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Fall – and deer hunting – will be here before you know it. If you missed out on spring habitat work, don’t worry, there are still options available for putting in a great deer attractant for the fall. Summer is a great time to prepare to plant brassicas that can make a difference this year and in years to come. Here are some tips and considerations for habitat plantings you can start on right now.
Forage brassicas, highly desired by deer, are planted in late July to mid-August.
The term “brassica” covers turnip, kale, forage rape and swede. Brassicas are cool-season annuals that have high proteins (15% to 20% crude protein) and digestibility (65% to 80%). The brassica crop grows best on fertile and well-drained soils.
Before planting, experts recommend having your soil tested. Taking a soil sample will provide you with exact information about the soil chemistry, which can help to ensure successful growing conditions. Michigan State University Extension has a soil test program that makes the process seamless and can give you a custom fertilization program.
Seed bed preparation is also an important step. There are many options for doing this from disking to burning to no-till options. Find information on these techniques.
You can go a lot of directions with food plots, and “how to” resources are plentiful. Putting together goals and a plan will be key to success, and forage brassicas could be just what you are looking for. The biggest step is just getting started.
Additional resources:
More about deer and deer management in Michigan is available at Michigan.gov/Deer.
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