| Q: |
What clover is recommended for Deer and Turkey? |
 |
| |
|
|
| A: |
Under extreme grazing pressure and adverse climate
conditions, Pennington Durana has proven to be more
persistent than ladino-type clover. Durana is an intermediate
type clover that is tolerant of deer pressure and produces
more seed and smaller leaves for turkey. Since it is
a perennial, Durana will last for several years and
will provide a highly digestible, high protein food
plot for deer, turkey and many other types of wildlife. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
Do food plots need to be fertilized? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
Absolutely. All growing things need nutrition and
food plots are no exception. Without fertilizer, food
plots will not produce food or protein at their full
potential. Specially formulated for wildlife food plots,
Pennington's Wild Game Fertilizer is a 15-5-10 analysis
that has 50% slow release nitrogen, which means it
will feed your food plots for up to 100 days. This
product also contains palletized lime, which aids in
neutralizing the acidic soil found in woodland soils
where food plots are grown. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How important are minerals to a deer's diet? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
Extremely important. Just as humans need minerals
in their diets, deer need them to stay healthy and
productive. Minerals provide many benefits to deer,
including: increased conception rates in does, delivery
of more fawn, distribution of calcium and phosphorous
for antler production and increased overall health
of the entire deer heard. Pennington's Rackmaster brand
of deer mineral offers the required 2:1 ratio of calcium
to phosphorous and is an all natural, soil colored
formula that is easy to use when making mineral licks. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How essential is soil pH in the development
of a food plot? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
Soil pH has everything to do with the establishment
of healthy plants and directly relates to the plant's
ability to absorb soil nutrients, which are necessary
for plant survival and health. A pH of 5.0 is considered
acidic and may cause as much as 50% waste of fertilizer.
Using lime will raise the soil pH, making the soil
less acidic and root systems more robust. Most plants
perform well in soil with a pH of 6.5. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How can I control seed depth when I'm planting
my food plots? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
There are various methods of controlling seed depth,
depending on the way you apply seed and prepare your
soil. If you are tilling, this is what Pennington recommends:
Always cultipack or drag the area smooth and firm before
planting seed. Soil tillage incorporates air into the
soil and makes it very fluffy and soft, which allows
seed to settle deeper than their planted depth. Firming
the soil before planting will eliminate seed movement
in the soil after planting, which is especially important
when planting small seed such as clover. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How do I continue to provide supplemental
food plots for my wildlife during planting season? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
Most wildlife enthusiasts completely destroy their
food plots in order to plant a new one each season.
Pennington does not recommend this method, as it removes
the food source from the animals until new seedlings
emerge and causes excess pressure on the new seedlings.
Our recommendation is to strip plant* your food plots
or to incorporate some permanent food plots and some
annual plots, so that your animals have a constant
food supply.
*A strip planting example: If you have
a two acre food plot, disk and plant everything but ½ acre.
Once your new plants are growing well, plant the last ½ acre |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How much area should I plant for wildlife? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
This is dependent upon several factors: deer density,
natural habitat, neighboring properties and your personal
goals as a property owner. Pennington offers this general
advice: With a low deer density, plant a minimum of
2.5% of your total property in food plots. For a high
deer density, you should plant at least 7% of your
property. For example, if you have a 100 acre track
with low deer density, then you will need approximately
2.5 acres of food plots. This same acreage with a high
deer density would require approximately 7 acres of
food plots. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
How will I know if deer and other wildlife
are utilizing my food plots? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
Pennington recommends this simple wire cage solution:
Construct a tomato-type cage out of strong, heavy gauge
wire so that all animals will stay out of this specific
area of the plot. The cage should contain a two by
two surface area. This structure will allow growth
factors (sunlight, rain, fertilizer) to enter, but
will keep out grazing pressure from animals. As your
plots grow and the deer and other wildlife graze, the
plants inside the cage will grow considerably taller
than the area outside the cage. This will indicate
that animals like the food source.
(insert CalculatingFoodPlotSize.jpg) |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Q: |
Are all wildlife seed mixtures basically
the same? |
|
| |
|
|
| A: |
No! The mixtures available on the market today
are widely varied. From short term to long term mixtures,
perennial to annual and high protein to low protein,
wildlife seed mixtures are as different as the animals
that will enjoy them. Here are some tips to help you
make a decision for your individual needs:
- Chose a
mix that will work well in the planted area. Take
into consideration soil type and moisture, zone
of the country in which you reside and your
climate.
- Decide when you want the mixture to provide supplemental
feed for your wildlife.
- Decide how often you want to plant the mixture.
- Determine whether you will need a high protein
mix or one that will feed a large number of animals.
- Evaluate your property: Do you have full sun
or partial shade?
- Determine planting area and the season in which
you want to plant.
- Set your budget.
- Evaluate soil pH requirements and nutrient requirements
for the seed mixture.
- Determine quantity of mixture needed to plant
the total habitat.
There are so many considerations and decisions to
make about the seed mixture that is right for you.
Pennington can make your life easier and help take
the stress out of your decision. The Rackmaster product
line from Pennington is regionally developed to offer
you choices that will satisfy your needs and provide
the highest quality food source for your wildlife.
Pennington is here to help. Many answers to your questions
are provided on this extensive website (please utilize
the search function to easily find what you're looking
for). But, if you can't find an answer here, simply
call our hotline at 1-800-285-SEED. You'll speak directly
with a seed expert who will help you evaluate your
choices and provide seed advice. |
|
| |
|
|
