Planting Ideas?

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
I am about to venture into the world of food plots but I have zero experience. In particular what to plant.
I have two areas I want to plant.
The first is the power line area on the map.I have about 1/2 an acre available for planting and I'm planning on clover for this area.
The second area is the fields. This area is about 10-12 acres in size of which I plan on planting 3 acres of food plots. I plan on planting 1 acre of clover here as well. I will also eventually be planting fruit trees in this area near the railroad tracks.
My question is what to plant in the other 2 acres. Thanks in advance for any input!

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jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Yeah I would use ladino clover maybe incorporate some crimson clover in the Fall. Be sure to lime heavily 2months before planting and then I would lime again after planting. May want to mix in chicory, will take a year before the deer get use to the chicory but they will eat it hard.
 
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Acorn1956

Six Pointer
Yeah I would use ladino clover maybe incorporate some crimson clover in the Fall. Be sure to lime heavily 2months before planting and then I would lime again after planting. May want to mix in chicory, will take a year before the deer get use to the chicory but they will eat it hard.

Thanks. Why ladino clover? I notice is quite a bit more expensive then most of the other clovers.


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jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Your in McDowell county, so the ladino clover is going to grow pretty much all growing season. Advantage ladino clover is the best for forage supply. Deer will eat on it all season. You can plant soybeans but soybeans will not provide the same amount of food as a clover plot. Soybeans can also be overgrazed . In the long run ladino clover is cheaper
 

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
Your in McDowell county, so the ladino clover is going to grow pretty much all growing season. Advantage ladino clover is the best for forage supply. Deer will eat on it all season. You can plant soybeans but soybeans will not provide the same amount of food as a clover plot. Soybeans can also be overgrazed . In the long run ladino clover is cheaper

Thanks


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stilker

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks. Any idea when you can plant soybeans? I'm in McDowell County.


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Early June,you should be good...you can check with your counties Soil and Water office,they might have a no-till drill you can rent.
 

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
Thanks everyone. Another question! If I plant some corn, what row spacing should I use for food plot corn?


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mdunker

Ten Pointer
Corn and soybean spacing in not really important unless you are going to harvest it later. If it is for the deer to eat space it based on how much you want to spend.
 

nchawkeye

Old Mossy Horns
Typically corn is planted about 7 inches apart and on 38 inch rows...Beans can be broadcast and disked in, anytime before the 4th of July is ok for beans as you won't harvest them anyway...With corn, you do want the ears to mature so plant population, fertilizer, soil ph, etc is more important there...
 

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
Thank you. I just finished plowing (3) 1 acre + plots. The first will be Clover, the second will be soybeans and the third will be corn.

I also plowed about a quarter acre on the power line for Clover as well.

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Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
JMTC..Corn on that back row is certainly going to limit your view of that far wood line.
If it were me..and this is just my two cents worth of course. I would plant the rows perpendicular to the woodline with the corn at least 5o yards from the edge on any side. Plant peas/beans to climb the corn, and milo or sorghum to draw deer, turkeys and dove. Even sunflowers are good deer draw and are much overlooked by folks trying to create tall plots.
That powerline is an awesome looking place, a stand on that opposite hill would give you lots of additional options with wind and time of day.
 

stilker

Old Mossy Horns
Thank you. I just finished plowing (3) 1 acre + plots. The first will be Clover, the second will be soybeans and the third will be corn.

I also plowed about a quarter acre on the power line for Clover as well.

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Looks good...what tractor did you end up buying if you don't mind me asking?
 

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
JMTC..Corn on that back row is certainly going to limit your view of that far wood line.
If it were me..and this is just my two cents worth of course. I would plant the rows perpendicular to the woodline with the corn at least 5o yards from the edge on any side. Plant peas/beans to climb the corn, and milo or sorghum to draw deer, turkeys and dove. Even sunflowers are good deer draw and are much overlooked by folks trying to create tall plots.
That powerline is an awesome looking place, a stand on that opposite hill would give you lots of additional options with wind and time of day.

Thanks, I'm new to this and looking for all the advise I can get. I thought about the corn limiting my view and figured the tower stand would get me up over it, but now I'm thinking you might be right.

When planting beans/peas with the corn, I'm guessing you give the corn a head start before planting the beans. Correct? If so how high should I let the corn grow before planting the beans? Thanks

Regarding the power line, There is a tower stand on that far hill but it is knocked down. I have to set it right again.


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Acorn1956

Six Pointer
Looks good...what tractor did you end up buying if you don't mind me asking?

I ended up getting the L2501, 4WD with a gear drive transmission. Considering I'm retired and have nothing but time, it works fine. That being said I should have spent the few extra dollars for the L3301.

I definitely am glad I got the gear drive transmission as I'm spending a lot of hours on this tractor and it's nice to not have to have my foot on a pedal.

The 2501 will only handle a single 14" plow. The 3301 would have handled a double 14" and would have saved me a lot of time.

Love the tractor overall!


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Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
When planting beans/peas with the corn, I'm guessing you give the corn a head start before planting the beans. Correct? If so how high should I let the corn grow before planting the beans? Thanks

You can research burgandy beans, cow peas or even white acre peas if you want peas to eat. You can plant them at the same time as the corn or sunflowers, they will outgrow them.

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25contender

Twelve Pointer
if your soil is decent I would plant all ladino. Cost more upfront but in the long run cheaper. we went to all clover and some chufa for the turkeys a few years ago and it has been the best thing we have done. A lot less work for a better reward. Everything likes clover.



 

Acorn1956

Six Pointer
if your soil is decent I would plant all ladino. Cost more upfront but in the long run cheaper. we went to all clover and some chufa for the turkeys a few years ago and it has been the best thing we have done. A lot less work for a better reward. Everything likes clover.




Very nice! I ended up planting 1 acre in the field and maybe 1/3 acre of the power line with clover and chicory. I limed a few weeks ago and fertilized with 0-25-25 and seeded yesterday and today. Looking forward to some rain to kick it off!



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