Vet Judy

Fawn in clover stand above:

Clovers are where the deer plots craze started, and, for good reason.  Over time however, mixes and forages have changed, advanced and been created to provide specific deer plots needs and  functions. 

While fall deer attractants can provide a better hunting resource, and winter food availability in northern regions, clovers provide the optimum spring health development food source.  That is why they are an integral part of deer habitat management in most areas.

When considering a clover planting, you should plant as a blend.  The basic clovers are red, white and alsike.  While almost any clover will do well in the spring, a well-blended plot should perform well year-round under all but the most extreme conditions.  I have found a simple mix of three pounds per acre of each red clover, alsike and Ladino, a white clover, has worked well for me. 

Another reason you should consider clover in your food plot planting program, is clovers fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. 

Simply put, as the clover planting begins to deteriorate and weeds begin to take over your stand and you should consider rotating back into annual forages, such as chicory or rapeseed for a year or two. 

These Annual Forages need nitrogen in order to grow and reach their maximum potential.  The clover, once tilled under, will provide some of that nitrogen need in the soil, thus reducing your investment necessary for commercial fertilizer. 

clover is also easy to seed.  Just be sure the weeds are gone.  The site prep starts before planting.  If the site is following a year or two of Annual Forage, you would simply include a spraying of emerging weeds, usually this is about the middle of May, unless you are located far to the south.  A tillage pass should follow that application to bury any dead plant residue.  If more weeds emerge, a second spraying may be in order just prior to seeding. 

You could conduct a light tillage just before you put in your food plot seed.  I try and plant my clover paddocks the last week of May or 1^st week in June.  The seed can then be broadcasted, no need for a drill, and then just run a drag over it when you’re done seeding. 

Birdsfoot trefoil is a popular legume crop in many deer food plot plantings.

Each year, the University of Minnesota conducts field trials to evaluate different varieties of birdsfoot trefoil. Results from last season (2008) were released this past January and are available here (www.maes.umn.edu/09varietaltrials/birdsfoot.pdf).

For northern climates, winterhardiness is critical for a legume like birdsfoot trefoil. Winter injury can vary greatly between varieties.

The tests at Minnesota evaluated varieties for winter injury in 2004, and found no injury in the “Dawn,” “Georgia,” “Norcen” and “Nueltin” varieties. Minimal winter injury was found in the Viking and Roseau varieties in the 2004 test.

The highest yielding variety at the Grand Rapids, MN, test location in 2008 Minnesota trials was a variety called Witt. However, a winterhardy rating for Witt was not listed in the report. The “Dawn” variety of birdsfoot trefoil was the second highest yielding, and has exhibited good winterhardiness.

For the past three years, Minnesota’s reports have recommended the “Norcen” variety of birdsfoot trefoil as an ideal, winterhardy variety performing well in grazing trials.

These test results from Minnesota illustrate the sound information that is available to evaluate varieties for deer food plot plantings. One of the most common mistakes made in deer food plots is planting varieties better suited to another growing zone. As seen by the birdsfoot trefoil test, some varieties that yield very well in both southern and northern zones may not have the winterhardiness needed for the kind of climate and conditions in northern regions.

Always be sure to verify that the crop varieties you are planting in your deer food plot are suitable to your climate.

For All The ABC’s of deer food Plots check out the resources at www.diydeerfoodplots.com

Should you need information on Soybeans, forage oats, rapeseed, chicory and ryegrass, be sure to read the free article.

Controlling perennial weeds in food plots, with expansive root systems can be very challenging and you usually have to use all control methods at your disposal.

Remember three key words: mow, till and spray!

In the case of bracken fern, if it is coming out of the woods and into the plot, it will likely take years of effort consistently applied. Try cutting and spraying, but don’t get your hopes too high in eliminating it. It is almost impossible to eliminate when originating from nearby woods, but steady vigilance may help you keep it from overtaking your plot.

In a food plot environment, a writer for our website www.diydeerfoodplots.com, recommended the following approach. 

He sprays in the fall the first year, when the plant is still green so it pulls some of the chemical into the root system. Then he uses a tillage in the spring to remove the foliage and spray the regrowth. He is back at it after the emergence has died with yet another tillage. Then he sprays regrowth again.  So, three spraying the first year, fall and two spring-early summer application. 

He then plants an annual species like chicory, rapeseed or forage oats. Check out our tips on annuals at www.diydeerfoodplots.com/articles/7bv78nn.html

For those of you with deer food plots, you may need to plant only Annual Forages on that plot for two or three years using multiple spring and early summer chemical applications to get control of the fern.

If you have had bracken fern or other perennial weed problems it is best to get started early this year with an early mowing, or a hard tillage pass - literally working the area hard followed by a chemical application after a good six inches of regrowth or so.

Colin, had the following comments to add to my previous post on bracken fern control: It is doubtful whether or not you can get the type of tillage completed, for that first pass anyway, with four-wheeler attachments.  This will take a larger tractor and heavy tillage equipment - like a moldboard plow or a ripper.  Then till the area again, which four-wheeler and attachments may work, as the second pass shouldn’t need to be as extensive and then spray the re-growth again. 

Your client could then plant an Annual Forage in late July or the first week of August.  Due to the root system nature of this plant they will have to do the same thing next year again.  It will take a dedicated effort of weed control and using an Annual Forage for the first two years, at least.  I wouldn’t fertilize yet, and just get what you can from the annual.  If you fertilize it may stimulate further weed growth.