What Can I Plant in a Low pH Food Plot?
Filed under: Ask Grant, Food Plots
Do you know of a particular food plot seed that would work well in soils with a low pH? Using a pH meter I obtained a reading of 5.5. The area is only 1000 square feet. This little clearing in the woods gets about five hours of sunlight each day. Because this spot is so remote and hard to get to, I would like to plant a perennial type planting. Thank you for your response, Ernie
Ernie,
I’m not aware of any quality forage crop that expresses its potential when grown in an area with a 5.5 pH. However, 1,000 square feet is about 0.02 of an acre. Hence, 50 pounds of lime applied to this plot would be the equivalent of applying a ton per acre. I’d spread two 50 pound bags of high quality pelletized lime on the plots and not let the low pH be a limiting factor.
Perennial forages certainly require maintenance activities to continue to be productive. These activities included annual fertilizer applications, weed control, etc. In addition perennial forages all have a low or no production season. That is to say, there will be a time when they are not providing forage or attracting deer. One of the primary differences between perennial and annual forages is the need to replant the annuals. Otherwise, both types of forage crops require maintenance to keep them productive.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
