Food Plot Guide: The Critical Steps of Planting Fall Food Plots (716)

This is the video to watch before planting this fall! See the critical steps to grow your best fall food plots: timing, planting techniques, design, size, seed blends, and more!
@GrowingDeerTV
#deerhunting #TeamOutdoors

[@AdamCraigOutdoors]

Thanks for the video Dr. Grant. Always appreciate what you guys do and the knowledge you share with us.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Adam - Thanks for the encouraging words!

[@edwardbaxley5124]

We've been blessed with good rain here in Virginia this summer. I planted the Green Cover High Diversity mix in one of my plots in late May. It did great. I'm getting ready to plant the Plot Release Mix into the plot next week. I'm sure it will do great also.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Excellent! Thanks for the update. It's been wicked dry here but the bucks look good!

[@mikekittrell9059]

Drought did a number on my plots. Planted warm season soil builder in April. Received some rain for the first three weeks after planting. Then went on a 6 week drought. Received .7 tenth of an inch over that six week period. Milo has done ok. That's about it.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Mike - I understand - the drought took a toll at my place also. I'll be planting the Plot Release blend to attract deer and suppress weeds.

[@edwardbaxley5124]

I planted my food plots a week earlier than the recommended planting date. It was calling for a 60 to 80 percent chance of rain for 5 straight days. I just couldn't pass up that chance to plant. Everything is looking great.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Congratulations!

[@claycountykillers]

I'm in south central Illinois and we have had storms about every week dumping 5+ inches of rain.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Roger - Wow - that's a lot of rain!

[@eevert76]

Thank you so much I'm from the Springfield area I've been very worried about when to plant

[@GrowingDeerTV]

More rain forecast! Hopefully we continue receiving some rain each week!

[@rbljackson]

thank you for the tips. Here in West texas, its been wicked dry as well and over 100 for SO many days this spring and summer. I passed on even trying a spring food plot, and glad I did because we didn't get enough rain at the right times for me to even attempt to broadcast plant. Id like to attempt it this fall though. Looks like labor day weekend based on calendar would be about right for me. Should I put down some triple 20 or triple 13 fert in advance (cheap fertilizer option that is readily available) to assist in germination for a field that has never been planted before? Hoping I can broadcast seed into it before a decent fall rainstorm and get my first plot going. Its been so dry the field is mostly dirt.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Sounds like very tough conditions. Without a recent soil test, no one can tell you which and how much fertilizer to use. I use Wardlab.com for all my soil testing and it's well worth the small cost to insure I know what's going on in the soil.

[@scottsimmons5186]

Great video, but I have a quick question. I planted the Green Cover Summer Release, I am getting ready to plant the Fall Release in Northern MN. Do I terminate the Summer Release or just plant through and let it be. I will be utilizing a Genesis no till drill.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Scott - I simply drill the fall blend through the standing summer blend. The drill usually knocks down enough of the summer blend for the fall blend to germinate and grow! This also results in leaving food to attract deer rather than removing all food and telling deer to feed elsewhere.

[@scottsimmons5186]

@@GrowingDeerTV Thank You!!💡

[@brianboyett6250]

So this is our first year using the release process. We planted the summer blend and crimped and are now prepping for fall planting. We had a lot of weed suppression but there are still quite a bit of weeds in the plots. Should we spray or just try drilling through everything? Should we crimp at all for fall plots?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Brian - If there are a lot of weeds that spread easily treating them with a herbicide is a good option! If you use a herbicide, the new crop can be drilled soon after.

[@kyledexheimer6548]

Have you seen any change in the health of the deer (kidney fat, lactation, weight, antler score etc.) since you've had to stop salt licks?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Kyle - Larger antlers on average and higher body weights. Having quality habitat provides all the nutrients deer need!

[@richardenglish8973]

My summer release blend did real well in Eastern VA. I don't have a drill and was thinking about broadcasting either the brassica or fall release blend and pulling a lawn roller behind a 4 wheeler. Should I terminate by spraying before broadcasting? Can I spray after broadcasting and rolling? Thoughts?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Richard - Congratulations on producing a successful plot! It's very important for the seeds to make good contact with the soil. If the standing vegetation is too thick for the broadcast seeds to reach the soil, consider using a herbicide and then a prescribed fire. Fire makes a great seedbed and releases most of the nutrients so the next crop can use them. Heat rises so fire won't damage the soil or roots structures that will decompose and feed the next crop. This is a fine technique to get a good stand when broadcasting!

[@tylergoralski8728]

That is one hell of a hat.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Tyler - great hat to limit sun damage/cancer. I'm a kidney transplant patient and skin cancer is a big concern.

[@WillSmith-iq2jo]

What is you seed rate setting for fall release and summer release for your no till drill?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Will - I add 10% to 20% more than Green Cover recommends as I like a very thick stand of forage for more tons per acre and to suppress weeds.

[@marklarueii2068]

I do not see the new mixes on the green cover seed site. When will it be available?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Mark - I think today! Reachout to Colton at: [e-mail] 620-228-1186

[@jimkindle3563]

👊💪👍

[@justinmartin1267]

Would it help to crimp weeds or be better to spray herbicide ??

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Justin - Crimping works on plants that are making seeds in the dough stage - seeds full of moisture and not hard yet. It would be rare for all weeds to mature at the same time.

[@timothy199662002]

what happened to the free shipping????

[@Eaglethree33]

Great video! Would you recommend crimping after drilling / broadcasting?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jake - I most often crimp after drilling a spring crop when the winter crop is producing seed in the dough stage. Crimping is a great way to terminate annuals when they are making seed in the dough stage. Crimping doesn't work well to terminate perennials or plants not producing seed.

[@Eaglethree33]

@@GrowingDeerTV thank you!

[@tommybarksdale5783]

You told me who to contact about trying to rent a Genesis…….I have forgotten who, could you let me know who I need to ask? Thanks in advance

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Tommy - Whew - they are way behind in production. Local dealers may be your best bet at this stage. Dang supply chain issues!

[@anthonykontos7931]

What kind of blind was that?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Redneck - Redneckblinds.com