Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Heavy shade pine thicket food plot suggestions...

Any recommendations? I picked up a small 50 acre lease which is mostly dominated by pines. There is an old logging road that gets very little sunlight I intend to do something with. Considering the temps, and that we are finally about to get some rain I'd like to try planting something that will hopefully be up by the end of December (hopefully sooner, but certainly don't have my hopes up). I've read Durana white clover may be the ticket if I can get my ph close (6-7), but it takes a while to establish. I'm looking for something that I can hunt over this year if possible.

I've also read brassicas may grow, but really need rec's from someone with some experience.

Thanks in advance.

Rye grain and crimson clover. Rye is the ultimate cool weather plant, and crimson establishes quickly.

Thanks. Co worker is suggesting rye grain and winter wheat? Have you tried WW and if so what are your thoughts?

Thanks for the recommendations by the way.

I used a product called secret spot or plot. I haven't looked for it in a few years but it came in a small 10# bag. It was designed to grow in areas like you are talking about. It didn't cover a large area but worked real well for me in some shaded spots. The deer loved it. A rye grass may work to.

If it hasn't been tended in a while and has pines really close, your soil pH is likely to be really low and it can take 6 months or longer to get it right. I wouldn't have very high expectations. While something may grow, it will likely not be as good as it could be. If you don't get much of a plot this year, don't give up.

I'd start by limbing the trees that are close by to maximize the amount of sunlight that hits it. That costs nothing but your labor time.

Thanks. I went today, broke ground, fertilized, and seeded. I guess my next step will be to get a soil sample and see what it needs so I'm better prepared for next year?

I would seed it in ryegrass. It will come up in the pine needles also.

Throw out some wheat and oats and call it a year. You won't get any benefit from a clover this year with the lower temps.

I wouldn't reccomend rye grass to my enemy. Good possibility it is a violation of your license agreement.

Even annual rye?

Cereal rye and winter wheat. That's about all you're gonna get this year.

Ryegrass like Gulf Annual rye seeds heavily in the spring. It will grow on anything, and I'm not sure where it ranks on preference. It sure makes a pretty plot to look at though. If you planted it, then it is too late. I would terminate it in february or early march. If not, you may not be able to keep it under control. Winter wheat and winter rye like Abruzzi Rye would not be a bad mix and fairly cheap since there is a chance you will have a crop failure with the sight not prepped, lack of light, and cooler weather. I had recommended crimson clover over the white clover since CC grows fairly quickly compared to other clovers and it handles acidic soil fairly well.

I couldn't find rye anywhere, which was really unbelievable. I went with a brassica mix with wheat. My expectations are low, so we will see.

Only about 2.5 Million acres planted in ryegrass every year and it's around 20% protein and 70%TDN if fertilized properly. Forest people could care less about grass in tall pines. Killed many a deer off ryegrass.

it's annual alright, it reseeds itself every year, year after year.