Newbie here...Need suggestions

[bamahunter]

This is my first post, and Im new to food plots, so bare with me.On the property that I hunt, there are 3 or 4..1 acre food plots that in my book dont look good at all. From looking at pics on TV and on this forum, it looks as if they have very little clover and are mostly rye. They only stand about 3 or 4 inches off the ground. I have permission from the land owner to create my own plot, and I want to make it away from the others, so the other few hunters during deer season wont find it. There is a 40 acre thicket that is never hunted, and the soil was strip mined about 40 years ago, but plants and trees do grow easily on it. I cant access a tractor in there, so I need any solution for a no plow product. From reading this forum, whitetail inst. no plow has some bad reviews. Does anyone have experience with it, and or what other companies have products that I can use for a plot? I live in Alabama, and I dont know a lot about plant biology, so what types of seed or clover or whatever should I look for?

[Danny_GA]

Welcome to the forum Bama.

If I were to put together a no till mix for Alabama I would probably go with rye grain, wheat, crimson clover, and possibly some rape. If you have a good size plot say an acre I would even do part of it in a pure stand of rape.
I have missed the bad reviews on Whitetail Institutes No Plow Mix but if you would like to try it, buy a sample from them. It even comes with fairly good instructions. I prefer to make up my own mixes but not everyone enjoys messing around with foodplots like I do.
The most important thing for you to do is have a soil sample done. It will tell you not only what your lime requirements are to get your soil pH in line but exact fertilizer requirements for what you intend to grow.
You mentioned that the existing plots are mostly rye and only a couple of inches high. That may be because the deer will not let it get any higher because of browsing pressure. Rye when properly fertilized is not a bad choice for fall plots.

Good Luck!

Danny
Talbot County, GA

[bamahunter]

Well, thanks for the help. I know what rye is, but what is and where can I purchase crimson clover and rape. I have to say Ive never heard of these. Im 24 and only have been hunting for 6 yrs or so. I am planning on doing a soil sample, and fertilizing if necessary, but will the products grow well on a real rocky soil?

[Danny_GA]

Crimson Clover is an annual clover planted in early fall that provides forage in late Feb and March which is when natural forage is at its lowest availablity. Alabama in the past planted Crimson Clover in the medians of the interstate highways. Since it was such a good deer attractant I think they have stopped that practice.

Rape is a member of the brassaca family which includes kale, turnips, and collards. Rape is planted late summer and provides most of it's forage in Dec. after several hard frosts has raised it's sugar content.

You should be able to buy these seeds at a local feed and seed store but for reference I buy most of my seed from Cooper Seeds in Lawrenceville, GA. Since shipping costs are high on seeds I pick mine up directly from the store.

Cooper Seeds (http://www.cooperseeds.com/)

Danny