Food Plots: What to Plant Part Two

Food plots are your key to hunting success! United Country Midwest Lifestyle Properties hunting Land Pro agents know the key to developing a great hunting property comes with time and effort spent in developing food plots. Without producing plots, your chances of attracting and keeping deer and other wildlife will fail. In our final article, Food Plots: What to Plant Part Two, perennials keep your plots in buffet mode!

Perennials

Today we’re going to discuss the importance of perennials, how they grow, and a few perennials you can’t live without.

Though perennials take longer to establish, the beauty of any perennial is their developed root system. This root system keeps them returning year after year, allowing the plant to seek deeper soil nutrients and access more water. This makes for a wonderful year around crop and provides your land with soil erosion protection. Some examples of perennials are red and white clover, alfalfa, and chicory.

Keep in mind deer’s design when picking a perennial. A deer has a narrow head and muzzle. These physical features allow them the ability to remove tender leaves from stems with great precision.

Clover

Unlike cattle, deer do not digest the lignin that comes from the tall fibrous stems of cattle clover. Therefore, not just any clover will do. You’ll need to make sure the clover you’re growing is deer specific, i.e., short stemmed. Clover comes in many species. You would do well to do your homework when preparing to pick and plant clover. Much of clovers’ success comes into play with several factors:

1. maturation rate
2. heat and drought tolerance
3. cold weather performance
4. grazing tolerance

People consider red clover to be a “happy-go-lucky” forage. Thriving in a wide range of conditions, red clover is an excellent choice for varying soil types and ph. levels. If you’re new to planting food plots, red clover will be a good friend!

Red clover is high in protein content, easily digestible, and vitamin and mineral rich.

Resilience apply describes white clover. While other plants die with too much water, white clover digs its heels in and makes the best of things. Another super power of white clover is its ability to grow in partial sunlight areas.

White clover is highly palatable- deer eat white clover and enjoy eating it! Its consistent growth makes it a reliable food source which they develop a palate for! The soft leaves and white flowers make it a pleasure to pick and consume.

We’d recommend a blend of red clover and white clover to get the best of both worlds!

Alfalfa

Alfalfa is an excellent drought hardy perennial! Most alfalfa tap roots extend 4- 5 feet into the ground, and brilliantly produce their own nitrogen, making them a must have in your food plot buffet. Alfalfa has little time for wet or acidic soil, making some alfalfa food plots hard to manage and sustain.

Deer love alfalfa for its high protein content!

Chicory

Considered among many an attractive and solid food source; chicory is no ‘shrinking violet’. Chicory is highly digestible, with a protein content of 28-30%. Another great tap root plant that grows deep, making it a welcomed drought food plot crop.

Though hard to establish and very demanding of fertilizer for optimal growth, once establish, chicory is irresistible and becomes resistant to grazing pressure.

Remember that the success of your food plot lies in the peak palatability of each plant in your food plot. Soil acidity, temperature and moisture affect your plants. Planting during the right season will ensure a great start for any food plot plant. Maintaining a variety of plants throughout the food plot seasons keeps deer and other wildlife on your property.

United Country Midwest Lifestyle Properties Land Pro agents live the lifestyle. We mean what we say and we do it. Call us at 608-742-5000 and see why people and properties are our two favorite investments!