Getting the Food Plots ready to plant

[ranchdog]

Thought you guys might like seeing a few "Warm Season" food plot pictures. We did the plowing and rototilling and here are the plots before planting. We plan to plant Iron & Clay Cow Peas about April 15th. I really like the strip plots. They are going to look cool.

Good luck to all food plot freaks on here. I just love riding the John Deere, as long as I just do it for fun. I will try and continue with pics as we plant and as it grows. Of course we always run the risk of no rain or the deer wiping it out before it can get started.

Ranchdog

[bltiger]

Looks like you got it all ready to go!!! Good luck and hopefully we will get a little bit more rain to help you out later this week!

[Mike D]

Looks good. That's a beautiful piece of property. Where is it? Looks like you have a tiller attachment for that John Deere.

[Jamie]

nice....planted mine in LaSalle county over the last couple of weeks....some started emerging last week.

[bltiger]

We planted some bird food two weekends ago Jamie and it's about four or five inches tall already...The wheat and oats we planted last fall are heading out and are about 2-3 foot tall right now...I've never seem anything like that in twenty years down south...

[MQ32Shooter]

We got ours in 2 weeks ago and finally got rain Monday. Can't wait for those peas and beans to get up. I think the deer were kinda bummed out when we turned the wheat under to get it ready for the spring/summer stuff to go in. Where is your place? Are you going to be using the Turner's seed blend or will you mix it yourself?

[Jamie]

BL....

how much rain did you get Monday?

and our bird season last year was the best I've ever seen...any where, other then Mex./ Argentina.

We could kill a limit every time we tried from the beginning of the fall season thru the last day of the winter season...it was incredible..

[ranchdog]

Thanks Guys,

We are in Lee County. I am only planting Iron & Clay Cow peas so I won't use a mix. I have the peas but Ag Extension agent says not to plant until April 15th, man I have been wanting to get them in before then but he says it is about soil temperature so I am waiting per his instructions.

Yes I have a 5 ft King Kutter Rototiller and that bad boy is the way to go. Hook it up to a tractor and you can make awsome bow hunter plots easy as pie.

Ranchdog

[bltiger]

Jamie,

This past Monday? No one has been back down there to tell but I know we received a couple of inches in the middle of last week. Looks like we received at least an inch though...We are having a family clean up this weekend and will be down there messing around all season...We just couldn't bring ourselves to turn under the wheat and oats since they were starting to head out...Seed is seed I guess...

[piggyBack]

Wouldnt put much faith in your ag ext agent. All they know is a historical perspective. Look at the weather we have been having for the last 6 weeks-we are way ahead of schedule compared to normal. No problem with soil temp. I live in ne texas and the farmers had all their corn in a long time ago- it is already shin high and they are already getting much needed moisture and we are gonna get many inches more by sat morning. I am afraid you missed your planting window. These farmers know whats up-next time just ask-they are more than willing to talk. Since you have been delaying the planting of your iron/clay peas, I would reccomend you go with a forage soybean to get the most benefit since you are starting late due to our abnormal weather-try Laredo variety.

[Jamie]

corn can tolerate a late freeze better then a legume.....

I'd listen to the ext. agent....seeing as how much work/cost goes into getting the ground prepared and buying the seed....giving up a week or so to wait on the proper climate is prudent esp. since we're in a wet pattern and rain doesn't seem to be an issue right now.

[hillcountryhunter]

IT is absolutely amazing, the weather we are having right now. I am near you Bltiger, and our oats is like you say atleast 2 foot tall right now. IT is starting to fade in areas but in other areas it is still sprouting up out of the ground. The deer are defenitly putting it to all the new growth that are trying to come up. So far this spring is looking great. Our protien consumption is way down, so I dont know if they just have so much to eat or what but there is defenitly plenty out there.

[bltiger]

I posted on the other sight and here are some pics of the oats/wheat!!!

http://www.texasrodbenders.com/discus/messages/38/2374.html?1175205743

[Buff]

I have clover knee high... should I till it under and plant peas?

[ranchdog]

corn can tolerate a late freeze better then a legume.....

I'd listen to the ext. agent....seeing as how much work/cost goes into getting the ground prepared and buying the seed....giving up a week or so to wait on the proper climate is prudent esp. since we're in a wet pattern and rain doesn't seem to be an issue right now.

I agree Jamie, That is why I have waited at least till this past weekend. I looked back in the records to seen when the latest a freeze has taken place and 3rd weekend in March for Lee county was about the latest. I plan to plant as the agent suggest. The guy does this all the time and has many articles on food plots for deer. They have test plots up at Overton. I do hope that PiggyBack is not right in that I might be missing some good moisture though.

RD