Food Plots look terrible

How is everyones food plots doing? I hunt in a lease in Gloster,Ms. Our food plots are looking fair to very poor compared to last season. We planted the same seed mix. Fertilized at planting and covered the seeds lightly. We have limed two years ago. The only ones that show promise are the ones we planted some rape and turnips in. And the deer don't like that stuff. It just looks good. We plant the first and second weekend in September. Can it be the over abundance of rain fall? None of the food plots hold water. Planting to early? We are thinking of planting late September to early October next season. Whats ya'll take on this and what do your food plots look like and what do you plant?

You are not alone. Our plots look like crap also. We did all the same steps as last year as you did. We are all guessing it is the 10 feet of rain we had since early October. Last year it was fairly dry and our plots looked great.

It could be the rain pushed the seed off of your plot. This happend to me one year in one of my fields. The seed that ran off with the water did grow in one area about 10 yards off of the plot in a 10 x 10 area. I think you may have some bad seed. Where did you get your seed? Was it bagged or did you buy it in bulk. Do not discount rape and turnips. Wait until late in the season and these are like candy to deer.

i always wait until mid october and if it is dry i wait till we start getting rainfall again.I see too many people planting early when it's too dry and waste thier time and money..also you can't go wrong with winter wheat and cold hardy oats..easy to grow and relatively cheap and the deer love it

Our club spent the money on buck busters this year and we have some of the best looking putting greens around. I am not impressed I even went back with the ammonia on some as required and they do not look any better. Going back to wheat rye grass and oats next year my turnips didnt even grow this year and we are in Crosby.

Lots of rain, more cloudy days than sunny, snow, and some early cold weather have taken an effect on not only plots but alot of winter pasture for grazing cattle. You may want to put some ammonia on your plots in a couple of weeks.

i've hunted in Gloster/Crosby for 10 years and the best thing that we have planted would be turnips, rape, and peas, the plots didn't look too good this year either

I planted the last week in Sept because of the rain and thought it would be dry in Oct like usual,i was wrong.I hunt in Roxie and they look like s*** also.Looks like we are all in the same boat this year.

I planted Sept 13, food plots doing excellent except for the small ones which are always becoming over grazed this time of year. We plant Buckbusters and have had success with it the last three years

I waited till the 3rd week in November this year to plant my woods trails between the pine trees. Actually its old truck roads that nothing else grows on because of the shade. I spread a 100 pound mix of rye grass and Buck Blend way too heavy for the area and came back the next week with 60 pounds of 8-8-8. No disking at all. Its looking very good now with all the rain. I quit planting in September and October when I realized that the later I plant the better it grows.

I took the time to do it right (with the help of a friend)! I have been convinced that using the farmers almanac is the way to go. Prepared seed bed to a pH of 7 and planted on the recommended planting days (Oct 18th this yr) and as of 12/15 my food plots look awesome! Very green and still growing, hit them with a boost of fertilizer 1 month after planting. Even areas on plots which hold water are still green. Others in club that planted on random days have very poor looking plots too. No high priced seeds were used, just a good blend of wheat, oats, cereal rye and turnips. Give it a try next year and see what happens....I'm convinced!

if you have not already and have the means to. try having some soil sampels done. sometimes you have to change up your fertilizer to meet what your soil needs for that specific year. i know some guys who so this every year and it works great for them

Our club is located in SW Alabama. I am happy with the way the green fields look considering all the rain we have had, but last year they were beautiful. We have killed alot less deer this year off of the green fields also. I think it has alot to do with the amount of acorns that were still in the woods just last week. We also plant rape and turnip with our plot mix and have had great sucsess with it. The deer love the turnip by us late in the year once we have had a few freezes. This year we planted first week of September, next year I will be pushing it back a couple of weeks. Anyone else seeing alot less deer on green fields this year in the LA, AL, MS areas? I think it has to do with all the rain... Good luck to all fellow hunters and be safe.