To address the summer plots questions.....

We’ve had the discussion about summer plantings a lot in the past and while I know many will disagree…..I feel like we greatly overthink summer plots. In the end, most of these plantings are not really accomplishing any goal other than cool pictures to show. They’re fun and an opportunity to get out and do something but most of them really make no difference in the long run as far as our hunting is concerned. I’m talking to the crowd of folks that have an acre here and a half acre there….maybe a 2 acre plot on the other side of the club, etc.

This is the same discussion we have in the Spring but very few ever really “hear” what I’m saying when it’s that time of the year. Folks are just wanting to do something. I feel like it’s WAY more important though for the vast majority of us to focus our summer efforts on soil first….with deer being secondary. That one acre of beans or sunflowers or what the heck ever that the deer decimated back in July is having absolutely zero impact now that we’re getting into late winter. It didn’t effect “herd health” in any significant amount and it isn’t effecting what you’re gonna see in your field here in the last 8 weeks of the season.

What will have the most impact though with these plots is if you have a field with very fertile functioning soil that can grow the hell out of a winter stand of cereal grains. One where you have lush rapid growth than can handle grazing pressure instead of getting eaten down to a nub and gone. Don’t overthink these summer plots….use it as a time to get your “engine tuned up”. Instead of worrying about sunn hemp and cowpeas and buckwheat, etc……Grow weeds and spend your money on lime and nitrogen and potassium, etc….Allow those “weeds” to thrive and put down root structure. Allow them to suck up the nutrients you add and then recycle it back to the soil through the robust biomass crop you produce.

Soil building is one of the primary functions of “weeds”. We don’t have to reinvent the wheel on this one…only help it along a little. When you abuse the hell out of your soil….there’s a reason that you get certain weeds moving in…..there’s a reason only crabgrass will grow there…..that is the niche they have evolved to fill. Balance your soil nutrients and allow them to do their jobs.

Looking good crimson. Mine are germinated, but not sure i have the growth u have. Checking mine again today. I hit mine with 17-17-17 at 200lbs an acre right after it germinated. I guess i'll hit it with some 34-0-0 Friday.

Thanks Blum…….Yeah, go ahead and add some nitrogen now. We’ve only got about 8 weeks left in the season. We need to put out as much growth as we can push. The deer will be hammering plots HARD for the rest of the season.

Dgallow actually told me not to worry about adding nitrogen, because during a drought with the abscence of plant growth that the soil was not depleting nitrogen and with the addition of moisture the plants should take off. He recommended adding just p and k. I'll probably still add some.

Before this planting, the last time I added any N was way back in the Spring and it was just one bag per acre of 34-0-0. From watching past N applications...….my field tends to start running N deficient after about 7-8 weeks under normal conditions. It was probably N deficient long before the drought.

So far I’ve added 75 lbs of 34-0-0 per acre at planting. My plan now is to hit it with another 75-100 lbs per acre. I haven’t added any P or K since the spring but going off of the last few years of soil tests….I know it held well enough that its not bottomed out or anything. I’ll retest in the spring and see where I’m at. I likely need a little K.

Checked mine yesterday and they look pretty close to yours. I'm 150 miles or more north of you so you've had some warmer temps, i'm sure.

Did you go with cereal rye? I think we may really see the difference in it versus other grains this year

Ours are up about 2 inches but spotty..

Yea, i overseeded mine with 100lbs rye & 100lbs feed wheat per acre. I agree about the rye, it'll outgrow the other plantings i believe.

Dang it CNC, you need to let me come take care of those seed eating bastages.

They won’t ever come around when turkey season is in…..they stay across the road and laugh at me. They pass through really randomly.

A little scratch feed between deer season and turkey season may make them more regular visitors

Bingo

Just applied 75 lbs/ac of 34-0-0.....The deer are wearin out the back end of the field to the point of almost destroying it in places. I kind of wish now I would have went ahead and bought another bag of seed to throw on it. The hoofing action would have probably pressed a lot of it into the soil.

My plot continues to fill in more and more. I’m hoping for another big jump after this rain dissolves the N down into the soil. All in all I’m very pleased with how it’s turned out considering the crazy year it’s been for food plots.

We spread N on damp soil and then we got about 3/4" of rain two days later. Do you think it would be completely dissolved after a rain like that or does it take weeks to breakdown?

Yeah, that's enough rain. It seems to take about 7-10 days to really kick in though after a rain event.

Wow CNC, that looks great. Here is only shot my father in law sent of our field. He said it looks a little green from the stand. My field doesn't get near the amount of sun yours does. Hoping for a little sun

Thanks lefthorn. Looks like yours is coming in good too.