Tips for Successful Food Plots

1. Always take a soil test! A soil test will tell you the pH of the soil as well as the amounts of various minerals that are currently present in the soil. The results of a soil test will provide information on how much lime must be added to adjust the pH and will tell you how much fertilizer will be needed for various forage plants.
2. Apply lime 3-6 months before you plan to plant. Time is needed for the lime to neutralize the soil. You can apply lime at the time of planting, but it will take several months for the soil to be neutralized.
3. If the food plot area has existing vegetation, use a general herbicide (e.g., glyphosate) to kill the vegetation. After the standing vegetation and roots die (about 2 weeks), disking the plot will be much easier.
4. Don’t forget to inoculate legumes! Many legume seeds (clover, beans, etc.) come pre-inoculated with the appropriate strain of inoculant. But if the legume is not inoculated, be sure to purchase the right inoculant (provided for you in the food plot app) and apply before planting. Directions for applying the inoculant are provided in the publication listed below.
5. Check the seed bag label for the percentage of “pure live seed” in the bag. Many seed companies now include various seed coatings (like the inoculants for legumes), which adds more weight to the seed and reduces the true amount of seed contained in the bag. For example, a 50 lb. bag of seed may have a 60% pure live seed value, which means that your 50 lb. bag of seed only contains only 30 lbs. of seed. Be aware of this and purchase the recommended amount of seed not including coatings that you need for planting food plots. Always use exclusion cages to monitor forage growth and use by deer. A cage can be made from an 8-foot length of 6-foot fence with 2x4” mesh. Roll the length into a circle to form a round cage and stake 1-2 cages randomly within each plot after planting. Exclusion cages will inform you if an apparent failed planting truly failed or if it was immediately comsumed by the deer as it sprouted.
6. Be sure to prepare the soil such that you have a smooth, firm seed bed. All seeds must have soil contact, so the more broken and smooth the soil, the better germination rates you will see. Also, pay close attention to planting depths for various seeds. Some seeds can be planted ½ inch deep, while others must be ¼ inch or less (for example, clovers). This is very important and you must plan accordingly.
7. For more information about wildlife food plots, please visit our website www.msudeerlab.com or get this publication from msucares.com to view or download the publication.