Every hunter and landowner’s goal is to establish a productive plot with high germination rates for herbaceous plants or high mast production for orchards, ensuring that your time, money, and effort are well spent. Establishing a food plot involves the 6 Ps: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Plot Performance. Production can be measured in terms of plant productivity and attractiveness, which are interrelated. 

First, start with site selection. Food plots and mast orchards should be located where optimal soil, sunlight, and nutrient conditions occur. While this can vary with selected species, it usually means well-drained, loamy soil in more exposed areas. Planters should choose the site based on proper soil conditions. Still, only some will naturally have the optimum pH and minerals to promote plant growth. Results from a simple and inexpensive soil test will show the proper amount and type of fertilizer and minerals to add, depending on the species to be planted. Avoid low areas where cold air can be trapped and wetter soils that make tilling and planting difficult and may retard plant growth. 

It is also beneficial if plots are positioned strategically to work in concert with other land features. For example, a plot closer to the bedding cover might encourage more frequent deer use. A small hunting plot between bedding and larger feeding plots might act as a staging area for deer earlier in the evening and later in the morning. Planting soft mast species along the edge of an herbaceous plot increases attractiveness and provides nearby security cover. 

Next comes deciding what to plant, and that depends on several variables. Look at the landscape and consider what the lowest hole in the bucket is; what’s missing? If the property is located next to a cornfield, grain crops may be unable to compete. Suppose it is dominated by mature hardwoods and open understory, herbaceous food plots, soft mast orchards forming thickets of protective cover, or even fields planted with a CRP mix and left to go fallow. In that case, it will add to the diversity. Conversely, suppose open areas and young growth dominate the land. In that case, hardwood mast orchards might improve the overall attractiveness of the property in time. 

Diversity and variety are the spice of wildlife. Monoculture plots are more manageable but may not be the best option. That is why most food plot seeds come as blends. A mix of clover and chicory provide a hedge against variable moisture conditions. Clovers will do well in a rainy year but may struggle during a drought. Chicory tends to have a deeper root and will do better in dry conditions. Another option is a cafeteria plot, where patches or strips are planted with different plant varieties. This combination can both improve and extend attractiveness. 

One goal of planting plots is to attract deer and other wildlife, but any effort will be more effective if the overall landscape better meets their year-round nutritional needs, which vary with the seasons. Fall food plots are the most popular, but adding species that provide food in spring, summer, and winter will attract and hold more deer.

Next comes breaking ground, which depends on existing site conditions. Densely vegetated areas may require an herbicide treatment first to eliminate undesirable competing weeds, forbs, and grasses. Soil and surface conditions and plant species selection also influence whether the site should be tilled or disced and to what depth. Loose soils with little vegetative cover may only require a light till, while those with a thick sod layer may need more aggressive treatment. 

Now it is time to plant, and the best advice is to follow specific prescriptions provided with your seed or plants. It may be tempting to over-seed, but individual plants will only compete with one another, resulting in poorer growth. Under-seed and your plot will not reach its full potential. Somewhat the same applies to mast orchards. Young trees and shrubs may seem too far apart, but in time, their crowns will grow and spread, and if they’re over-crowded, they’ll be less productive. 

Culti-packing is one of the most important yet often overlooked steps in ensuring success. This simple step significantly boosts germination rates by increasing seed-to-soil contact, laying the foundation for a thriving plot. Some seeds will sprout in loose soil, but cult increases seed-to-soil contact, improving germination rates. Trees and shrubs should also be planted and nurtured during early growth stages, and the Learning Center at Chestnut Hill Outdoors offers ample instruction on how to do it right.