Planting Suggestions
At Wannamaker Wildlife, we are here to serve you. We invite you to ask for guidance as you make your food plot plans. Even though Wannamaker Wildlife no longer sells wildlife seeds, there are sources for substitutes that I would be delighted to help introduce to you.
Questions Most Wildlife Managers Ask!
How Deep To Plant?
About 2 inches deep for most summer seed. Drill or spin spread and disc in lightly. Only exceptions: millets, American Joint Vetch (Aeschynomene), Alyce Clover. Sow these and drag over lightly about a ¼ inch.
Time of Planting?
It's All About Moisture. Anytime after the danger of frost is past from Easter thru August are good times to plant for deer. As a practical matter we like to plant right after a rain when you have moisture and warmth to make seed come up quickly.
Fertilizer And Lime?
The good news is that summer legume plants like peas, soybeans, sunn hemp and Alyce clover, which deer love and are our specialty, make their own nitrogen. So, unless you are low in lime or potash, you may not need anything. Your pH is all important. Get a sample of your soil. Just scoop off one inch and plug it in several locations, mix and turn in a big cup full to your Clemson agent. They will tell you if you need lime and how much fertilizer to apply. It is good to have a pH over 5.8. Four bags of 19-19-19 per acre is normally plenty of fertilizer.
Inoculation Yes Or No?
Yes on Aeschynomene and Alyce Clover. It's not essential on cowpeas, soybeans, Sunn Hemp and other seed.
Plant Both In Shade And Full Sun?
Almost all summer planting for deer do well in shade and full sun. Aeschynomene is especially good under trees. Sunn Hemp and Magic Carpet are, too. Only wildflowers require full sun.
How Much Seed To Plant?
Plant enough seed! Drill about two 50 lb. bags per acre of Magic Carpet and the Ultimate. For Sunn Hemp alone use 15 lbs. per acre. For specific recommendations on each seed, ask us or look it up in the QDMA Quality Food Plots book by Kent Kammermeyer.
How To Plant Winter Food Plots?
Before you plant, fertilize well with 17-17-17 or similar fertilizer, about 4 bags per acre. Disc land and plant sensible combinations of Naked Oats, Blue Lupine, Frost Proof Peas, and Forage Wheat. Smart seed combinations are almost always better than one seed. Blue Lupine is especially important. It provides a big fertilizer kick to your food plots. If you haven't used a grain drill, cover well by rediscing. Then spin spread the Radishes, Rape, Turnips and/or clover on the top and drag over or cultipack to cover these seed. To keep your wildlife plots rich and green lasting until May, fertilize again in January with 70 units of nitrogen per acre. That is four 50-lb. bags of 34% N.
Time To Planting Winter Food Plots?
Winter food plots and wildflower seed are best planted in cold weather from September to December. These seed need to go through lower temperatures or “dormancy,” which helps them sprout and be more vigorous.
We will gladly answer any additional questions you may have about planting any of our seed. Give “Mr. Luther” a call at 1-803-707-1111 or send an Email to LBWSEED@AOL.COM.
QDMA, Now NDA, Quality Food Plots Book
Wannamaker Wildlife is a Quality Deer Management Association, QDMA, now National Deer Association, NDA, partner. We encourage you to follow the authoritative Kent Kammermeyer book, Quality Food Plots, Your Guide To Better Deer And Better Deer Hunting!
The nonprofit QDMA, now NDA, produced the most complete, practical and user-friendly guide to producing food plots for whitetails. Featuring contributions from experts in many different fields, this comprehensive reference includes everything you need to know to ba a successful grower of quality food plots:
- Meeting Deer Nutritional Needs
- Planning A Food Plot Program
- Understanding Soil Fertility
- Selecting and Using Equipment
- Successful Planting Methods
- Choosing The Right Crops
- Seed Mixtures, North To South
- Managing Weeds
- Smart Hunting Strategies
- Profiles of 37 Plant Species
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Contact Information and Business Hours
- L.B. Wannamaker Seed Co. Inc.
- PO Box 497
- St. Matthews, SC 29135
- Near I-26 and 30 Minutes Below Columbia
- Business Hours: M-F, 9AM-Noon
- Phone 1-803-707-1111
- Email: LBWSEED@AOL.COM
- Online: www.wannamakerwildlife.com
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