Shady food plot

[Thumbcocker]

I have a dirt road cut through our woods that is very shady. Good ground along a creek bottom. I would like to till it up and plant some critter food. Any suggestions on what to plant. The "road " only has a vehicle on it a few times pre year so no real worry about ruining it; also it is completely on our land so not public. Some mixture that would feed the critters and survive being driven on a few times is what I am looking for.

Thanks

[trails4u]

white clover

[Omega]

I have a dirt road cut through our woods that is very shady. Good ground along a creek bottom. I would like to till it up and plant some critter food. Any suggestions on what to plant. The "road " only has a vehicle on it a few times pre year so no real worry about ruining it; also it is completely on our land so not public. Some mixture that would feed the critters and survive being driven on a few times is what I am looking for.

ThanksI have a plot between a couple hills, actually surrounded, so only gets a couple hours of sun. Most of the mixes I have planted have taken, even corn. But the best thing I have done is get some cheap grass seed, from Rural King, about $4 a bag about three years ago. I noticed that every time I reseeded my lawn a ton of clover would show up, and that was good seed brands. Low and behold, the cheap grass seed filled the entire plot full of clover. Now I just throw out some seed, of any kind, that I find on sale after the hunting season is over to keep things growing there.

[waksupi]

Orchard grass and buckwheat.

[winelover]

I've had good luck with Whitetail Clover "No Plow" for my food plot. Usually, I only plant in the Fall. This year, I planted in the Spring, as an experiment. Hopefully, it will require less work, in the Fall.

https://www.whitetailinstitute.com/imperial-no-plow-annual/


Winelover

[Tatume]

Try purple top turnips. They are very hardy, and the deer love them. They eat the foliage, and in the winter they dig the turnips out of the ground with their hooves. Turnip seeds are inexpensive too, you can buy bulk quantities at the feed store (e.g. Southern States), as opposed to those little seed envelopes.

[Tatume]

P.s., Your subject line sounds like you're a Florida real estate agent. :-)

[tja6435]

Turnips and radish grow quick and are deer attractants

[MaryB]

Plant a veggie garden... mine seems to attract every deer within 10 miles...

[CASTER OF LEAD]

I've had good luck with Whitetail Clover "No Plow" for my food plot. Usually, I only plant in the Fall. This year, I planted in the Spring, as an experiment. Hopefully, it will require less work, in the Fall.

https://www.whitetailinstitute.com/imperial-no-plow-annual/


Winelover

Winelover,
Do you have to lime the soil up there to get that stuff to take? Reason i ask is , i am told the soil here (west central Ark.) Needs to be limed so it would set. Have yet to try , but really don't wanna have to mess with the lime unless I need to. Turnips, orchard grass, and Milo can be grown on the property easily. If u am gonna have to lime it I am gonna plant me some Alfalfa. It's like crack to the deer in Pennsylvania that I hunted most of my life.

[CASTER OF LEAD]

I have a dirt road cut through our woods that is very shady. Good ground along a creek bottom. I would like to till it up and plant some critter food. Any suggestions on what to plant. The "road " only has a vehicle on it a few times pre year so no real worry about ruining it; also it is completely on our land so not public. Some mixture that would feed the critters and survive being driven on a few times is what I am looking for.

Thanks
Thumbcocker,

My vote is for Alfalfa if your soil will support it, or as mentioned some variety of clover. - Caster

[winelover]

I put down a 40# bag or two of pelletized lime, just before I plant, according to the Whitetail Institute's planting instructions. Soil is less than desirable, should have named this state Rock-in-Saw. Surprised, though at the results I get. Seedlings are up, in less than a week. This Fall, I will be trying some of their Turnip seeds, in a portion of the plot.

Winelover