Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Quality Deer Management Throw n Mow Q&A

In theory, if you could get some kind of legume growing during the summer to give your fields enough N to run them during the early fall then I think you might be able to get by with one application of synthetic N maybe around Thanksgiving or maybe early Dec…. It’ll just depend on how well you can grow legumes during the summer though. Unless you have big fields then I’d look to some other legume besides beans. I just don’t think small fields will just ever produce enough toonage to even start talking about adding any significant amount of N back to the soil……You may have to look to something different that won't be hammered as hard like partridge pea, birdsfoot trefoil, lespedeza, etc….Sunn hemp is commonly being used too and may be everyone's best option overall. I don't think it's technically considered a legume but it does return nitrogen to the soil. Again though....you gotta be able to grow a good crop of it for that to matter. If the deer decimate it then you've not accomplished anything from a N standpoint. Google "summer legumes" and there's some good info on there. I tried to link everyone to the Georgia University site but it won't link for some reason.