
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
- Location: Western L.P. of MI
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
You need to know the spray because it may prevent you from planting rape, oats, etc for a few years. It it's made to be sprayed on clover to kill competing weeds then this will probably be the case.
Are you getting a soil test?
Are you getting a soil test?
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
- Schultzy
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3138
- Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Minnesota
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Don't think were getting a soil test. A guy probably should though. Maybe I'll run a sample In and get It tested from each place where were putting these new plots In.
I'll find out for sure what this spray Is. Thanks!
I'll find out for sure what this spray Is. Thanks!
- DEERSLAYER
- Super Moderator
- Posts: 8353
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2010 3:22 pm
- Location: Western L.P. of MI
- Contact:
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
Schultzy wrote:Don't think were getting a soil test. A guy probably should though. Maybe I'll run a sample In and get It tested from each place where were putting these new plots In.
I'll find out for sure what this spray Is. Thanks!
Getting a soil test is money very well spent! I would get one asap. I have a very hard time getting people to do a soil test for some reason. It's frustrating, but when people do it AND they actually do what it say's I always seem to get the same positive response. They are always very impressed by the difference.
You cannot invade mainland America. There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass.
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
Isoroku Yamamoto, Japanese Admiral
-
- 500 Club
- Posts: 3580
- Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 3:02 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Shaded area's (Food plots)
the soil test is a must. in your area i'll bet you're not goin to be happy if you don't spend the cash on a test, lime and fert.
-
- Advertisement
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests