How big does a food plot need to be?

Asked by: Robin Stephenson

In most situations, managers should plan to have about 40 acres of food plots per 100 deer. Size of individual plots is not as critical as total acreage of plots. In general, plot size of 10 – 50 acres is advisable.

What is the easiest food plot to grow?

Red clover is the Easiest Food Plot for Deer. Spread the seed and spray the grasses to act as a mulch for the clover, or spray in the fall and frost seed in late winter right on top of the snow. The freeze thaw patterns of spring creates cracks the seed falls into to germinate.

What is the best small food plot seed?

The best species for small food plots is white clover (Ladino or Durana). Either Ladino or its small leafed, but more aggressive spreading cousin Durana clover, are the king of small food plots. They are shade tolerant, heavy browse tolerant, extremely attractive, and are easy to establish.

What food plot grows the fastest?

Annual plants are a better choice for a late summer food plot than perennials. They grow faster than perennials and can more easily handle colder conditions.

What is the best food plot for whitetail deer?

Corn. The other big Midwestern crop, corn, is a top pick for deer food plots. Standing corn during deer season is an absolute must if you have the acreage. If you’re not arguing that soybeans are the number one food plot species, you would probably be voting for corn.

Can you plant a food plot without tilling?

No-till planting equipment like seed drills can be very expensive, but it’s possible to do no-till food plots with very minimal, low-tech equipment. As the video explains, QDMA has grown successful no-till food plots using only a mower, a backpack sprayer, an over-the-shoulder seed spreader, and an ATV cultipacker.

Can you plant brassicas and clover together?

Fall planted clover with brassicas is ok. They do 10 times better separate.

How small is too small for a food plot?

A small food plot is what I generally refer to as anything under 1 acre in size and usually even smaller than ½ acre.

What should I plant in my 1 acre food plot?

Clover is typically the crop of choice for small one acre food plots. Clover will withstand the browsing/grazing pressure of deer very well, but it does take a bit more maintenance than some other choices.

Can you put too much seed on a food plot?

One very common mistake in planting food plots is using too much seed. In fact, even though some of you know this, you still do it. The only thing this theory will do is create overcrowded conditions where your crop is starved for nutrients, water or sunlight.

Can you plant alfalfa and clover together?

ADDED NUTRITION: Overseeding an alfalfa field with frosty berseem clover can increase the nutritional value and yield of hay. Frosty berseem clover mixed with alfalfa can boost yields of hay by almost 30%.

Is clover good for deer?

Clover is relatively easy to grow, is loaded with nutrition, and whitetails simply love it. A good clover plot will produce 2 to 4 tons (per acre) of easily digestible plant matter and give your whitetails a shot in the arm when it comes to nutrition. Clover can be grown in most food plot environments.

What crops do deer like the most?

Typical cereals planted for deer would include oats, wheat, triticale and rye. When native green forage becomes less available from fall through spring, these crops will attract large numbers of deer and provide valuable nutrition to help them through this difficult period.

What food plot will grow in the woods?

With the ability to sprawl, grow great in shade, and take a beating from browsing deer, clover makes the ideal species for food plots in the woods. Of course, cereal grains like winter wheat and rye can take the attraction beyond the limited timeframe of clover but be cautious as this will limit your herbicide use.

What is the best spring food plot for deer?

Cool-season legume perennials (plants that live over two years) like clover, alfalfa and chicory are good springtime options. Usually, clover will produce around two to four tons per acre. It’s easily digestible for deer and provides them with plenty of protein.

Can I plant clover without tilling?

If you must till or plow the soil before planting, be sure you wait 4 to 6 weeks for new weeds to emerge so you can kill them before planting the clover seed. You may also use the no-till method.

What type of clover Do deer like best?

Pure Clover

If you are going to go with just one type of clover for your plot, white clover is the right choice. Gillium pointed out that White Dutch and Ladino are some of the best white clover for deer and both do very well as pure stands.

What is the best time to plant clover?

The best time to plant clover is in Spring or late Summer/early Fall. It is also a great choice for frost seeding.

Can you put down too much clover seed?

The excessive seeds will remain dormant and can potentially cover any bare spots present in the lawn. But beware if you are growing clover in the company of grass. Putting down too many clover seeds will cause your clover to outcompete grass because of its ability to remain in the soil for a long time.

How often should you mow clover?

How often and how frequent perennials should be mowed is more of an art than a science; usually at least three times during the growing season will suffice. White clovers will do well when mowed aggressively and often during the cooler periods of the growing season or when ample moisture is available.

Do deer like clover plots?

Clover is relatively easy to grow, is loaded with nutrition, and whitetails simply love it. A good clover plot will produce 2 to 4 tons (per acre) of easily digestible plant matter and give your whitetails a shot in the arm when it comes to nutrition.

What should I spray before planting a food plot?

Commonly referred to by its original trade name Roundup, glyphosate is undoubtably the most commonly used when it comes to planting food plots. It is a non-selective herbicide, meaning that it can potentially kill any plant it contacts.

Does clover grow back every year?

Clover species can be either annuals or perennials. Once established, perennial clover comes back reliably, making it more suitable as a ground cover than annual species that usually need reseeding each year.

Will grass choke out clover?

The truth is that clover won’t typically crowd out grass, and in fact it can offer certain benefits as part of a well-maintained lawn. Clover adds Nitrogen to the soil, and effectively creates its own fertilizer, meaning that it can help your lawn stay healthier.

Will clover choke out dandelions?

As a dense ground cover plant, clovers — though they are also broad-leaved — are exceptional at crowding out other broadleaf plants such as dandelions, violets, and other plants that commonly populate lawns.

Is red clover better than white clover?

White clover is considered best for grazing, while red clover is considered best for pasture and wildlife habitat, as it can quickly be depleted if grazed continuously. Both are considered helpful in improving and nitrogen-fixing the soil.

Will red clover reseed itself?

Red clover will reseed itself. Red clover is considered a biennial or short-lived perennial that can be considered a perennial plant due to its ability to reseed itself under the proper circumstances. As a result, there can be a constantly thriving population of these plants despite their relatively short lifespan.

Do bees prefer red or white clover?

It is a great source of nectar. Bees love clover in all of its varieties. No matter whether it is red, white or any other color.

Does clover go dormant in winter?

In the north clovers go dormant during the winter, but their cooler, humid growing season favors most varieties and the whitetails devour it there just like everywhere else.

Should I mow my clover food plot?

“It’s a myth that you have to mow in order to have a nutritious clover plot,” said Craig. “That’s just wrong. If the clover is doing well in May and June and deer are eating it, let them eat it. Don’t mow it!

Do deer like red or white clover?

Our research found that red clover consistently rated very high compared to other deer forages – including cereal grains, annual and perennial clovers, brassicas, alfalfa, and others – with regard to many of the important features we looked at.