How to Plant a Small, Cheap Food Plot

We've never planted anything in this area before, so I decided to give it a shot. We did set up a trail camera overlooking part of this little area and you can watch it right here.
• StealthCam- Deer in th...

[@jimkirk41]

its great to see a young guy like yourself willing to put in this work. great effort and sucess will follow yiu whatever you do.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Kirk b Thank you!

[@rcoutdoorsfalcons3407]

yep

[@thomasturner654]

I no how it is to do it by your self I plant food plot for deers to got to put one out here soon

[@gee8648]

IF you're able to... a controlled burn is very beneficial to a food plot. It helps kill seeds that may be present in the soil, creates a solid layer of natural fertilizer. Do your burn before you plant seeds. Good luck all!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

The plot worked out well, however I planted it in February and most of the plants in that mix are winter seeds so they didn't last through summer. If you are going to plant this type of food plot with the rape, rye, and clover it is good to plant it in the fall.

[@SasquatchBioacoustic]

Oh the energy of youth, how I miss it.

[@x2cupthegamer296]

SasquatchBioacoustic lol

[@weswes1294]

Wow that food plot looks great! Keep it up! Great video! Definitely subscribing!

[@grdelawter4266]

Wow, that’s a lot of work! I hope you have great success this fall

[@jimscoggins1526]

Great job!!! Most kids rely on dad. Great work ethic. Go get Mr. Big buddy!! Good luck

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Jim Scoggins my dad did supply me with most of the equipment I just did the rest lol

[@catboat4228]

awesome video young man may God bless you and your crop and harvest

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@joeyhdrider9680]

All that labor would take me 2 days at my age. I miss the youth enjoy it. I hope you keep the thrill for a lifetime

[@kapperoutdoors]

Nice work man! thars pretty much how I started out before I could afford a tractor! great video!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Yeah I can't wait to get a tractor, it's a whooolle lot easier that way!

[@northeastrockhunter]

good job compare the results on the growth between both areas

[@13AaronT]

Very solid and informative video, thank you for this.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks for the positive feedback!

[@johnhenderson8360]

Just now saw your video, (three years later).. Not sure if I would do anything different except maybe a soil test. GOOD JOB!!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

John Henderson thanks! A soil test is always a good idea especially here in Georgia where the soil is too acidic about 95% of the time.

[@chuckyt9083]

That shit wore me out just watching (EVEN IN FAST FORWARD)! Good work ethic, young man!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

ChuckyT haha thanks 👍 it definitely wasn't easy!

[@1313jhicks]

Haha if you had worn your baseball cleats you could have aerated at the same time! Great job young man! Hope it turned out awesome!

[@drmetta15]

great video. You're a stud

[@braydencobb2051]

Nice vid man you really inspired me to make a food plot of my own

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Brayden Cobb heck yeah, that's what it's all about! If you plant one, be sure to let me know how it turns out!

[@noro305]

nice Video. I also did a small plot myself for this season. Unlike your approach, I sprayed weed killer on my spot once... went back a week later and hit it again. The weeds and anything else there was dead. I then did a controlled burn on the site. ( used a lighter ). Raked it all up afterward, waited for a good rain in the forecast and spread seeds the day before the heavy rain ( this past Monday). Seeds are sprouting already. Going to fertilize here tomorrow or Tuesday. I'll post a video myself and we can give each other pointers!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Awesome! I'm looking forward to it!

[@adriellandis136]

Nice! I did one just like it, turned out great.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Awesome glad to hear it!

[@timjanssen1671]

Very neat video ! You put in alot of work. I hope you had alot of success, you deserved it.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks! I appreciate it!

[@cameron3395]

Good job young man.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thank you

[@EMRJPV]

You earned any deer you get off that plot. Good job!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@ahillbillyredneck2375]

That has to be the most hands on way to do it!! I hope it works out for you!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks it worked great!

[@usmcpatriot7546]

Great job👌🏻

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@matthewdickson8669]

Hope all your hard work pays off buddy

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@TLane]

Enjoyed bro, thanks!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Glad to you liked it!

[@SuperHank777]

Awesome video

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Super Hank Outdoors Thanks!

