Planting a year round plot in the spring???

[gtsticker]

I want to know if anybody plants their winter seeds in with the spring mix. For instance plant oats and wheat in May with peas and clover. I want to plant a fairly large area but do not want to have to haul the tractor to the place multiple times. Will this work? Problems? Any help would be appreciated.

[deer farmer]

if the area is large enough and it was me, I would plant soybeans in one part of it , sunn hemp added with iron clay peas together in another area of the food plot. These are spring planting seeds and will carry over into bow season if you are in a good growing area of Texas. Then in Oct, I would add Rye Grain along with clover by seeding the surface of this area with a heavy seeding just before a good fall rain. You can do this with a one time tractor haul and should produce forage for 12 months. I would also say, it takes work to get a good food plot, and like most things in life, you get what you put into it.

[Kdog]

That is a tough one. If you look at the seed companies like Whitetail Institute for example they do not recommend planting in the clover in the spring in Texas. Evidently it will not survive summer in the first year. From what I have read clover can be tough to get through the summer even if it is planted in the previous fall and is more established. I would think the only chance you have of getting the plot through the summer is if we get a lot of rain.

You can always give it a shot and worst case scenario you have to replant in the fall. If only want to do it once, I think the fall would be your best bet.

I have been thinking along the same lines though to try something in the spring. Not sure what I am going to try yet though, if anything.

[Drycreek3189]

Clover spends its first year or so putting down roots. Fall planting is recommended in our area as Kdog said. The second year is when clover really flourishes. Oats and wheat planted in the spring will head out and die in our hot summers. There just ain't no getting around a lot of work if you food plot in earnest.

[gtsticker]

will the oats lay dormant until the ground turns cold like rye grass or will it sprout in the summer?

[EastTx]

will the oats lay dormant until the ground turns cold like rye grass or will it sprout in the summer?

They will sprout quick in the spring and will have seeded out by the summer.

[KactusKiller]

Oats, rye and wheat will germinate in the spring/summer. Reason people use them as a fall/winter food source is their tolerance for cold which keeps them green through the winter months. That's why the really flourish once it starts warming up in the spring.

[gtsticker]

Ok thanks for all the info. Will have to do 2 plantings