On one of my leases, they have just harvested some timber next to one of my stands. There is a lot of open dirt. It occurs to me that this would be a great place to spread some seed to make a food plot.


Is ther anything out there that be spread by hand and will actually grow?

Thanks!

If you are in Florida you probably have sand which is a plus/minus. The good part is that with a simple landscapers rake you can plant wheat very easily. Bad part is that you will have quick drying and leaching of any NPK.
I had the same conditions in Ala and had good enough growth to do it again. Deer love Oats and Wheat.

I contacted a gentlemen from my local QDM (quality deer management). He asked what my growing environment was (amount of sun/shade, irrigated or non-irrigated, soil etc.) and then provided me a list of grasses, crops etc. that would work best in those areas. There are a few mixtures that don't need to be tilled (no plow). Don't go over expensive on the cost as the cheaper mixtures do just as well. All seed bags should have a label on the old side saying what percentage and type of seed is in the bag. As Old Miss Guy said... wheat is planted very easily. The only problem is keeping the seedling moist when the germinate. If you get some extended hot dry weather once the seedlings pop they will wilt and die.

One thing that might effect you will be feral hogs. If they are present in your area, they will go after any fresh/new vegetation.

Take a sample of dirt into your local state ag, or feed mill, one that can do a PH test..if they are able to do that then they should know what a good crop to plant is, and also what you may/may not need to use as a fertilizer to correct PH if needed. I have no knowledge of hogs etc, but ALOT of plots can be hand broadcast & onced over with a rake, to get you what you need.I would recommend the PH test, some people dont like to bother, but why not..

Rye will grow in almost any soil with little to no fertilizer.Rye wheat not rye grass.

Contact you fish and game, they will give you some good advise..Your local agriculture Dept will assist you in many ways. Talk to your neighbors.

Many states have wildlife biologists whose job it is to work with private landowners to help them improve their property for wildlife. It looks as though Florida has a private land program. I've provided a link to their page. There is a link there to find your biologist. Good luck and good habitat.

Florida Landowner Assistance Program

Oats...if you throw them out and they get rained on, they will grow. They are cheap enough you can spread them pretty thick and deer (at least the deer on my places) love it. CHC is right,a possible drawback is pigs like it too so that can be a problem. You don't have to use "expensive" seed oats,you can use whole oats available at any feed store and it works even better if you throw the oats out and then drag something over the area with a 4 whlr.

Hows the butt?

Getting better.

White clover or red clover are good deer forage and aren't hard to get growing.

Found these two links on the IFAS website.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa198

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag176

I've had good luck with oats, rye wheat and red clover. They all take very little coverage, meaning broadcast planting with 1/4" soil over. I run a length of chain link fence or old bed springs behind the 4-wheeler and then throw them out. Run over again with 4-wheeler and I am done.

The suggestion on the PH test is also a good one. Easy to get samples and sent to the county extension, or there are do it yourself kits.