NYS Food Plot Seed Info and Reviews

[phade]

I think we should work on a thread that we can pin to the top of this forum for some of the more common food plot seeds, clover being  one of them. There is likely alot of value in this because we can get alot of "national" info on how certain food plot types perform, but being local to NY, we can get better direct feedback based on experience. I know there are a TON of plotters here, we just don't get much into the details other than back and forth conversations.

 

Was thinking if we may be able to standardize the posts so there's no time lost in pulling/searching info and back and forth talk. We can modify whatever we see fit as a forum. Was thinking example as:

 

Location: (County)

Name: (type of seed)

Type: (Red, white, etc.)

Annual/Perennial: (obvious answer here)

Seeding rate: (lb/acre)

Planting date: (spring, fall, month, etc.)

Plot size/purpose:

Soil Prep/method used: (variety of methods)

Soil Type:

PH Level/Test Results

Growing Conditions/Prior Usage:

Ongoing upkeep: (mowing, spraying, fert, etc.)

Results: (Great, poor, OK, etc., whatever you desire)

Why you like/dislike it: (whatever your thoughts are)

Suggestions on where to buy/cost: (tips to help source it)

[SplitG2]

Location: OTSEGO county

Name: Eagle soybeans

Type: forage-large lad, Big fella Round up ready

Annual/Perennial:  Annual

Seeding rate: (50lb/acre)

Planting date: May 15

Plot size/purpose: 2 acres, nutritional

Soil Prep/method used: disc, cultipack

Soil Type: rocky

PH Level/Test Results:  6.2

Growing Conditions/Prior Usage: Cereal grain

Ongoing upkeep: week 5 spray glysophate

Results: Great

Why you like/dislike it: grew amazing, 48"+, stayed green to mid October, very aggressive.  dislike seeds not as big as ag beans,

Suggestions on where to buy/cost: Eagle seed webpage has dealer info.  $82 a bag.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Location: Niagara County

Name: Common,  Mammoth, Climax, Kentucky, Common

Type:  Wheat, Red clover, Timothy, Blue grass, Red Top

Seeding Rate/ acre: Wheat 2 bu, and a peck, 7, 3, 2, 2

Planting date: Frost seeded on wheat  March 9, 2013

Size:  7 acres

Purpose: wildlife feeding; grain, straw, hay production

Soil Tillage: Summer fallowed wheat land  summer 2012, Usual tillage equipment for soil prep.

Soil type: Getzville clay loam with rock traces.

Ph Level: 6.227

Prior,  Existing Crop: ; Wheat

Notes: I use bio friendly methods for weed and insect control.

 

Comments: Wildlife fed on the wheat into winter of 2012, nipping it to the ground . Wheat started growing  April 2013 supplying much needed forage to the wildlife. Frost seeded legume and grasses in March on frozen ground. Grass seed  in the mix serves two fold:  one, helps keep clover from lodging holding it up. Two, makes a nice salable legume grass mixture for baled hay production. (Deer love to browse clover grass mixtures) Wheat grew very well through dryer than normal May conditions. Signs of clover and grasses showed in that time.Army worm damage throughout, but did recover. Fair production of wheat grain (32 bushel / acre) Clover grew through the mowed stubble after the removal of the straw. Nice fill in of clover which became a deer magnet that  fall and next 2 seasons.  Many sightings of deer, turkey,  others, and even an unknown critter that looked like a chinchilla. Woodchuck holes (4) were found during grain harvest. I've grown this mixture for nearly forty years now. Works well for the purpose, I intended.  Makes a nice wildlife feeding draw. I recover my seed prices in the baled straw. Wheat  and 2 years worth of baled hay production covers other expenses nicely, LOL.

Comments: Wheat seed price $5 / bushel , clover $2.80/ lb., Timothy $1.80/ lb., Bluegrass 1.30/ lb., Redtop $5.17/ lb.. Enclosed are a couple pics of better areas of the field. Their are a few poorer drained areas, ( low spots)  that don't produce as well.

 

 

Edited February 22, 2015 by landtracdeerhunter

[landtracdeerhunter]

Location: Niagara County

Name:     Dakon Radish

Type:      White Tuber

              Annual

Seeding Rate: 8 lbs. / acre

Planting date:  July 26, 2013

Size, Purpose: 5 acres; Nutritional,  soil,drainage improvement, nitrogen stored in tuber for release to the next crop.

Soil prep, Method: no till into mowed wheat stubble; 200 lb/ acre 10-20-20 at wheat planting, 100 lb of 46-0-0 broadcasted onto spring wheat April 2013.

