Planting your first food plot can be daunting, especially for those without agriculture or horticulture backgrounds. Food plot planting can provide many stumbling blocks for new land managers. That said, with the right plan, and some good food plot seeds, you can grow lush plots that deer will love.
1. Understand Basics, Have Fun
Food plotting is about many things, but the first step is understanding the basics. You don’t need to be a massive landowner to plant food plots. A college degree in making things grow isn’t necessary, either. With the right knowledge and tools, most people can plant food plots.
“Right now is the time to get out there and have some fun,” said Clay Mervar, a Whitetail Properties broker and land specialist serving northern North Carolina. “You do not need to have hundreds of acres to do this. I've had successful plots on as little as 7 acres. There is no better and rewarding feeling than harvesting a deer on your land in a food plot you created. Get your family involved and have fun with it.”
2. Choose Good Food Plot Locations
Location is one of the most important elements of food plots. This is true for several reasons.
Destination food sources (over 1 acre) are meant to feed the herd. These need to be within striking distance of deer, but it isn’t vital to see a lot of daytime movement there. The purpose of these is feeding the deer herd, not creating shot opportunities.
In contrast, micro (kill) plots are usually less than 1 acre, often measuring ½ or ¼ acre. These do need to be relatively close to bedding areas, because the purpose is seeing deer — mature bucks included — during daylight hours. The goal is creating shot opportunities.
Food plot location in relation to access routes, prevailing winds, and visibility from bedded deer, are factors, too.
“The location is always the most important factor,” Mervar said. “You need to have a spot you can get in and out without spooking deer. You need to blow your wind in a safe place away from deer movement. Choose a place deer already frequent and want to be.”
3. Know Your Soil Types
Food plotters need a basic understanding of soil composition. Plants perform differently in various soil types. Common types include chalky, clay, loamy, peat, sandy, and silty.
Chalky soil has a rockier composition than the other five types. Generally, this soil is more alkaline than acidic. Buckwheat, cereal rye, clover, and winter peas do well.
Clay soil is full of minerals, but can become waterlogged. When dry, it’s hard. When wet, it’s sticky. It also restricts air. None of these are good for growing plants. Even so, some shrubs and fruit trees (apple, crabapple, pear, etc.) do OK. Clover, corn, soybeans, winter peas, and other options can produce acceptable results.
Loamy soil offers the best elements of clay, sand, and silt. It’s drainable yet holds well enough to be very fertile. You can plant a wide range of species in loamy soil. Brassicas, buckwheat, cereal rye, clover, corn, cowpeas, lablab, soybeans, winter peas, and many other species, do well.
Peat soil holds water well and offers a lot of nutrients, all thanks to abundant organic matter. However, it can be acidic, which poses problems. Adjust with lime as needed. Of course, most peat is found in or near bogs, marshes, and swamps. Plants that can tolerate more water are the best options.
Sandy soil is known for acidity, and it doesn’t grow most plants very well. It drains too much water, too. Buckwheat, chicory, clover, lablab, sorghum, (some) soybeans, sunflowers, (some) corn, winter peas, and certain other options, can sometimes grow well enough here.
Silty soil compacts easily and holds water far too well. It doesn’t retain nutrients well. Shrubs and fruits can perform in this. Brassicas (turnips and more), buckwheat, cereal rye, clover, corn, oats, radishes, (some) soybeans, winter peas, and other plants do, too.
In general, regarding soil pH, an average soil pH range is 5.5 to 7.0. Those unfamiliar with amending soil pH should understand it’s a measurement of potassium, phosphate, nitrogen, magnesium and other vital soil nutrients.
4. Take Soil Samples, Adjust Soil pH
Soil type can’t be changed without extensive time, effort, and money. It requires dump trucking loads of dirt into an area. That said, amending soil pH is much more attainable.
“Make sure you have the soil right by completing a soil test,” Mervar said. “Do not skimp on the lime and fertilizer. This is a very important piece to the puzzle. Get a soil test done and make sure you have the correct PH. Once it's planted, apply the right variety and amount of fertilizer. Trust me on this one.”
5. Kill the Weeds and Competition
In some instances, it’s possible to plant food plots without spraying and killing weeds. Generally, not doing so is a poor choice.
“Go with the herbicide to make sure you have a good kill and get great seed-to-soil contact,” Mervar said. “Do not cut corners, or it will not work, and you will throw away money.”
6. Select a Food Plot Design (Shape)
The next step is choosing a quality food plot design. Done properly, a good shape directs deer to maneuver through the food plot and into bow range. The goal is creating shot opportunities.