[@mrs.chandler9384]

Nice video man. I suggest you take a rake or drag over it once or twice.

[@Trailcamvideos25]

I'll be planting my first plot here in northern minnesota in the coming days and this video was very helpful!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I'm glad I could help! thanks for the feedback!

[@Trailcamvideos25]

How old were you when you made this?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

+Hunter Kendall I was 17.

[@Trailcamvideos25]

+Crosshair Outdoors damn good! did you harvest a deer over this plot?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

+Hunter Kendall no, it died by the time deer season came because it was a cold weather food plot mix that I planted early spring. It died over the summer when it got hot because the type of plants in this particular mix aren't capable of surviving hot weather.

[@thejasonkellett]

Good to see a young man exhibit some good discipline!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thankyou! Hunting is my passion so even though it took hours, it didn't feel like work!

[@briantaylor2.023]

what state is this in? I planted Iron/Clay cowpeas on two long straight-aways on the edges of the woods near a tree stand where the deer like to hang out, for this upcoming season in Florida.

[@cutweldngrind]

I just bought a few bags of random stuff. I will start tomorrow by plowing a half acre or so. Its my first attempt and just doing this for fun. I like to see animals roam the small 8 acre property.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Jorge Serna sweet that is the way to do it! Let me know how it turns out. No matter how small the property you can always attract some animals if you have the food they like.

[@rcoutdoorsfalcons3407]

Jorge Serna cool

[@BelnapCustomKnives]

enjoyed the video.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

thanks man!

[@fieldgenerals1]

Good work son!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thankyou!

[@charlesnorman1072]

How did this plot turn out. Great video. You put a lot of ppl to shame working that hard. Keep up the good work

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks man, I appreciate the positive feedback! And it turned out great! Everything sprouted great, but because I planted a fall mix in early spring, it didn't last through the warm weather. But it all came up well until it got hot outside!

[@hut95]

Hell yea that's how I do it to buddy it's works!!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Yessir, glad to hear it!

[@Funski1000]

I live in arkansas…what kind of seed mix that has nutritional value should I plant in the woods with limited sun?

[@quagmire6343]

Very nice video! Question. Did your plot also attract any Turkeys?

[@aarongoss5514]

great video definetly subscribing

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks bud!

[@aarongoss5514]

yep im trying to start my own outdoors channel

[@houndsmanone4563]

Good job. A lot of work but I bet your food plot did well, didn't it? My back hurts after watching. I'm clearing an area that is wooded and used chainsaw, loppers, and walk behind brush cutter to take down the big stuff. Will do as you after area is cleared.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Houndsman One awesome man! Hope it works out! Be sure to let me know!

[@greghart8465]

Nicely done, very informative. I'm thinking of doing something similar myself. How big was the plot, how many hours start to finish, & about how much did it cost?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

It was maybe 15 feet x 35 feet. from start to finish was abojt 4 hours and cost me nearly nothing. You only need a small amount of fertilizer and seed from a local feed store with an area this size.

[@greghart8465]

Cool, thanks.

[@CoreySchwanz]

Roughly how big of patch was that and how many hours did it take you? Looking do a couple of small plots just like that next fall. Hadnt thought about a hand tiller, so thanks for that tip:)

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Corey Schwanz it took me about 3 hours with a couple short breaks. The hand tiller was definitely helpful!

[@evandonoho759]

I used this video to make my own food plot a few weeks ago

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Awesome! Let me know how it turns out!

[@vickroid]

Seeing as how this is a couple years old, how did that stand turn out? Is there anything you would do different. I am considering a small stand of winter greens or maybe fall no plow so I'm curious how this worked out.

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

vickroid it worked out well, however I were to do anything different I would've planted it closer too deer season. The seeds in this mix are fall seeds and I planted them early spring so the heat killed it over the summer.

[@jakemorua4186]

What fertilizer did you use?

[@plebny]

great job! It's March 2017 now. Do you still hunt there? If so, how's the food plot doing?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

plebny thanks! I don't hunt there so often anymore because we had a big flood last year that really messed up that area including my food plot.

