Winter Green Manure and Food Plots

[rutnbuk]

Well guys, I know its a couple months early but, I am bored. My beans are in and coming up like gang busters, so now my attention is turning to August when I will be drilling my fall/winter plot into my beans.
I wanted to know what you guys planted to feed deer during the winter but, to also improve your soil for next years crop. I have soybeans down and they will feed deer with the leaves during the summer and with PODS during the winter. However, I want to give them some green to eat, and at the same time be replenishing my soil.
I am planning on planting a blend of Triticale, Oats, Spring Peas, Buckwheat, Crimson Clover, and Berseem Clover. I am also adding PT Turnips, Forage Radishes, and Rutabaga blend. Hopefully, this will complete both of my goals this year.
Any suggestions? What have you guys had success with ?

 

[Mt Pokt]

I know the cold tough on beans, but I thought about more soybeans in the ground in September for the fall winter. What's the latest you can plant soybeans for deer in the fall/ winter?

So I'm basically interested in the same.

Cover in a perrineal that would be good in the spring perhaps, but what's the point when I'm just going to to it under late spring for my garden?

 

[EdLongshanks]

Wheat is a good cover crop, soil rejuvenator, and good food plot.

 

[rutnbuk]

I know the cold tough on beans, but I thought about more soybeans in the ground in September for the fall winter. What's the latest you can plant soybeans for deer in the fall/ winter?

So I'm basically interested in the same.

Cover in a perrineal that would be good in the spring perhaps, but what's the point when I'm just going to to it under late spring for my garden?

The first frost will kill those bean plants. If they are not planted in time to grow pods by the first frost then you are wasting time and money on beans.

 

[rutnbuk]

Wheat is a good cover crop, soil rejuvenator, and good food plot.

Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye. My mix is 25% Triticale, 25% Oats.

 

[bigpuddin43]

when your beans leaves yellow broadcast oats cereal rye crimson clover and winter peas. when the leaves fall off it will cover the seed and it will sprout you will have standing beans with a nice green plot underneath for winter and also build your soil at the same time.

 

[GTbowhunter]

Why are you using multiple cover crops? Different herbs in different plots or the same? If you're looking for nitrogen fixation, most legume family plants will provide that for you. If you're just looking for a cover crop for weed control, the buckwheat got you covered. Personally, I think the peas are more of a waste of time, unless you're looking for the nitrogen fixation. I'd go with purple tops in late August, then I'd drill in my clovers after the first frost.

 

[bigpuddin43]

Why are you using multiple cover crops? Different herbs in different plots or the same? If you're looking for nitrogen fixation, most legume family plants will provide that for you. If you're just looking for a cover crop for weed control, the buckwheat got you covered. Personally, I think the peas are more of a waste of time, unless you're looking for the nitrogen fixation. I'd go with purple tops in late August, then I'd drill in my clovers after the first frost.

the point of multiple cover crops is to built the micro organisms in the soil most feed specifically on different types of plants so the more diverse your cover crop the more diverse the micro organisms in the soil of course if you till you ruin it but with no till you can really decrease nutrient inputs by building your soil thru rotation and diverse cover crops.

 

[GTbowhunter]

the point of multiple cover crops is to built the micro organisms in the soil most feed specifically on different types of plants so the more diverse your cover crop the more diverse the micro organisms in the soil of course if you till you ruin it but with no till you can really decrease nutrient inputs by building your soil thru rotation and diverse cover crops.

While I'm not disagreeing with you, I personally believe he can build up that rich, black and dense layer of biotic soils (If that is what he is going for) by simply using 1-3 of the aforementioned. I'm solely looking at it from a cost perspective and also, you can most certainly overseed, basically dumping money onto the ground. Either way, it will work and also, I agree with you on the no till. Thats the way.

 

[bigpuddin43]

Some of the best soil fertility guys in the nation are going with 5 and even 7 species cover crops. Some of these guys have gotten almost completely away from commercial fertilizers. Of course as you add more species seeding rates for each one drop. As food plotters saving money on fertlizer would save more money than spending a fraction more in seed. And the best part is these guys doing it in commercial application have a monoculture at least once a year while we could have a diverse crop that builds the soil and provides attraction for all wildlife year round and build our soils faster and better than the commercial guys. Every food plot guy should spend some time researching soil health cover crops almost all mixes they push are excellent wildlife food plots.

 

[rutnbuk]

Yes, my goal is to build my soil to the point that I hopefully never need fertilizer, lime or glyphosate for that matter. All while feeding wildlife and saving money. I never have leaves to turn yellow or pods. I just drill right into what’s left.

 

[bigpuddin43]

I dont know that you could get completely away from glyphosate but commercial fertilizers you absolutely could. The best part is the possibilities are endless with what you could do. spray down and drill in cereal rye oats peas and crimson clover spray late spring and plant corn beans cowpeas even add sunflower if you want. then come back and over seed your cereal rye crimson peas mixture over the top to leave the beans and corn standing or knock them down spray and drill in the fall plot. there are tons of plants that are great for soil health and most are very attractive to deer as well as other wildlife.

 

[bigpuddin43]

https://www.sare.org/publications/managing-cover-crops-profitably/charts/

 

[rutnbuk]

I am planning on some soybeans, cowpeas, lab lab, and sunflowers next spring.
This fall I am planting a mix of triticale, oats, buckwheat, forage peas, crimson clover, berseem clover, PTT, Radish, and Rutabaga.
I’m also going to invest in an electric fence for a few weeks to let my summer plants get established.

 

[bigpuddin43]

try have at least one grass one broadleaf and one legume. that helps to keep the diversity of micro organisms in the soil. many of the micro organisms can only survive off certain types of plant roots so the more diverse the mix the better for the soil.