Prepping food plots

[MikeA57]

I just got permission to hunt about 100 acres of land between the levee and the MS river that hasn't been hunted actively in several years. The place is terribly grown over but this past weekend we went down there with a bushhog and a bobcat with a brush rake on it and started clearing a road from one end of the property to the other along the river and also some areas we plan on planting in food plots. At this point we're not exactly sure of what all we want to plant. We just wanted to get it clear enough to get through so we could see what we're dealing with.

One thing we noticed is that the soil is so silty that I'm not sure if we can grow things like clover or alfalfa in it. A couple of areas had turnips planted there at some point and they were all coming up all over the place but we wanted to plant a variety of crops there for the deer.

Is there anything else we need to think about doing to get the soil prepped for planting food plots? This is my first rodeo for doing this type of thing so I'm not sure what all needs to be done.

Thanks!

Mike

 

[nybirdman]

You will need to get a soil test done,check the ph to see if you need to lime and fertilize.River bottom should be good growing soil.You also may have to spray for weeds then disc/plant.Check the local ag extension for your area.

 

[super55]

Agree with NYbirdman on the soil test being first and foremost on the to-do list.

Send it to a lab (not one of those do-it yourself kits) with the intention of what you want to plant. They will give you fertilizer and other Ph amendment recommendations for the best results. A 15 dollar soil test goes a long way especially with the price of fertilizers these days.

A burndown of weeds with round-up and even doing an initial till without planting is a good start. As soon as that soil is turned your going to get new growth of weeds no matter how well you burned down the existing veg. with roundup.

 

[Western]

Turnips are often planted for deer, I haven't had good results with them, but I haven't done it enough for the deer to acclimate to them. Your Turnips may be a great draw for the deer if they have been there awhile. I would also plant Oats, fairly cheap and easy to grow and deer love'em.

As the others said, 1st thing is a soil test, about $20. If you are going oats, I would keep it mowed down till the last week of August, then disc a few times to kill as much vegetation as possible. Aim to plant the 1st or second week of Sept, or when oats are planted in your area.

One point on clearing your land, I would'nt get to zealous, don't make access to easy for poachers, deer don't care if it's "park" like, Just enough for you to get around.

 

[MikeA57]

Thanks guys. Yeah we've talked about going back in with some roundup and spraying but we're going to have to finish clearing first. I will grab a quart jar of soil though and find out where to send it before we spray. And as I search the web I think MS State has a group that will come out and advise you of what to plant. It's either them or the MS Dept. Wildlife. I've got to find that info too.

Thanks again for the help. Oh, and I just realized that there's another forum for Food Plots. I didn't see it until now. I guess I should have posted this there...