5 Tips for Planning a Top-Notch Food Plot

5 Tips for Planning a Top-Notch Food Plot

By Jessica Graham

Over the past decade, hunters across the state have keyed into one of the best ways to attract neighboring deer to their hunting location—food plots. Food plots require some planning and physical work to make them successful. Utilize these five tips while planning your food plots to grow the most successful food plots possible.

Soil Sample
Soil sampling is one of the most important aspects when planning a food plot. It will reveal two critical pieces of information: nutrient concentrations and soil PH. You see, the PH of the soil controls which nutrients are available. There are times when the soil contains enough nutrients to support the food plot, but the nutrients are not available to the plants because of the soil PH. There is not much point in applying fertilizers if the nutrients are immobile due to soil PH. Most food plot species used in Iowa require a soil PH between 6.5 and 7.5 to optimally thrive. Luckily, in Iowa, most of our soil PHs will naturally be close to these ranges. However, you may still have to apply lime to acidic soils to get the PH closer to neutral (7.0).

Fertilize
Once you have a soil sample, you can use the results to apply necessary fertilizer to your ground. Soil tests will let you know which nutrients you are lacking. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are considered the three main macronutrients needed for most plants. Most fertilizers you buy, whether in bulk, or in bags will list the content of these three main macronutrients and they’re a key component of almost any fertilizer. Your food plot will not thrive without adequate levels of the macronutrients. If you need help interpreting the results of your soil test an agronomist, Iowa State Extension agent should be able to help you determine appropriate amounts of nutrients. You will want to apply most fertilizers in the spring or fall prior to planting to avoid possible burning of the plants.

Grasses used in food plots, such as corn, sorghum, and oats use a lot of nitrogen. Nitrogen is considered a limiting factor in food plot production. This means, if you are lacking nitrogen in the corn, sorghum and oats, you will be limited on the grain produced and therefore unable to support the maximum amount of wildlife. By applying fertilizer to your food plot, you are providing the plants with nutrients needed to thrive and produce a top-notch attractant for the wildlife in your area.

Pest Control
Once your food plot is planted and begins to grow, you will want to protect it from competing vegetation and pests. Competing weeds can be detrimental to a food plot and should be controlled for best food production results.
One option is to apply herbicides to your food plot to suppress weeds. Some herbicides, such as those with the active ingredient Clethodim, can be safely sprayed on broadleaf food plots, like clover, alfalfa, or soybeans. Clethodim will kill the grasses and leave the broadleaf plants alone. In contrast, 2-4D or Dicamba products can be sprayed safely on grass food plots such as corn, sorghum, oats, and millet and will not kill the plants. Instead, the 2-4D and Dicamba will kill broadleaf plants such as cockleburs, lambsquarter, and waterhemp. Applying herbicides is one way to reduce competing plants and allow optimum light and nutrient availability to your food plot.

Planting
To get the best results when it comes to planting, either prepare a seed bed for the seeds, or ensure your drill or no-till planter is placing seeds at an adequate depth. When planted too deep, your seed will not have enough stored energy to make it to the surface and you will have to replant your plot due to poor emergence. On the other hand, plant too shallow and your seed may have trouble accessing moisture while the plant is young. A good way to estimate planting depth is to plant two times the depth of the seed.

Food Plot Size
One reason food plots do not live up to their potential is due to the size of your food plot area. The food plot needs to be big enough to withstand heavy browsing pressure from deer. Otherwise, deer and other wildlife will maul your food plot before hunting season comes along and deprive you of reaping the full benefits of having an ample food source. Overgrazing also diminishes the rewards of time and effort spent on food plot planning and construction. Ideal food plots also provide wildlife with nourishment and cover throughout Iowa’s harsh winters. For best results, provide adequate food by several small food plots or a variation of sizes to support the wildlife attracted to your property. It is better to have too much food available than not enough food available during the hunting season.

Conclusion
Food plots are extremely beneficial to wildlife. They increase the carrying capacity of your land and allow you to attract and retain a host of wildlife from neighboring properties to your hunting location. Food plots require some planning and labor, so it is important to do everything possible to maximize the production of your food plot. For best potential for food production for wildlife, soil sample, fertilize, control competing weeds, and plant seeds at an appropriate depth and rate. Do not forget to make your food plot (or plots) big enough to sustain the wildlife throughout the winter. Food plots aid in amplifying your hunting experiences as they have the potential to attract a multitude of wildlife.