The time of year for you to start thinking about planting your food plot is now, and proper whitetail food plot preparation is a must. If you are serious and willing to put in the time and effort, then my 15 years of experience will be of help to you.
The first thing you must do is select your food plot site. Personally, I prefer my food plots not be smaller than 1/2 acre, nor larger than five acres. It is best to place your plot in or near woods or thick cover, and if possible away from property lines. A good whitetail food plot is generally rectangular and irregular in shape. Understand that what you plant will require as much as four hours of sunlight each day, so be aware of what trees may hinder this.
Whitetail food plot preparation begins with a soil test. Be sure and get one, as they are inexpensive and could very well mean your success or failure. It is absolutely imperative that you bring your soil as close to a pH of 7 as possible. If the test requires that you add lime to reduce the acidity of the soil, then attempt to buy it in bulk. It is much less expensive that way. Also, depending on your site location and accessibility, you might check with your local co-op as they may be able to transport and spread the lime for you, or know someone who will. This is a huge savings in both time and money.
Clearing the land of grass and weeds can present a problem. There are several ways this can be accomplished. I prefer not to use a herbicide to do this, but if your area has already greened up this may be necessary. If so, then spray and wait ten days to two weeks before proceeding. It is much better if you can bush hog as low as possible, then plow and disc, or just disc to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. This will mix your lime in thoroughly and get it working for you.
Now, using a harrow drag or a chain link fence with cement blocks for weight, go over your food plot until your clods are broken up and it has become reasonably level. Next, use a cultipacker or a roller to firm the soil, as a solid base is essential in proper food plot preparation.
Okay, let's go over what we have so far. You have selected your site, cleared the land, and added lime if necessary. Then you disc to a 4 to 6 inch depth, used a drag and then rolled. Looks like it's time to plant. right? Wrong! Big mistake if you do.
Remember, you cleared away grass and weeds to prepare your whitetail food plot. Well, for years and years those grasses and weeds have been depositing seeds into the soil you have just cultivated, and those seeds are now going to germinate. So if you plant your high quality seed at this time, you will lose. The grasses and weeds will choke the majority of it out before hunting season and you are not going to be happy.
If you want, you can wait two or three weeks to let some of the undesirable seeds germinate and hit it with a herbicide. Another waste of time, effort and money. Many of your weeds and grasses germinate at different times of the year. This is a problem that can be solved.
I will tell you what I do and works really well. I will tell you what I plant, how I plant, why I plant it, and tie all of this together in my next article. Preparing your whitetail food plot is key. What you do afterwards is just as important.