Soil Type: Getzville clay loam, high spot rocky

Soil Test:  ph- unknown,

Growing conditions, prior crop:  Rain within a few days of planting. Wheat

Ongoing upkeep; none

Results Comments: This was the first time growing this. Seed was purchased from Welters. ($ 2.80/ lb.) Great looking seed. The results were excellent. Weather conditions were ideal. Liked the idea of no till, as moisture wasn't lost in normal tillage practices. Showing through the ground in 8 days and was fast growing. Deer continued to feed right into February of 2014. Far easier for me to grow, than field corn.  Did noticed improved drainage conditons in 2014. I field worked a 2014 crop in another field with only half the success. Dry conditions hampered it's success.  A nice deer magnet. I will continue to grow this.

 

Edited February 24, 2015 by landtracdeerhunter

[sailinghudson25]

location: Greene County

NAme: Plotspike forage Feast & whitetail institute clover & plotspike annual clover mix

Type: rye, wheats, oats, brassica, Austrians peas, and red clover in plotspike,

Annual and Perennial

Seeding rate:  2/3 bag of plotspike, 1/2 bag of whitetail clover, 1lb of plotspike clover mix (all 1/2 acre bags)

Planting: 1st Week August and LAbor day weekend in another small plot 2014

Purpose:  Bow Stand spot

Soil Prep:  Cut trees from mature maple stand, hand raked and burned brush, small 3ft tow behind disc, lots of hand picking of rocks

Soil Type:  Clay that holds water well, pretty rocky spot, but a decent organic leave derbris mix into the top 3 or 4 inches, no heavy leveling either

Ph:  Used home kit, got 6.0 twice, put down 12 bags of pelletized in 1/2 acre and 3 bags of Hyponex 10-10-10

Growing prior:  Allowed it go fallow for 2 years after felling trees, usual war mseason grasses, weeds, and rose bushes,  weedwacked monthly during summer

Upweek:  Monthly mowing or when weeds start showing flowers for a week, hand pick real invasive weeds, just spread 3 bags of pelletized, 1 bag of 6-24-24, and 2lbs of borax soap careful mixed into lime

Results: Great

Why I like it:  My first attempt at a formal food plot, I got tons of clover, went from 1 spotting a week on a trail camera to seeing 2 or 3 spottings a day from my back porch.  Complete day and night difference.

Purchase location:  Bought it all locally, tractor supply and gander mountain.

 

Notes:  Did this with a lawn tractor, a old 3ft tow behind disc I bought for $50, and some elbow grease.  Plotspike made a perfect nursery crop until the whitetail and annual clovers start putting out.   It grew worse where I disced down better.  I think the seeds when too deep, or the better aerated soil areas dryed out too quickly.   None the less, you don't need to go deep to get good results.

 

Here's a pic of what It looks like today, roughly 1 year later.  I did not use chemicals to kill the existing weeds, I weedwacked monthly for 2 years, which did help deer show up more often alone.  I did disc, and then went over it 4 or 5 days later which could of helped kill freshly germinated seed that was dormant before I disced the 1st time.   It's got weeds, but is very manageable.  I may round-up in a year or two.  I got creeping Charlie in the plot, which is tough to eradicated without chemicals.

 

1st photo is about 3 weeks after planting in august 2014

 

2nd photo is the overall spot

 

3rd photo is close-up of clover, there are still wheat, oats, and brassica growing in the plot, just not in that spot.  I let the plot go un mowed until right before bow season in 2014.   I still let spots by stumps and the fence line go to seed to keep the cereal grains and brassica alive in spots.

 

4th photo is a spot I left alone,  This is the result of just mowing a wild spot and seeing what mother nature allows to survive.  The deer hit this spot as much as the others during the summer.  Acutaly my treestand is on this fallow corner, the food plot is about 35 yards away from the stand. 

 

5th picture is what I used to make the plot.  An old lawn tractor with Ag tires and a 70 year old single row 3ft disc I put an extra 80lbs or so of large rocks ontop of. 

 

 

[fernnj]

Location: Schoharie County

Name:  Jumbo Ladino Clover, Winter Rye Mix -  Seedway Brand?  At least the Rye was.

Purchase location: Tri Valley Crop Supply, Sprakers NY

Type:  Annual and Perennial

Seeding rate:  1 1/2 Bushel Winter Rye and 8 lb of Jumbo Ladino (Broadcast)

Planting:  August 30, 2014

Purpose:  Large "feeder" fields, did (3) 3-4 acre plots total, reclaim fallow land, keep weeds out

Soil Prep:  15+ Yo abandoned farmland, cleaned off with dozer and brush hog, disc harrow several times, roundup, disced, limed and 150 lb 6-24-24 fertilizer per acre. Disced again.  Broadcast Winter Rye and pulled chain link fence around with quad, then applied clover by hand spreader

Soil Type:  Clay that holds water well, fairly clear of rocks, heavy organic leaves sticks ect from clearing

Ph:  WI test kit 6.2 Spread 2 ton of ag lime per acre with wico spreader and quad loaded by hand, 15 ton total!

