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Post by z7bowhunter on May 8, 2013 20:23:45 GMT -5
Okay i need some advice. My food plot is looking really good it is pretty much weed free and the oats look really nice and healthy. The oats are growing fast they are already about 9-10" tall and the deer and some turkey are grazing in it almost every day.. The clover is starting to mature but not quite there yet ..and the chicory plants look really good too about 2 1/2" tall now. HEres where i need help. I am wondering whether i should mow the plot now or just leave it alone? I know the deer prefer the tender new growth but i dont know if i should mow it or not? Any suggestions?
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Post by goosepondmonster on May 9, 2013 7:35:07 GMT -5
You will want to at some point, but I would probably let it be for now.
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Post by strippitman on May 9, 2013 7:40:47 GMT -5
Definitely mow it!If you don't, the grasses will lose their pallatability and the deer and other animals will quit hitting it. After you mow it will take a little time before they start hitting it good again. The nice thing is you can figure out how long it takes after mowing until they return to feeding there. Then, you can time your cuttings so that they will be hammering it right in the middle of hunting season   |
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Post by jsanders on May 10, 2013 4:35:52 GMT -5
I would now it, this rain is gonna make it grow like crazy. If you keep it down, it will get thicker and you will have more new growth than just tall growth. But don't mow it like a lawn, 2" is way to low, I keep mine from 6"-10". At some point, you may want to let it go and you should have seed heads, good for turkey and volunteers to grow new plants. If its your first serious food plot, experiment with it. Cut some but not all and see what the wildlife is really hitting. That would help out a lot. But really there isn't a right answer. Just depends on what they have to eat within their travel range. If there is another plot with the same food close, they may just come through and pick at it and move on. Good luck.
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Post by B-rad on May 10, 2013 14:17:57 GMT -5
Never grown a food plot, but if I were you I might let a patch grow, cut a patch low, cut a patch high, experiment a little. Since there's plenty of time until deer season
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Post by z7bowhunter on May 10, 2013 16:31:17 GMT -5
I would now it, this rain is gonna make it grow like crazy. If you keep it down, it will get thicker and you will have more new growth than just tall growth. But don't mow it like a lawn, 2" is way to low, I keep mine from 6"-10". At some point, you may want to let it go and you should have seed heads, good for turkey and volunteers to grow new plants. If its your first serious food plot, experiment with it. Cut some but not all and see what the wildlife is really hitting. That would help out a lot. But really there isn't a right answer. Just depends on what they have to eat within their travel range. If there is another plot with the same food close, they may just come through and pick at it and move on. Good luck. Thaats what i was thinking i was going to push-mow it but thought it would be way too short.. thought about driving the riding mower down there and mowing it as high as possible but it still might be too low. Also though of using a weedeater to trim it down 3 or 4 inches. Or bushhog it about 6" or so..but it is too wet to get the tractor back there and i really dont want to run the tractor through the plot and pack down the plants with the tires i mean they will probly grow back but the ground is really soft right now we have had like 4 days straight of rain. To be honest i try not to even walk in my food plot so i dont damage any of the plants !lol probly wouldnt hurt it.. And i dont want my oats to get too tall becasue i dont want all the trimming to cover everything up after i mow it.. Also i dont want to mow it and then have all the weeds start taking over due to the increased amount of sunlight hitting the soil.. oh well I geuss its jsut a learning experience i will probly try to either bushhog it when it dries out some or get the weedeater back there and try to trim it with that |
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Just another night at work for me and Monty will be back here again bright and early. 
