Just because you don’t have a tractor or heavy equipment doesn’t mean planting food plots is out of reach, thanks to the right seed mix, a little help from Mother Nature, some standard garden tools and a little ambition, you can create your very own secluded, backwoods, no till deer magnet!

There are a few important steps you’ll need to follow and then it’s time to get to work…warning…no till food plots are not easy, can lead to blistered hands, soiled shirts and a few cold beers!

The first step to No Till Food Plotting Triumph is picking the perfect location!

LOCATION

• Look for an area that is well-drained and offers sunlight to hit the forest floor for at least 50% of the day.

• Many of your no till food plot locations are backwoods, micro hunt plots with minimal sunlight and that’s ok…we will recommend a few mixes that can thrive in those conditions

• If you’re creating the opening or no till food plot location, select an area that you can easily access without bumping deer from bedding

• Focus on access routes that are between key bedding areas and destination food sources

• Pick a location that offers optimal hunting opportunities with your prevailing wind direction

• If it is too shaded and you’re able, you can always create more sunlight with a little lumber-jacking :)

Once you have your location selected you need to take the most important step….

TEST PH LEVEL

• Testing your pH level is quite possibly the most important step to planting a successful food plot, whether you are tilling the soil or it is a no till situation where you use the equipment at your disposal to plant your food plots

• You have a couple of options, first you can use Domain’s DIY Instant pH Soil Test Kit . This will give you feedback in less than 20 minutes and will provide an accurate test of what your pH level is. The Test Kit will also provide insight on the amount of lime to apply, based on your current pH level, remember 7.0 is your ultimate goal. Your other option is to take a soil test to your local coop and get a comprehensive test, these can take weeks or months, but provide a complete analysis of the nutrients, organic matter and pH level of your soil.

• Once you have an accurate reading of your soil’s pH you may or may not need to apply Lime. Lime helps increase your pH level and for best practice when you don’t have equipment, I recommend Pelleted Lime, which you can typically buy in 40 lb bags at your local hardware store, coop or chain store.

Now that you have a location selected and you’ve tested your pH the work (fun) begins!

PREPPING THE SOIL

• Since you don’t have equipment to do the work for you, this is where your luck this deer season will be earned. For all of the no till food plots I’ve planted (and I’ve done a lot of them) I typically will use a wide leaf rake and a steel garden rake to remove debris and create a good soil environment.

• Removing debris is a critical step to ensure good seed-to-soil contact when planting, take extra effort to ensure as much debris is cleared as possible.

• First, I will take the wide rake and rake away ALL leaves, sticks and debris…this should leave dirt showing over the entire food plot.

  (AT THIS POINT YOU HAVE 2 OPTIONS…1) LEAVE THE PLOT ALONE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS AND ALLOW WEEDS TO GERMINATE. AFTER THEY GERMINATE YOU CAN SPRAY ROUND UP TO ELIMINATE AND THEN GO TO THE PLANTING STEPS BELOW…OR 2) MOVE AHEAD TO PLANTING STEPS BELOW. YOUR NO TILL FOOD PLOT MIX WILL GROW QUICKLY PROVIDED THE PH IS GOOD AND HELP OUT COMPETE ANY WEEDS THAT MAY EXIST IN THE SOIL.)

• Once debris is removed, I will apply lime (if needed) and fertilizer (recommended) to the area I will be planting. For Domain’s No BS Food Plot Mix my preferred fertilizer would be a 19-19-19. If you’re planting Hot Chic then a 6-23-30 can be applied. Once this is spread throughout the plot I will take the steel garden and with some effort, rough up the soil as best I can…try to disturb the top 3-4” of soil. During this time you are creating the perfect seed bed and also working in the lime and fertilizer. (Fertilizer ratios can very from supplier to supplier - please contact us if you have questions).

• After you’ve worked up the soil (this will help the plants more easily establish their root system) I like to go back to the wide leaf rake to even out and level the plot prior to seeding.

Now that the food plot area is cleared of weeds and debris, you’ve taken steps to improve the soil, applied “plant food” and you are ready for seeding your plot...before seeding, stop for a quick “hydration break”, with a cold one of your choosing…food plotting should be fun, right!?

SEEDING YOUR PLOT

• Domain’s No BS Food Plot Mix or Hot Chic Food Plot Mix are my preferred choices for true No Till Food Plots, where you have only hand tools, and the plot is semi-shaded. Both of these mixes include annuals and perennials, will establish quickly, are shade tolerant, drought tolerant and can handle diverse growing conditions…in other words, they are PERFECT No Till Food Plot Candidates!

• While I’ve seen people simply throw the seed throughout their plot and have success, I prefer to use a hand seeder and evenly spread the seed throughout the food plot area. You should be able to visually see both mixes to ensure proper coverage as you walk the plot. No BS covers 11,000 square feet and Hot Chic can cover 22,000 square feet. While it can be difficult, try to stick to the recommended seed rate for each mix.

• Once you’ve evenly spread the seed throughout the plot take the wide leaf rake and lightly rake over the seeds, this will help them from washing out with the first heavy rain and helps pack the soil, since you don’t have equipment to roll or cultipack.

Now that your plot is planted, it’s time to let Mother Nature do her thing. With appropriate sunshine and rain your food plot should begin to germinate within a week or two and start to grow the forages that your deer will seek out in the Summer, Fall and Winter. Once your plot begins to mature, there are a few things that can be done to keep it healthy.

PLOT MAINTENANCE

• Food Plot Maintenance can occur in a variety of forms, but one of the best forms of maintenance for a perennial forage mix like Hot Chic, is to provide it with a slight “haircut” if the clovers begin to flower or the chicory becomes over-mature…I will use a weed whip and carefully trim the tops of the plants (and any weeds) to help generate re-growth.

• Typically following this ”haircut” deer will become even more attracted to the plot, because fresh growth provides the highest level of protein.

• Additionally, prior to an anticipated rain fall you can add some additional fertilizer to help provide important nutrients to maximize forage production.

Now that you’ve dedicated the time and effort to plant your backwoods no till food plot, it’s time to sit back, have a cold beer, celebrate your accomplishment (hang a trail cam or two) and wait for the season to start. These small micro plots can provide fantastic opportunities to catch deer feeding as they head to or from bedding or a major food source and are great spots to sit during the rut. Whatever the case, we look forward to seeing your no till food plots this season and remember, just because you don’t have equipment, doesn’t mean you can’t plant a food plot…a little sweat equity can go a long ways! If you have any questions regarding what to plant or how to plant no till food plots please send us a noteand we will be happy to help provide any insight we can.

Happy planting!!