Growing prior:  Again, fallow 15+ years, used to be alfalfa fields

Upkeep:  Fertilized with another 150 lb 6-24-24 in May 2015, mowed down rye in June, mowed again for a few weeds August 2015. 

Results: Great, Did same thing again this year on another 4 acre plot, but tried medium red clover as they were out of white.

Why I like it:  My goal was to reclaim fallow cropland, block weeds and attract deer.  This combo worked perfect.  The deer ate the tender winter rye through the fall and winter giving the clover a chance to develop.  Slowly came up in spring so I applied the other half of the recommended fertilizer per the soil test.  Crop took off in a month and completely outgrew all weeds. Didn't have to spray with Slay.  Mowed down Rye before it turned to seed, then clipped clover once before fall.  Deer were actually coming out into the field while I was mowing.  

 

Notes:  Tried a one bottom plow. Quit after it started to snag old roots and undergrowth.  HD box frame disc worked great as only wanted to till the to 4-6 inches.  Will begin switching over plots once the ground is restored and clover begins to die off.

 

1. October 11, 2014 - Month and a half after planting

2. May 8, 2015 - Before second fertilizer application

3. June 26, 2015 - 16" thick clover and Winter Rye before rye was cut down

4. Results - Buck taken as he was heading to new plot 2014 rifle season. Ended up dropping over in the plot

5. Deer in field as I'm clipping the clover

[LET EM GROW]

Location: Steuben

Name: Real World Wildlife & WI Clover

Type: Ag  Soybeans (Round-up Ready)

Annual/Perennial: Annual

Seeding rate: 70 lb /acre

Planting date: May 20, 2016

Plot size/purpose: 2 acres, winter food source

Soil Prep/method used: Killed weeds, tilled 3x, seeded, light disk

Soil Type: Clay with rock

PH Level: 2 years ago was 6.2 lime and fert added since..

Growing Conditions/Prior Usage: Has been in food plots, and rotated for 7 years

Ongoing upkeep: Will spray with round-up when plants are 1 ft tall

Results: Last year they grew to 3-4' tall and had many bean pods.. this year looks good so far

Why you like/dislike it: Great food source, all year long .. wish i had more room to plant more

Suggestions on where to buy/cost: Bought these in Arkport, NY.. local seed shops will have the same or different brand/blends of soybeans they carry

 

1st pic is after planting

2nd pic is growth and my temporary "redneck hot zone fence" 

3rd pic is last years growth with the clover growing under it in spots where beans were thin

last pic is a bag of the soybeans

[growalot]

Is that electrified? Have you seen Growing TV...he puts in two short fences,one just a bit taller than the other 3' apart...he explains that the different heights and distance apart fools the deers eyes into thinking the barrier is tall and wider that the deer actually see...Any ways here's the link...about half way through video they go through it step by step on putting the fence up

 

forgot link...lol

 

http://www.growingdeer.tv/archive/category/food-plots#/late-season-bow-hunting-food-plot-set-up

Edited June 8, 2016 by growalot

[LET EM GROW]

Its just hanging pie tins and irish spring soap, hung until the plants were close to 2' tall then removed.. (Early September)

 

Worked great and they started eating it shortly after the setup was removed..

[SplitG2]

let em grown,

 

what are the varieties of soybeans in that bag?

[LET EM GROW]

I am not sure of the specific blend. I will check the bag this weekend and see if it states. All I know is that it has a couple different AG soybean seeds, with no forage bean seed.

 

The website is not very descriptive either.. 

[SplitG2]

the seed label will tell you the variety of ag soybeans..i believe they use pioneer but was wondering the variety.

 

Thanks.

[LET EM GROW]

Yea, that's right where I was going to look.

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[growalot]

I planted Frost master field peas and have to say deer never touched them...loved the hemp and the cow peas(beans) ...the peas grew great and are 3-4 ft high producing peas...just nothing touched them... Got them from Hancock on sale...I supposes with the number of pods they may be a good attraction after a frost when the other plants die back...

 

 

Quote

leaves producing good tonnage of very palatable forage. FrostMaster Winter Peas have good winter-hardiness and are capable of out producing Austrian Winter Peas.  FrostMaster Winter Peas are white flowered, which indicates the absence of tannin. Tannin is a compound that creates a bitter taste in plants. Due to the lack in tannin, FrostMaster peas are very sweet, unlike the majority of winter peas and spring peas.