Certain shapes, such as J, L, T, U, V, hand, hourglass, turkey foot, etc., drive deer to the vertexes (pinch points) of the plots, which are great stand locations. Circle-, square-, and rectangular-shaped plots don’t achieve that.
“Make sure your plots offer you a high-quality shot opportunity,” Mervar said. “It's one thing to get a deer in your plot, it's another to execute a high-quality shot opportunity on them.”
In most cases, a Quick Attach attachment is ideal for creating food plot shapes.
7. Choose the Right Food Plot Seed
What you plant matters. Choose a proven seed with a high germination rate. Then, select a food plot species that fits your property. The right food plot plant checks several boxes.
First, it works for the soil type. Also, it’s compatible within the attainable pH range.
Secondly, it should hit peak attractiveness the same time as the bedding area type it’s paired with. For example, if targeting a bedding area used by late-season deer on a south-facing slope, consider a standing soybean, mowed corn, or brassicas food plot.
Third, ensure it syncs with and hits peak attractiveness the same time as the destination food source it’s associated with. For example, if syncing with a destination white oak flat, consider a food plot plant that deer will hit in September and October.
Checking each of the above can keep deer moving along predictable lines of movement. “Come up with a plan before you get started,” Mervar said. “It needs to make sense or else it could actually hurt your odds of success.”
8. Put Seed to Soil
Planting requires good timing. Wait for good chances of rain in the forecast. Then, plant the day of, or day before, it’s set to arrive. A good (but not heavy) rain right after planting sets a plot off on the right foot.
Next, prepare the seedbed for planting. Good production requires optimal soil conditions. If using a no-till drill, skip this step. If not, disc the ground. In some cases, cultipacking before planting might be necessary. Ensure a firm seedbed free of weeds and properly prepared exposed soil.
Use proper seeding rates. Follow the suggested seeding rate on the seed bag. Plant less and the plot will be too sparse. Plant more and plants are too crowded. Either way, this diminishes food plot yield.
Of course, plant at the proper depth. Different food plot seeds must be planted differently. Follow the instructions on the bag. That said, a good rule of thumb is 1/8 to ¼ inch for small seeds (i.e. clover) and ½ to 1 inch for large seeds (i.e. corn).
With seed in the ground, ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Depending on soil planting depth, you’ll either drive over the planted seed with an ATV or other vehicle to press these into the soil (small-sized seeds). Run a cultipacker over it to finish the process (medium-sized seeds). Or disc the seeds into the soil (large-sized seeds). Each scenario is unique, though.
9. Add the Extra Incentives
There are numerous ways to boost food plot attractiveness. Adding extra incentives helps achieve this. Examples include:
- Adding screening cover
- Deploying feeders
- Offering mineral licks
- Installing water systems
- Planting soft mast trees
- Planting some chestnuts
- Planting scrape trees (mock scrapes)
- Placing rubbing posts
Adding these things makes a good food plot even better. It gives deer even more reasons to use the food plot.
10. Maintain Food Plots as Needed
Some food plots require more maintenance than others. Annuals (i.e. brassicas) must be re-planted every year. Perennials (i.e. clover) might last a few years before it’s necessary. That said, spraying for weeds, mowing for weed control, and other maintenance tasks, might arise. Complete these to keep food plots in top shape.
Don’t Get Discouraged
Finally, don’t get discouraged if a food plot fails. Eventually, it will happen. Food plotting isn’t easy, and these can fail due to numerous causes. When it happens, try again. It’s that simple.
“Don't get frustrated if things don't go as planned,” Mervar said. “It is not as easy as people make it look on TV or YouTube. It takes time and experience. Odds are you will fail in your first few attempts. Stay at it and eventually you will be harvesting a deer over the lush green food plot of your dreams. Come up with a plan, get the family involved, and have fun with it.”
Want More Food Plots and Land Management Content?
Want more food plot content? Check out these hard-hitting articles on growing the green for the deer you love to feed, manage, and hunt.
Check out these additional food plot guides:
- Spring Food Plots
- Summer Food Plots
- Fall Food Plots
- Budget Food Plots
- Food Plot Problems and Solutions
- Fertilizing Food Plots
- Dealing with Dry Planting Conditions
Whether planting spring, summer, or fall food plots, give it your best shot. Then, when a small piece of God’s creation sprouts from the dust, and deers’ lives benefit, you’ll know you’ve done a good thing for conservation.
