What food plot crops should I plant in typical Ozark Mountain habitat?
Filed under: Food Plots
ave the age-old question of what to plant. Our place is exactly like yours, but smaller. While we have 100 acres, it is marked by a primary ridge top that is about 6 acres of open ground and around that are steep, steep hills with white oak, red oak and hickory with an assortment of typical Ozarks understory. We also have about 2-3 acres of open valley floor that is at the bottom of those steep hills. We have pursued TSI activities and burned most of the hillsides, as well as cut cedar on south facing hillside glades and burned them as well to start the glade restoration.
The question, what to plant in my limited open area? I have clover now with strips of milo/millet mixed in. I tried bean but failed miserably due to, I am sure, a variety of factors: soil test, spray regimens, pressure, etc. If all you had were these smaller area surrounded by seas of forest and what open ground there is covered in fescue. What to plant in spring and then again in the fall?
Brian,
The rotation of Eagle Seed forage soybeans and Broadside have worked extremely well for me. You describe having nine acres that’s plantable per 100 acres land. That’s a much higher percentage than at my place.
All crops require lime, fertilizer,and weed control to prosper. I’d use the same recipe that’s worked great at my place for years! You can watch our past episodes at the Videos tab and see the exact steps we use to establish and maintain these crops in Ozark habitat.
Enjoy creation,
grant
