Food Plots Rain chance

[BSK]

I watch direct weather on YouTube. Usually daily updates and often compares us to euro models.

He has Sept being cooler than average, but much drier than average for TN.

But... increased chance for a tropical system in the gulf. Gonna need one of those in Sept if my plots will have a chance to do well.

That's what I'm seeing. Lots of shots of cooler, drier air in September with little to no rain. And considering September is our driest month, "below average" precipitation means no precipitation.

Just another "perfect storm" year, two years after the perfect storm. In 2022, the drought caused a total acorn failure and a total plot failure, and we had the worst hunting season in more than 20 years. I expect the same this year.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Forecasts here have changed, but a couple still calling for a slight chance Friday. We will see if they change again, hopefully they do.

 

[NChunt1]

That's what I'm expecting as well. Just enough rain to germinate plots and then the death-knell of continued drought.

The only thing that might help is we no till drilled our plots in a pretty decent thatch layer. Last year when this exact same thing happened the clover we broadcast didn't come up at all but the wheat and oats we drilled in managed to at least grow some, so this year I drilled half the cover in with the grains so hopefully we will have something. I figured even if the clover gets planted a little to deep it's not gonna be any worse than it laying on top of the dust with no rain.

 

[poorhunter]

I'm just glad I have had the time get the seed or the plots ready yet . If I do it looks like October before I can plant anyway, so hopefully by then the pattern will change. I believe this will be a good year to have a plot of wheat.

I am about smack dab in the middle of the extreme drought portion. Lewis County got several rain showers we didn't back in July, and my place has only had two measurable rains since June. Tons of oak trees are dead looking on the ridges, which has me a bit concerned. Not sure if they are really dead or just dried out, but when you look at a ridge from a distance it's a startling patchwork of brown.

 

[eyeseeker]

My place in nunnelly is the same way. Some of the trees are completely brown and leaves coming down like it's Halloween.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Right there with you. Almost smack in the middle of the red

 

[BSK]

My place in nunnelly is the same way. Some of the trees are completely brown and leaves coming down like it's Halloween.

So many leaves off the trees in my area it looks like early November.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

My plots are coming up nicely but the forecast sure doesn't look promising.

 

[megalomaniac]

The 5 acres we planted last week are germinating, but we only got .75in total rainfall last weekend. They are very low lying plots, so I'm hoping they survive till the next rain (whenever that will be).

The other 15 acres are yet to be planted. If no rain in the next 3 weeks, I'll probably hold off on the turnips and radishes in that mix and just stick that in the freezer for next year and just go straight wheat, balansa, and crimson

 

[rifle02]

My plans were to plant today in Sequatchie County but the rain forecast for the end of this week is now gone. I see another chance of rain early in the week after next. I'm going to plant late next week no matter what. Almost exclusively cereal Rye and a couple bags of commercial food plot mix.

 

[BigAl]

Rain all around us this past weekend but I got a whole quarter of an inch. Unless something changes, I'm most likely going to skip planting anything this year.

 

[megalomaniac]

If I could get a refund on the $1300 in seed I spent earlier, I would, but alas, it's all going in the ground before December no matter what, as I don't like to carry seed over from year to year unless its frozen.

 

[backyardtndeer]

So many leaves off the trees in my area it looks like early November.

Leaves are falling steady here. Not going to have much for fall colors this year. Maybe some of the leaves will help hold moisture on the ground though?

I went on this morning and fertilized and limed the plot I planted Saturday. There was zero chance, but sure felt like it was going to rain this morning here

 

[BSK]

Leaves are falling steady here. Not going to have much for fall colors this year. Maybe some of the leaves will help hold moisture on the ground though?

I went on this morning and fertilized and limed the plot I planted Saturday. There was zero chance, but sure felt like it was going to rain this morning here

What moisture? My soils are bone dry as far down as you can dig.

 

[backyardtndeer]

What moisture? My soils are bone dry as far down as you can dig.

Dew forms on grass and leaves in the mornings, that is moisture. We had a little rain Saturday and a little more Sunday here.

We now have a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.

 

[BSK]

Dew forms on grass and leaves in the mornings, that is moisture. We had a little rain Saturday and a little more Sunday here.

We now have a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon.

But you need the morning low temp to drop to the dew point temp to have dew. We're not even coming close to that with the low dew points we're seeing right now (very dry air).

 

[knightrider]

But you need the morning low temp to drop to the dew point temp to have dew. We're not even coming close to that with the low dew points we're seeing right now (very dry air).

Thank the Lord weve had dew every morning for a while

 

[backyardtndeer]

Thank the Lord weve had dew every morning for a while

We have had a dew most mornings as well.

I am seriously thinking about cleaning my sprayer out really well and taking several trips and watering my small kill plot. It's probably between 1/4 and 3/8 acre, tank holds 45 gallons. With the hills I can safely take about 40 at a time. Would 5 trips (200 gallons) on roughly a 1/4 acre a couple times a week make a difference?

 

[knightrider]

We have had a few I most mornings as well.

I am seriously thinking about cleaning my sprayer out really well and taking several trips and watering my small kill plot. It's probably between 1/4 and 3/8 acre, tank holds 45 gallons. With the hills I can safely take about 40 at a time. Would 5 trips (200 gallons) on roughly a 1/4 acre a couple times a week make a difference?

It would make a huge difference!!! Imho

 

[megalomaniac]

We have had a dew most mornings as well.

I am seriously thinking about cleaning my sprayer out really well and taking several trips and watering my small kill plot. It's probably between 1/4 and 3/8 acre, tank holds 45 gallons. With the hills I can safely take about 40 at a time. Would 5 trips (200 gallons) on roughly a 1/4 acre a couple times a week make a difference?

I've answered math questions like this before...

Here goes. 1 inch of rain is 27,000 gallons of water per acre.

Quarter acre plot would be 6700 gallons to equal 1 inch of rain

So if you made 5 trips of 40 gallons each (200 gallons), that would be the same as 0.03in rain.

I guess it's better than nothing... but not much better... and a lot more expensive

If there isn't any water around, you would be better served lining a hole in the ground, hauling the 200g to fill it up, and keeping it full to hunt as a water source than spreading it on your plots.... SERIOUSLY