• Help Support TNDeer:

Food Plots Rain chance

Finally got rain yesterday but still having to watch my seed get un-planted.
1000014701.webp
 
I reseeded and tilled back in last Tues. Rained Thurs-Sat here. Got back from my work trip and rode back to check it out. It's really turned on since the rain. The clover I planted 4 weeks ago that I didn't know if it germinated or not is taking off as well. So I'm assuming the first 50 lbs of oats germinated too and I reseeded 50 more lbs.
20240918_170139.webp
 
Rain chance next Tues/Wed is very iffy for West TN, but much better for East TN. Still assessing the rain chances the following Saturday. That one will depend on the development of a hurricane in the Gulf (which all models are showing but they each take it in a different direction).
 
My Buckwheat and Crimson Clover germinated after those tropical rains. The Buckwheat is just reaching the growth stage where deer can get at it, and traffic in the plots has exploded since then. Wed/Thurs I mowed all the crabgrass and foxtail that has taken over the plots down to the level of the new Buckwheat. I also sprayed to kill the grasses (Clethodim). We'll see how this goes in the next couple weeks. I will add cereal grains to the plots just before the next good rain.
 
BSK said:
Rain chance next Tues/Wed is very iffy for West TN, but much better for East TN. Still assessing the rain chances the following Saturday. That one will depend on the development of a hurricane in the Gulf (which all models are showing but they each take it in a different direction).
Click to expand...
Just looked at weather underground for my area, and Tuesday is just calling for .005 inches, but the test of the week into Sunday should see will over an inch of rain.

I sprayed what used to be an old clover plot yesterday afternoon with a good burn down mix, about an acre. May try to burn it off Saturday or Sunday to expedite things and get rid of some seed. Then probably till it Monday, spread fertilizer and lime, and broadcast oats or wheat and clover in Tuesday morning depending on the forecast.
 
First picture is the Buckwheat coming up. I mowed down the 18-24" foxtail and crabgrass that had filled the plots to the level of the Buckwheat, and then sprayed with Clethodim to kill the grasses. Only time will tell how it does. But deer activity in the plots has sky-rocketed since the Buckwheat germinated.
 

Attachments

  • plots50.webp
    plots50.webp
    223.8 KB · Views: 2
  • plots51.webp
    plots51.webp
    236.7 KB · Views: 2
Watch this hurricane that's going to develop in the Gulf. Two of the three major models have it coming up into the central Gulf States and bringing a lot of rain to TN late next week. The outlier is the GFS which takes it through the FL Panhandle and across southern GA, not bring us much if any rain. But worth keep an eye on.
 
Yep saw that this morning and plan on planting tomorrow. Oats peas in one and then add wheat and clover to the existing firebreaks. I don't know if any will grow if we don't get some rain SOON! Last rain was only an inch over 4 days 😩
 
wildlifefarmer said:
Yep saw that this morning and plan on planting tomorrow. Oats peas in one and then add wheat and clover to the existing firebreaks. I don't know if any will grow if we don't get some rain SOON! Last rain was only an inch over 4 days 😩
Click to expand...
I'm going to wait and watch. We should have a decent idea of where this storm is going by Tuesday of next week. If it looks good for West TN, I'll run out Wednesday and top-dress my plots with a lot of cereal grains.
 
I hate to make this prediction, because that's almost a guarantee it won't happen, but as of the 0Z runs this morning, all three major models now have this developing tropical system turning into a hurricane that comes ashore near the Big Bend of the Florida Panhandle. Then, instead of turning east and cutting across southern GA back out to sea in the Atlantic, the models turn it north and bring the center right up into the Chattanooga area. If this actually occurs, most areas of TN should get rain, even far West TN.

I'm still going to wait another day or two to lock down the forecast, but if a good rain is coming, I'm going to broadcast the last of my seed - cereal grains - Wednesday or Thursday.
 
BSK said:
Here are forecast rainfall totals from today through 7 AM Saturday:
Click to expand...
I sure hope it pans out that way!! With the acorn crop looking so weak in my area, I think a fall food plot will be a deer magnet in my area. This morning on my way to work I saw 6 does (3 mature and 3 fawns) eating in a hay field about 20 yards from the road. They didn't even raise their heads when I drove past them. That tells me that acorns aren't dropping at all or they're not any. Usually the deer in my area are really skittish and are never close to main roads.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top