If you were planting next week....

What would you plant?

Main purpose is to feed deer.

I have clover established in the area. I want to provide an alternative to it

See if Wilburns has any of those combine-run soybeans for $20 a bag.

Have you planted those?

Hope to plant at the farm soon. Put a few out in the garden and they are doing fine. Supposed to be RR too. I would plant a little heavy though because there is a decent amount of junk (hulls, etc.) in the bag. Seems to be well worth it for the cost though.

How many acres are you planting?

3 acres total. One 2 ac field and one 1ac field

Dennis does still have some of the forage beans

If you have a high deer density, I don't think 3 acres of ag soybeans will do much good. Once they nip the top off they're done. I would go with a mix of buckwheat/IC cowpea's/ sunn hemp. Buckwheat in conjunction with one of the other two works well, if you don't want to use all 3.

We don't have a high density.

However, I am worried about them getting nipped. Is there something I can plant with the beans that will protect them?

Milorganite

I've had moderate success with about the same amount of acreage in Marion County. If it's a place you can easily get to every 3 weeks or so, Milorganite applications can help a lot IMHO. We plant in the summer to help pull deer onto our property year round although the small amount of soybeans probably doesn't help a whole lot for herd health.

Milorganite Thread

Try some Alyce clover and jointvetch. At least try it in one of your fields and see how it does. I plant a couple of acres of it every year in a plot by itself, along with all of the other normal summer plantings. 20 - 30 pounds per acre, 10 - 15 pounds each, with some 0-20-20 and you’re good to go. It can’t be over browsed from what I’ve seen. It starts slow but then comes on strong especially late summer when the drought hits. I’ve been planting it for about 7 years now and I don’t know why more people don’t plant it. High protein, grows like crazy and deer love it. It works great if you don’t have the acreage for beans or peas. Grows 5 feet high in exclusion cage but is mowed down to a foot tall outside cage.

I've planted both, years ago, but the deer acted like they didn't know what it was. They didn't browse it much at all. I like throwing in a lot of durana and yucchi with my fall mix. It feeds them till its about ready for fall planting.

How would the beans do mixed with the alyce clover and joint vetch?

Not sure. I plant them both every year but do it separately so I can spray them.


Blumsden I can’t imagine that at my place. They tear it up until it’s plowed under.

I also have durana and arrowleaf growing in plots that stay green and are used most of the year. Again these are planted separate for maintenance.

yeah, maintenance would be an issue

Can you spray the Alyce and Joint Vetch with clethodim and 24db?

Yes. I sprayed mine yesterday with both Cleth and Butyrac 200.

Weeds were growing like crazy from all the rain and it hasn’t been dry enough to spray for a while.