By Ryan Fair

As the calendar turns to August one of the top priorities of all deer hunters should be fall food plots. From now till the middle of September is the perfect time to get those fall plot planted. Over half of us here at Working Class Hunter have our Rakk Fuel fall plots in the ground already and the other half have a plan in place to get them in then ground soon. Let’s cover some tips to help make the best of your fall food plots so your local herd has food year-round.

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Timing

Timing is everything when it comes to fall food plots. The first thing you need to focus on is when your area gets it first frost. Once you establish this key piece of information you need to back the calendar up about 70 to 90 days depending on what you are planting. That is the date you need to have your plot in the ground. The next time frame you need to focus on is the time it takes to clear your area to plant your plot. Most places recommend waiting at least a week after spraying an herbicide such as roundup before planting your plot. This ensures all vegetation is dead or dying, giving your new seeds full attention when they start to grow. Lastly, you need to try to time your planting close to a rain. I like to have my seed in the ground as close to a rain as possible. This starts the germination process, and if you’re lucky you will get a few more timely rains that will really boost the growing into overdrive.

Soil Conditions

One of the biggest mistakes most novice and ever some experience food plot guys make is not getting a soil sample before planting. This small step that takes only a few minutes can give you several very important pieces of information. Two of the most important pieces of information are your soil PH and what nutrients you have present and what is lacking. This will help you best determine if you need to add anything to your soil before planting your plot. Most seeds have a recommended PH range they need to be in to get the best results. Lastly, you need to pay attention to your soil condition itself. Some food plot seed prefer well drained soil while others can grow better in a damp to moderately damp soil. All these little things add up. Make sure you know your soil, it will tell you the best type of seed to plant.

Location, Location, Location!!!