If your needs are for a dual purpose pea for both livestock and wildlife blends, you will be more than happy with FrostMaster Winter Peas.

Planting Rates:
Drill Rate: 50-60 lbs.
Broadcast Rate: 75-100 lbs
Cover Crop Rate: 100-125 lbs
Planting Time: Fall, Spring
pH: 6 - 7
Fertilizer: 200 - 300 lbs. per acre



Don't forget to purchase the required inoculant for this product. CLICK HERE

Great for Wildlife Food Plots!

Quote

Iron Clay Cow Peas - Iron Clay Peas are a warm season Legume used as an added ingredient to Spring, Summer and Fall food plots for wildlife.  Excellent for quail, dove & deer. Iron Clay Cow Peas produce forage in 45 days and mature seed in 100 days. Iron Clay produces the abundant amounts of organic matter and nitrogen needed to enrich the soil, resists common forms of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita), and grows well in our desert summers with moderate irrigation. For more information on Iron Clay Cow Peas please feel free to contact us.

Seed Rate: 25-50 lbs per acre
Seed Depth: 1/2 inch
Planting Time: Spring Summer
pH: 5.5-6.5

For orders over 250 lbs. please use our eQuote system for DISCOUNTS!

Don't forget to purchase the required inoculant for this product. Click Here

Cover Crops:
Plant 75 - 100 lbs. per acre in April - August.  Iron Clay peas work great for planting after your spring garden to increase soil organics and prevent summer weed growth.

Iron clay cowpeas are a highly preferred annual season legume which is best used when planting a combination of plants for foraging wildlife food plots. Actually a bean and not a pea, iron clay cowpeas produce a very nutritious crop of seeds that can be shelled and eaten fresh, processed in the green stage, or allowed to dry on a vine. Cowpeas are believed to have originated in Africa. Their introduction to the United States occurred during early colonial times and quickly became a staple crop in the Southeast. Due to their ability to produce their own nitrogen in root modules, iron clay cowpeas are a good choice for soil-building summer crops.

Planting
Due to their tolerances to cold and drought, iron clay cowpeas are able to be planted anytime between March and June, or they can be planted in the early fall; soil temperatures should remain above 60?F to ensure the best germination and emergence. Iron clay cowpeas are fairly resilient once planted and are able to germinate in a wide array of soils, but they still require the pH to be between five to seven point five. Iron clay cowpeas are most likely to succeed if planted between one and two inches beneath the soil’s surface. Once planted, the seeds should reach maturity within ninety to one hundred days provided that rainfall exceeds at least twenty-five inches.

Uses
Deer are highly fond of iron clay cowpeas, which is fortunate since the iron clay cowpeas provide a high level of protein that will help promote antler growth. Due to their preference though, deer have been known to strip a newly seeded area if the area is heavily overpopulated. Iron clay cowpeas yield an extremely high number of seeds which helps them be fairly resilient when faced with high amount of deer pressure. Iron clay cowpeas have become a favorite addition to deer forage food plot mixtures.

Aside from deer, iron clay cowpeas also provide a food supply for turkey, rabbit, and quail. Turkey in particular will seek out cowpea plots due to their preference for early seedlings. Once the plants have matured, they will attract insects that turkeys depend upon for their diet. In the late summer, the iron clay cowpeas will produce seed in pods that make a superb food for turkey and quail.

 

[growalot]

Well I mentioned I was using a new turnip seed called Hercules...They told me they get huge... I plant them and Tall Tine in an Early August plot...separated by 5ft ...I just picked these this a.m. Can you guess which is Hercules?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[turkeyfeathers]

Great thread Phade !

[LET EM GROW]

Grow, these were planted in early august and have tubers on them already? How so?

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[growalot]

A whole lot of rain...the beans I planted with them have had pods a long time.

[LET EM GROW]

Wow, just seems way early to me for tuber growth. I never see tubers until end of September usually

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[growalot]

I double checked my previous posts....posted on Aug 7th ..."All turnips planted"...I planted these one week before that post.

Needless to say 4.99 # for the Hercules  vs what Tall tines cost...much more tonnage out of the Hercules

[LET EM GROW]

I'm going to plant turnips right besides rutabaga next year.

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[nybuckboy]

I'm putting in Daikon radishes in one area as well as turnips. I have a several 1/4 to 1/2 acre plots totally almost 4 acres. Clover, winter peas, turnips, 7 card stud blend, sugar beets and winter bulbs, going to be a buffet line!