Annual food plot????

[Coach W]

Anybody plant plots that come back on their own year after year? Is it possible?

I'm thinking a mixture of things that will seed themselves and be palatable all year??? Any thoughts?

[Shane]

*perennial

http://www.qdma.com/uploads/pdf/Annuals-vs.-Perennials.pdf

[bassmatt72]

*perennial

http://www.qdma.com/uploads/pdf/Annu...Perennials.pdf

This is a good read to get you on the right path. Take the info from the article and do a little local research and apply what will work for your area.

[GTXHUNTER88]

you will need to replant perennials regardless if you want to have a hardy enough crop for constant grazing. Every 2-4yrs depending on soil quality, precipitation and so on and so forth.

[Coach W]

Ok perennial... Admittedly i know nothing about food plots... That's why i am asking you guys. Id rather bug yall than waste my time and money planting plots that won't come up.

So be brutally honest if it is more trouble than its worth just tell me.

You won't hurt my feelings.

[GTXHUNTER88]

you need to get your soil tested first, do you have a water well for irrigation? It's not a waste of time if you do it right.

[Playa]

Can you have a plot that is perennial fall/winter & spring/ summer ?

[Drycreek3189]

Clover. Depending on how brutal summer is, it's about a ten month crop. It does go dormant in cold weather, and it will look really bad during 100 degree weather, but if you have a creek bottom or some " wet natured " soil , it can last up to 5 or 6 years if taken care of. Growing really good food plots takes up a lot of your time and can be fairly expensive. Lime, fertilizer, and even seed aren't cheap, but the rewards can be great and it's pretty satisfying to know that you are feeding your deer and promoting their health. Bigger , heavier, and healthier deer = more milk for fawns, more venison for the table. Win, win !

[XBowHunter]

Following

[bassmatt72]

You can look at it this way, a food plot is a big garden for deer. If you have ever gardened and know the work it takes then just multiply that by how big your food plot is and how difficult it is to get equipment to it. If its done right and the work is put into it then the benefits are there! Here is more food for thought, when natural brows is dying from the heat and drought (when you need food for the deer) so will the food plot unless you can water it. When the natural brows is doing good(plenty of food for the deer) so will your plot.

[bassmatt72]

I personally enjoy doing food plots and don't mind all the extra work involved.

[rackballer]

I plant a clover - alfalfa mix perennial from boilogic.. its a plot additive that i actually plant alone. Advertised to grow back for 4-6 yrs and 4 yrs is the norm. Very well priced and biologic has a nice variety. I buy online and get things shipped to home

[unclefish]

I haven't found anything yet that lasts year round with our summers. Durana clover is good choice and last year it lasted until early June for me....so it lasted 9 months. Alfalfa is probably the best choice because it's root system is humongous.....and that helps it survive harsh summers.

The best thing to do is to try keep the soil covered at all times....When you plow you lose moisture and the soil loses its ability to hold moisture over time... And it loses organic matter. No till planting into a good mulch layer really ups your odds of your perennial surviving year round.