Clover Buck - Game camera photo by Tom Branson
The time is now to start planting “green browse” acres
By Brandon Beltz
The ideal time for planting many of Pheasants Forever’s seed mixes has passed. So as we enter the dog days of summer, it’s time to turn our thoughts to late summer/early fall food plots.
If you missed planting your spring food plots, or just want to have a backup plan to ensure there’s plenty of food on your property when the weather turns, start planning now for your fall blends. Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever have great options for these late season plots, like our NEW Fatal Fall Forage or Tree Stand Treat — as well as old reliables like our Clover Kandy and Big Buck Brassica mixes.
Get a soil test now so you still have time to determine the fertilizer, nutrient and pH adjustment needs. Also, begin your site prep and weed management now, and be ready to plant your seed from late July in the north through early September in the south — making sure you leave at least 45 days before the average first frost date for the plants to mature.
Fatal Fall Forage and Tree Stand Treat are annual mixes you can leave into next spring, while Clover Kandy contains some annual and perennials that can last up to four years. Try planting each mix in different areas of the same food plot, or combine Clover Kandy with either new mix at half rates on the same acreage for the perfect all-around “green browse” food plot.
These mixes are some of the best options for larger, fall-planted plots. For best results, they can both be no-till drilled, or broadcasted onto bare soil before a rain event. Our new Tree Stand Treat is specifically designed for low light and low pH sites. It can be seeded with minimal ground preparation for those hard-to-reach locations, but will do equally well as a traditional, open area food plot.
Brassica Buck - Game camera photo by Tom Branson
Whitetails can’t resist this mix of highly desired forage brassicas and annual clovers, designed to be planted from July to mid-August in the Midwest and into mid-September in the south and southeast. Each of these forage varieties is extremely sought after by whitetails, and we’ve combined them into one delectable buffet for your fall experience. This 12-pound bag plants one acre.
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This specialized fall attractant utilizes highly desired species, and is designed to perform equally well in both shaded and open areas. The mix is designed to be planted late in summer and early fall, with minimal site preparation. Tree Stand Treat will provide late season benefits and persist through winter and into spring. This 25-pound bag plants one acre and is equal to 4- 1/4 acre plots.
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Clover Kandy is the perfect blend of high protein clovers and other legumes — providing the ultimate green browse for deer and turkey, while also creating nesting and brood-rearing cover for upland birds. This mix stays green most of the year, resulting in the ultimate, all-around food plot. It can also be used for green firebreaks. Clover Kandy lasts two to four years before needing to replant.
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Big Buck Brassica is the number one seller for hardcore deer hunters. It’s the perfect blend of forage turnips, radishes and other brassica varieties to attract and keep deer on your property all fall and winter. This mix grows fast, maturing in just 45 days. One bag Plants one acre.
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Brandon Beltz is a conservation specialist in the Great Lakes Region for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.