2011 Food Plot Progression

[KSHUNTER]

Just thought I would share some photos of my food plot this year as it progressed. I bought the property in late summer 2010, so on limited time I put in 5 acres of rye, and started a fertilizer program.

This year the food plot now consist of 1 acre of corn, 3 acres of beans, and 1 acre of white clover. It has been a tough year with the drought, the corn took it the hardest, but with a recent change of weather the beans are starting to improve.

It is a work in progress!

Corn planted May 8th with a JD 495 planter, these pics were on June 8th dry weather got it off to a slow start.

The same day my father in-law planted my beans, don't take long to get over 3 acres with a 40' swath.

5 Days later they were struggling to come through. With little organic matter the soil quickly forms a hard crust, hopefully with time this will improve.

Even though the soil crusted, beneath there was plenty of moisture at this time. and the corn had started to make some jumps.

These pictures were taken on June 13th also.

West End

East End

A week later the corn is really taking off, and the beans are abled to be rowed. The corn had no pre-emergence put on, but is remaining clean with round up applications and help from the tilled under rye.

6/22/2011

6/22/2011

6/22/2011

6/22/2011

 

[KSHUNTER]

Corn starting to tassel by the 4th of July and looks good. Beans continue to come on, but we are begining a strech of 20+ days of 100+ degree heat and no rain. Sadly for the corn it soon takes a turn for the worst.

By the 12th of July everything still looks good, but this is a critical time for pollination on the corn, and it is becoming stressed.


Corn, Beans, and Clover 7/12/2011

Once green corn has now burnt up, half of the corn was able to put on a small ear, the other half nothing at all. This part of the state corn planted early to mid April is making 30 to 40 b.u. May planted corn is hit and miss on whether it made anything at all.

8/4/2011

Beans kinda of stalled out during that hot and dry strech, but with some good rains and cooler temps they have taken off again.

8/4/2011 - Little growth from July 12 to August 4th

8/15/2011 - In just over ten days the growth spurt is easy to see

Starting to set pods

Will continue to update as the food plot matures. Planted a small area to brassicas on the 8th of August and they are starting to pop, and soon will be overseeding beans with rye.

 

[ShedderKG]

Heck yea! Looking great! I'm sure those 5 acres will bring them in late season! good luck

 

[Scott]

Looks good. Any reason why you didn't double up on the rows for your beans?

 

[KSHUNTER]

Just a personal prefrence really, I have always planted 15 inch rows, I use to work for the farm and planted most of the beans every year. I don't really like the 7.5 inch rows, I feel like I run over more when I spray and so forth.

My family has messed around with 7.5, 15 and 30 inch rows, never could see a yeild difference, and have always migrated back to 15's.