Food plot and a little work today

[unclefish]

Does the Sun Hemp look like the Good Stuff? lol And how do u feel about my thinking on a new plot I have this fall. It's a about 2.5 acre spot now containing Oats, Rye along with small amount of clover and chicory. it has been a good spot this season where I have let several bucks walk and missed a chance on a monster buck. He busted me when I pulled the bow back. That wont happen again. Fixed that. But I am not sure what I want to do there this spring. Something to keep the weeds out by leaving them no place and no sunlight to grow. Heavy Soybean planting does this but I was thinking something else here. I don't need any more clover's. So what about the hemp or something else? Listening

It does look somewhat like the good stuff.

It sounds sunn hemp might be just what you are looking for....it will grow very fast and shade out most all weeds. From what I've read on it....you can't plant it too early in the spring....it needs 68 degree soil temps to germinate and grow a good stand. Plant it too early and it won't make very well.

It's a legume so it fixes lots of N just like beans or peas.

[EastTexasMan]

Whats the planting rate for this sun hemp?

Need to do 4 acre spot, and then 2 acre spot elsewhere. I want to either do Peas/soybeans or peas/hemp

Edit: Just looked it up 40-60 lbs per acre broadcast, plant 1/2 -1" deep

[unclefish]

Whats the planting rate for this sun hemp?

Need to do 4 acre spot, and then 2 acre spot elsewhere. I want to either do Peas/soybeans or peas/hemp

Edit: Just looked it up 40-60 lbs per acre broadcast, plant 1/2 -1" deep

I've read 15 lbs /acre if by planted itself.....roughly half that if in a mix.

http://www.petcherseeds.com/about-sunn-hemp/production-guide/

[EastTexasMan]

my work IT just flagged that as "drug abuse" and its blocked lol

[unclefish]

Too funny ETM.

[texas bound]

The more I read on this sunn hemp the better it sounds for my new spring plot on a powerline cut. Like you unclefish Im kinda scare of black helicopters flying around the property. But I do know that deer love the illegal stuff (not from me growing it but people back home complaining about the deer eating their crop) so this should do very well. Not sure if I want to mix ic peas in with it or not because of mowing it after it reaches its max height.

[unclefish]

The more I read on this sunn hemp the better it sounds for my new spring plot on a powerline cut. Like you unclefish Im kinda scare of black helicopters flying around the property. But I do know that deer love the illegal stuff (not from me growing it but people back home complaining about the deer eating their crop) so this should do very well. Not sure if I want to mix ic peas in with it or not because of mowing it after it reaches its max height.

Yep I don't think I would mix anything with it either since it needs to be mowed high so it will keep making tender shoots/leaves. Mowing above 18-20 inches looks to be the magic number....anything below that looks like it kills/stunts it.

[deer farmer]

I was already thinking about all the stalks that would need to be cut prior to fall planting and then u posted the pictures lol. Just thinking outloud here, can it be carried over to bow season and if so, it might be hard to see the deer in the food plots haha. Would have to hunt the trails and we know unclefish already hunts those trails. Some hemps are hard to get rid of once established. In the early 70's hemp was growing all over Kansas, grown for the war. Ha u could smoke a trash bag of it and only get a physic buzz. Maybe that is why Kansas has the Big bucks with all that stuff growing every where. I'm interested in trying some but not so sure I want to put it in a prime hunting plot until I see what it does and how the deer react to it. As an example, my deer wont touch turnips. Beautiful leaves but they just wont touch em and when it comes to the turnip, they take a bite and leave the rest. So in discussion here, what else u got? Sunflowers anyone? I understand the deer love the young sunflowers

[unclefish]

I was already thinking about all the stalks that would need to be cut prior to fall planting and then u posted the pictures lol. Just thinking outloud here, can it be carried over to bow season and if so, it might be hard to see the deer in the food plots haha. Would have to hunt the trails and we know unclefish already hunts those trails. Some hemps are hard to get rid of once established. In the early 70's hemp was growing all over Kansas, grown for the war. Ha u could smoke a trash bag of it and only get a physic buzz. Maybe that is why Kansas has the Big bucks with all that stuff growing every where. I'm interested in trying some but not so sure I want to put it in a prime hunting plot until I see what it does and how the deer react to it. As an example, my deer wont touch turnips. Beautiful leaves but they just wont touch em and when it comes to the turnip, they take a bite and leave the rest. So in discussion here, what else u got? Sunflowers anyone? I understand the deer love the young sunflowers

Yep sunflowers are a good choice too IMO. I planted some in a mix a few years ago and the deer destroyed them. I planted perdovic.

Another choice is Okra....heat and drought tolerant and very high protein. I think Moose on here plants them for summer plots with good success.

[deer farmer]

Okra, who would of thought Now I'm thinking a mix, lets see, okra, sunflowers, my son does a large garden each yr and has a problem keeping the deer out of it lol And as of this morning the bucks are chasing again this morning on the property. An 8 chasing a young doe. Chasing it hard lol ok back to food plotting. I know a few of us yr round food plot, like El Gato and unclefish, me and others, so what would be a magical mix for a summertime food plot? Remember I'm already doing Eagle brand Beans and no doubt IC Peas might have to go into the mix, I know they like purple hull peas also been there done that

[jkelbe]

Okay to boil down this discussion, is everyone still think the best plant is Peas/Beans. And you are just looking for another crop to either mix in or that will survive better?

I did I/C peas last year mixed with Millet. I think the Millet just took up space. I am thinking about expanding and just doing straight beans.

Although I might mix in some Crimson Clover and Chicory for ground cover to hold moisture.

[Backwoods101]

my work IT just flagged that as "drug abuse" and its blocked lol

Lol mine too. Ive been looking up to Unclefish as a sort of mentor but now Im starting too wondering if he is a good influence.

[texas bound]

I'm looking for something that will survive better and to mix in with peas. I like how hardy the hemp is sad how it's good for your soil. Also it doesn't hurt that it's 30% protein.

[unclefish]

Lol mine too. Ive been looking up to Unclefish as a sort of mentor but now Im starting too wondering if he is a good influence.

I'm a bad seed.



Backwoods - I'm going to buy some hemp this spring and try it out. I may open up another 1 acre plot adjacent to my thick timber and put some in there as well as my back plot.

Jkelbe - I'm always trying to find the perfect summer plot. I don't think I have enough acreage for soybeans/peas to give nutrition all spring/summer so I'm looking for something high in protein that can sustain browse pressure on a 2 acre plot. It looks like sunn hemp might be an answer....we will see.

[unclefish]

I was literally digging around in the plots yesterday and noticed lots of these every time I dug a hole.



I can't recall ever seeing them before when I was disking every year to plant. Rainfall seems to soak into the soil much better too...instead of running off.