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Post by tynimiller on Jun 21, 2017 10:41:34 GMT -5
Once almost anything turns woody and into summer months is it a serious viable source of nutrients/protein for deer.
If in doubt I default to get it out for sure. At least then you know what is there is beneficial.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 10:53:46 GMT -5
Could be some truth to this? I'd just assume have a big plot of food, rather than go through all that work preparing ground, fertilizing, etc. to grow weeds where food could be growing. Sprayed my clover yesterday. The issue a lot of folks have is what actually truly is a weed? Is a weed anything you did not plant OR is it anything that is of no beneficial value to the deer you are attempting to feed? If it is the latter than one must truly re-shape their thought process of what defines as a weed...goldenrod is a great example. In the springtime when it is young, you will be hard pressed to find a better plant for the deer on some properties. Goldenrod is a weed for me. I'm allergic to it, so I stay away or plant taller plants (weeds) to eliminate. Sometimes a beautiful plant and sometimes not to the senses to others. So it wise not to inform what is what! |
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Post by steiny on Jun 21, 2017 11:13:04 GMT -5
Anything growing in my plot that wasn't planted by me is an undesirable weed competing for the nutrients and moisture my planted (desirable) plants need, just like in the garden. Yes, deer like a whole range of plant life, but my food plots are meant to be something different they can't get on other parts of the property or on neighboring properties, deer candy.
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Post by tynimiller on Jun 21, 2017 12:54:02 GMT -5
Just to be clear I am not disagreeing with anyone. There is just some vastly misunderstood things when we use the term "weeds" and the definition behind it for some.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 13:01:24 GMT -5
Just to be clear I am not disagreeing with anyone. There is just some vastly misunderstood things when we use the term "weeds" and the definition behind it for some. So true. Not sure why butterfly weed and blood milkweed as examples are labeled as a weed. Sometimes a flower plant is more like a weed and weed more as flower plant. So interchangeable. |
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Post by duff on Jun 21, 2017 19:22:11 GMT -5
I wish you guys would keep your deer from eating my weeds.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 20:37:39 GMT -5
I dug up my whole back yard and it didn't work. The bucks and deer just ignore the mess and walk within inches of my new wall. Eating all of my tiger lilies.
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Post by bill9068 on Jul 12, 2017 12:42:20 GMT -5
Update, I sprayed with the herbicide mentioned earlier and gave it two weeks. It killed the grasses but the weeds were still there. So next I bush hogged just above the clover and a week after that my clover looks great. Also cut a cedar and set my rubbing post for this fall in the plot. Thanks for all the info.
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Post by tynimiller on Aug 3, 2017 13:07:41 GMT -5
bill,
How tall is your clover? I like to do a cutting of the clover in late August or early September a final time. This allows a re-growth during the early part of deer season and the clover to get back to a solid length heading into winter. That fresh growth is what attracts deer and anything that eats it.
My clover plot will get mowed this week as Sunday and Monday I have a good chance for a rain. I'll probably take it down to around 4 inches or so with the knowledge of the rain coming...I have chicory in my plot too so both will re-grow and should be quite palatable heading into the season.
This same spot though I cleared a few more trails through "island thickets" and will be spray killing those and getting new clover/chicory plots started in a week or two with Cereal rye included as a nurse crop.
Best of luck!
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Post by tynimiller on Aug 3, 2017 13:18:41 GMT -5
Oh as for weeds, if one does a couple years of mowings before weeds go to seed, you will continue to choke out the weeds from your plot. I cannot do clethodim or some of the sprays as I include chicory in all my clover plots and anything would kill it. So mowing and overseeding in winter is how I keep my clover plots lush and producing great tonnage without herbicides.
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Post by benj on Aug 12, 2017 20:53:51 GMT -5
Oh as for weeds, if one does a couple years of mowings before weeds go to seed, you will continue to choke out the weeds from your plot. I cannot do clethodim or some of the sprays as I include chicory in all my clover plots and anything would kill it. So mowing and overseeding in winter is how I keep my clover plots lush and producing great tonnage without herbicides. When do you usually overseed in the winter? I'd also like to not spray clethodim on my clover plot. |
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Post by tynimiller on Aug 13, 2017 12:22:39 GMT -5
Oh as for weeds, if one does a couple years of mowings before weeds go to seed, you will continue to choke out the weeds from your plot. I cannot do clethodim or some of the sprays as I include chicory in all my clover plots and anything would kill it. So mowing and overseeding in winter is how I keep my clover plots lush and producing great tonnage without herbicides. When do you usually overseed in the winter? I'd also like to not spray clethodim on my clover plot. I will do it during the time frame where temps get above freezing in day and freezing at night. The expand and contract of this will work seed into ground. Typically round Valentines day give or take on the year. |
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