I went down to the farm today and planted some strips of brassicas. I planted a mix of turnips, rape and radishes. The plot I planted is 3/4 acre clover field and I planted each end to brassicas (strips approx 9' wide by 40yds long). Due to the clover looking so good I decided not to till it all up and instead will come up in next month and plant a couple more strips to a grain mix leaving some clover still standing in the plot. If everything goes as planned the plot should look like this in 9-12' strips:
Brassicas Clover grain mix Clover grain mix Brassicas
This way deer have turnips, rape, radishes, rye, oats, field peas and clover all in the same plot. Plus, having smaller sections of brassicas will allow the deer to eat them out so I can frost seed into them this winter (uneaten brassicas can prevent seeds from germinating the next spring which can make frost seeding difficult).
Some of you may ask, "Why would you till under portions of a perfectly good clover stand? First, when clover is tilled under, it releases nitrogen back in the soil, which brassicas love! So in essence it's like getting free fertilizer. Secondly, tilling under clover builds organic matter to your soil. Next, IMO, I like to give deer a variety. Even in smaller 1/2-1 acre food plots one can strip plot giving the deer a nice variety of forages to eat. When you go out to eat, do you want a menu with one item on it or several choices? Sure I have other food plots in just one forage, like clover, but my larger food plots (if you want to call 3/4 acre large) I try and strip plot them in 9-12' wide strips.
Brassicas Clover grain mix Clover grain mix Brassicas
This way deer have turnips, rape, radishes, rye, oats, field peas and clover all in the same plot. Plus, having smaller sections of brassicas will allow the deer to eat them out so I can frost seed into them this winter (uneaten brassicas can prevent seeds from germinating the next spring which can make frost seeding difficult).
Some of you may ask, "Why would you till under portions of a perfectly good clover stand? First, when clover is tilled under, it releases nitrogen back in the soil, which brassicas love! So in essence it's like getting free fertilizer. Secondly, tilling under clover builds organic matter to your soil. Next, IMO, I like to give deer a variety. Even in smaller 1/2-1 acre food plots one can strip plot giving the deer a nice variety of forages to eat. When you go out to eat, do you want a menu with one item on it or several choices? Sure I have other food plots in just one forage, like clover, but my larger food plots (if you want to call 3/4 acre large) I try and strip plot them in 9-12' wide strips.