deer supplement
#11
07-28-2003, 04:47 PM
deer supplement
As it gets closer to fall, I am getting ready to overseed. Some thoughts:
Planting:
Ten, 1/4 acre food plots are far better than one 2 1/2 acre plot. Once seeded, an established plot of clover/lespedeza can last 5 or more years, with favorable weather. While primarily planting for deer, I can expect a covey of quail for every plot. I plant away from roads and boundaries and near cover. I want to keep the deer in the property. I know 1/4 acre tracts seem small, but I plant a lot of them along the boundaries between trees and fields. It is just a matter of turning the spreader on and off as I ride along on the ATV.
Seeds:
I buy ony from an ag supplier, as seed prices are cheaper than garden suppliers or deer feed suppliers. Lespedeza, $.70/lb Clover $2.20/lb. This is much cheaper than the bagged deer mixes at $40/9lbs. I usually overseed the lespedeza at 3lb per 1/4 acre and the clover at 1lb per 1/4 acre. Legumes need to be inoculated with a bacteria that fixes the nitrogen into the soil. The legumes can be bought pre-inoculated, or you can buy the bacteria separately and mix with the seed.
Fertilizer/Lime:
The best is to take a soil sample to your local ag supply for a soil test. This is OK if all your plots are on the same field. It is a rare field that cannot use fertilizer and lime, so I usually just fertilize and lime as a matter of course. Legumes should not be fertilized with a high nitrogen fertilizer. The nitrogen fertilizer stimulates non-legumes to the detrement of the legumes. Without a soil test I usually use 50 lbs of a 6-24-24 per plot at a cost of $8.00 and 100lbs of pelletized lime at a cost $4.00. The fertilizer and lime is not required but will give a stronger stand of forage. I don't re-lime for 5 years and I may or may nor re-fertilize.
Other considerations:
I have had good luck establishing food plots by over seeding existing fields with lespedeza and clovers. If you feel you must reduce the corrent vegatation on the site you can use your ATV to spray with Roundup before seeding, but then you must seed at a higher density to compensate for the lack of cover vegetation.
Planting:
Ten, 1/4 acre food plots are far better than one 2 1/2 acre plot. Once seeded, an established plot of clover/lespedeza can last 5 or more years, with favorable weather. While primarily planting for deer, I can expect a covey of quail for every plot. I plant away from roads and boundaries and near cover. I want to keep the deer in the property. I know 1/4 acre tracts seem small, but I plant a lot of them along the boundaries between trees and fields. It is just a matter of turning the spreader on and off as I ride along on the ATV.
Seeds:
I buy ony from an ag supplier, as seed prices are cheaper than garden suppliers or deer feed suppliers. Lespedeza, $.70/lb Clover $2.20/lb. This is much cheaper than the bagged deer mixes at $40/9lbs. I usually overseed the lespedeza at 3lb per 1/4 acre and the clover at 1lb per 1/4 acre. Legumes need to be inoculated with a bacteria that fixes the nitrogen into the soil. The legumes can be bought pre-inoculated, or you can buy the bacteria separately and mix with the seed.
Fertilizer/Lime:
The best is to take a soil sample to your local ag supply for a soil test. This is OK if all your plots are on the same field. It is a rare field that cannot use fertilizer and lime, so I usually just fertilize and lime as a matter of course. Legumes should not be fertilized with a high nitrogen fertilizer. The nitrogen fertilizer stimulates non-legumes to the detrement of the legumes. Without a soil test I usually use 50 lbs of a 6-24-24 per plot at a cost of $8.00 and 100lbs of pelletized lime at a cost $4.00. The fertilizer and lime is not required but will give a stronger stand of forage. I don't re-lime for 5 years and I may or may nor re-fertilize.
Other considerations:
I have had good luck establishing food plots by over seeding existing fields with lespedeza and clovers. If you feel you must reduce the corrent vegatation on the site you can use your ATV to spray with Roundup before seeding, but then you must seed at a higher density to compensate for the lack of cover vegetation.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Elkaholic
Land, Trail and Environmental Issues
1
09-06-2015 02:44 PM
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)