[@NJ_plumbinkid]

Great job I really enjoyed the video and what camera did you use

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thankyou! I used the Samsung HMX-F90!

[@fanguy4life]

what fertilizer did u use

[@hunternard6723]

Do you think that planting a smaller plot is even worth it? I just want something to kill does over but I dont have any plots besides doing one a bit smaller than this.

[@kyadak]

How did it turn out????

[@vpsaline]

Do you need to replant each year or does it grow back on its own?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

The seed that I used was just annual food plot seed so I would have had to replant the next year.

[@noro305]

Hey I got a video up.. let me know what you think so far. I might go back out this afternoon and check it out.

[@dandunnigan9917]

Do you have any pics or videos of how the plot turned out?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I had made a video showing how it turned out, but lost the footage some how :(

[@donnellholmes4246]

I was thinking just what Kirk said. Great job buddy and if you are ever in eastern nc you got a hunting trip with me. I will even give you a rifle to use. Donnell Holmes just Google my name and you can hit me up thru Facebook or anywhere but give me a heads up atleast couple weeks make sure I'm in. Good luck

[@natee2169]

You got to post the finished product!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I would but I no longer own the land unfortunately!

[@stephenlwest]

Do u have pics of plot when seed came up?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I have only one picture from when it all came up. I'll have to find it on my computer.

[@sammaskill2620]

Great job on the food plot. Next time dont remove the leaves and other organic matter on the surface layer of soil so it can break down over time and become nutrients for the plants

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

The amount of nutrients the plants would have gotten from the leaves is a fraction of the nutrients absorbed through fertilizer. I agree organic matter is important to the development of topsoil, however there was already a thick layer of rich top soil on that location. My removing of a thin layer of leaves and a couple sticks hardly affected the area by the time the food plot sprouted.

[@mikukekp7527]

great video Only think the bird will eat all Let me know how that go for you

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

The birds didn't really eat the seed, the food plot turned out pretty well.

[@freelancePM]

love the video. notice is from 2014. were you successful?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Yes, it grew very well but once it got hot in the spring, the majority of the plot died off because I planted cool weather crops. Thanks for the positive comment!

[@buckhunter8576]

Cool im fixx to make one....

[@x2cupthegamer296]

Were is this in Georgia what part

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

North West Georgia

[@calsteffes3065]

Good video did you have any success on it

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Thanks! And yes I sure dd!

[@Rippinmolips]

Where do you get one of those little tailor things at?

[@Rippinmolips]

Tiller

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

You can get it at most local feed stores tractor supply.

[@Rippinmolips]

Thanks we are going to give it a try

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

@@Rippinmolips awesome! Let me know how it turns out!

[@logansloan9012]

How early should I start a plot?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I would plant around mid-late September

[@MrVtArcher]

Your not worried that the seeds might get burned by the fertilizer?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I didn't put as much fertilizer in there as seed. I forgot to mention that in the video. The whole thing turned out nicely!

[@filli297]

Bonafide badass..

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

Haha thanks.

[@wisconsinhunting290]

did use any lime?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I dint use any lime, but it never hurts if you want to use it. It actually makes the plants sweeter and can only help your food plot no matter how much you put on there.

[@ChilcoteForestryServices]

nice job. Nice to be young. That was a lot of work. I suggest using forage oats, wheat, buckwheat, brassicas if there is enough light. Make sure you put some lime on it too. Check out my food plot stuff on my site: www.chilcoteforester.com. You can come work for me anytime!

[@ChilcoteForestryServices]

How did you get 19K views?

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

I honestly don't know. This year it just blew up somehow.

[@kge4mvp]

+Crosshair Outdoors How'd the plot turn out? Any issues with weeds? Nice video!

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

+kge4mvp Thanks! And it turned out great! Weeds weren't really a problem till the next season.

[@Dougarrowhead]

That's a patch

[@jannalorette6980]

ife eel like a winneruopathway

[@jannalorette6980]

SpadesNorquest

[@youngmcwhirter7148]

build a blind with all that trsh

[@michaeltripoli3428]

You need gloves

[@CrosshairOutdoors]

MICHAEL TRIPOLI Would've been nice, no doubt.