Food Plots for Dove

[Stolle]

Where you buying the native seeds?

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I bought 150#s from Turner Seed. Even with shipping they were the cheapest around, but they are not cheap. $8.99 a pound plus $125 shipping. I’m going to put them in a he ground in about a week. They have to freeze to germinate, so I’m going to stick them in the freezer before I plant them.


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[Full Throttle]

I bought 150#s from Turner Seed. Even with shipping they were the cheapest around, but they are not cheap. $8.99 a pound plus $125 shipping. I’m going to put them in a he ground in about a week. They have to freeze to germinate, so I’m going to stick them in the freezer before I plant them.


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How many acres are you planting? Did the folks at Turner say putting them in freezer would work?

It looks like it would be after the last freeze before I will be able to get some in the ground… wonder when the latest is I could plant em and get a good stand.

[unclefish]

A few years ago I bought native sunflowers and wasn't going to get to plant them until march. I did freeze and thaw them in my freezer several times before planting. I got very poor germination. I think its because in addition to cold stratification they also need wet/dry cycles of an outdoor climate to break down that hard shell. A freezer can't emulate that. Just a theory.

I've read that you will get 2-5% germination if you plant in the spring vs much higher % in the winter.

After that I planted some natives in december and had a really good stand of them that spring/summer.

[Walker]

Putting them in the freezer sounds like a bad idea in a frost free freezer. Will dehydrate the seed. Maybe a freezer that's not frost free will work.

[cehorn]

One other note on native sunflowers. When I talked to Turner, they said be sure that is what you want because once they are there there is no turning back. Farming locally, I know the time and money spent to get rid of sunflowers in corn fields, etc. and sometimes it can feel like battling hogs. Nothing wrong with planting them but be sure you want them forever or they are in an area where you could get rid of them if you want.

[lovemylegacy]

This is good info. I have native sunflowers for my bees. Never dawned on me that doves liked them, that is if we are talking about the same flower.

[Stolle]

How many acres are you planting? Did the folks at Turner say putting them in freezer would work?

It looks like it would be after the last freeze before I will be able to get some in the ground… wonder when the latest is I could plant em and get a good stand.

I’m planting 2 different plots. 150#s should plant 27 acres. 12-13 acres at one place and 12-13 acres at the other. They didn’t say to freeze them, but I’m note sure it will freeze again once I get them in the ground.

A few years ago I bought native sunflowers and wasn't going to get to plant them until march. I did freeze and thaw them in my freezer several times before planting. I got very poor germination. I think its because in addition to cold stratification they also need wet/dry cycles of an outdoor climate to break down that hard shell. A freezer can't emulate that. Just a theory.



I've read that you will get 2-5% germination if you plant in the spring vs much higher % in the winter.



After that I planted some natives in december and had a really good stand of them that spring/summer.

I’m not going to freeze then thaw multiple times. They will go from the freezer then the ground. I’m going to take my chances on freezing them.

Putting them in the freezer sounds like a bad idea in a frost free freezer. Will dehydrate the seed. Maybe a freezer that's not frost free will work.

Putting them in the ground and it not freezing also sounds like a bad idea.


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[hog_down]

This is good info. I have native sunflowers for my bees. Never dawned on me that doves liked them, that is if we are talking about the same flower.

here is a link regarding varroa mites and sunflower plants:

https://entomologytoday.org/2023/01/...ns-honey-bees/

[Blackmouth]

You can run a light, shallow disk right now to scratch the ground and have dove weed (croton species) and sunflowers up by dove season. Now is the time, not after the last freeze. If the seeds are in the seed bed, you won't find a cheaper route.

[Radar]

What variety of wild sunflowers are considered native? Maximillian?

[Stolle]

What variety of wild sunflowers are considered native? Maximillian?

Helianthus Annuus


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[Low Fence]

You can run a light, shallow disk right now to scratch the ground and have dove weed (croton species) and sunflowers up by dove season. Now is the time, not after the last freeze. If the seeds are in the seed bed, you won't find a cheaper route.

Goat weed is great…. But in my area it has 2 drawbacks

1. It won’t have a hard seed that a bird can even eat until
October

2. It typically has enough grass growing in it you need to turn cattle in it to overgraze it for desired bare ground

I see a lot of people hunting goat weeds opening day…. They usually don’t fire a shell.

If the seeds ain’t “popping” shredding them does nothing. They are great late season if you can get the other vegetation crazy short

[Stolle]

Goat weed is great…. But in my area it has 2 drawbacks

1. It won’t have a hard seed that a bird can even eat until
October

2. It typically has enough grass growing in it you need to turn cattle in it to overgraze it for desired bare ground

I see a lot of people hunting goat weeds opening day…. They usually don’t fire a shell.

If the seeds ain’t “popping” shredding them does nothing. They are great late season if you can get the other vegetation crazy short

True story. The doves are hammering it now at our place.


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[Artos]

Some of the best dove hunts I've had over the decades has been over goat / careless weed...man am I allergic to that crap, but it pulls in the birds.

[Low Fence]

I’ve never seen a bird around careless weed…. And I got plenty of it. Dove are thicker currently on goat weed than most hot spots in central Tx on the opener. Wasn’t a dozen birds I. All of them combined September- November