How to Grow a Bransons Buffalo Blend Food Plot

The Crooked Bend "Branson's Buffalo Blend" fall food plot seed mix contains a combination of radish, turnip, clover, wheat and rye. The critters love to eat these plants, they help to build soil health and they are super easy to grow! This blend is designed to be planted in the late summer (end of July thru the second week of September in Michigan) and will provide lush, nutritious, green foliage all throughout fall and into winter. The seed mix can be either broadcast spread or planted into the soil with a no-till drill. Both methods follow a similar process:

1. Do a soil sample! This is one of the very most important steps to ensure a high yield of foliage tonnage. It is critical to know where your soil stands so you can be sure to add only the correct amounts of fertilizer and amendments. Knowing your soil levels will save you a good amount of time and money. The cost of a soil test will highly offset the cost of buying just one bag of fertilizer too many. Crooked Bend offers soil sampling and site evaluation services or you can use a local co-op or a direct lab partner such as Waters Ag (www.watersag.com), if you are comfortable to do this task yourself.

2. Once you received your soil test results back then add the appropriate amount of recommend fertilizer and soil amendments (like lime.) Simply, broadcast pellets or spray the liquids per the recommendation directly on top of the soil (do not disc or till into the soil unless otherwise instructed!)

3. Now all of the current competitor plants need to be neutralized from the food plot location. This can be done using a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate sprayed by hand with a backpack sprayer or pulled behind an ATV or tractor in a boom sprayer (this can be done the same day as step 2.) Glyphosate will take a week or two to completely kill-off the competitor plants. You can also choose to use prescribed fire to clear the unwanted growth from the food plot seed bed. This technique is most effective, however, should only be done by those with experience and know-how as catastrophic repercussions could result. If you will be using prescribed fire then step 3 should be done before step 2.

4. Broadcast "Branson's Buffalo Bend" fall food plot seed mix by hand with an over-the-shoulder spreader or use a mechanical pull-behind spreader. Over seeding when using the broadcast method is always a good idea to account for all of the seeds that birds and other critters will eat up before they start to germinate. Of course, this blend can also be used in a no-till drill. When using the drill method you will not have to account for over seeding as the seeds will be directly impregnated into the soil and not as easily accessible to birds. Either method you use, plan your timing to be just before a late summer rain storm to allow for a good initial watering (this is ultra important for the broadcasting method!)

5. Watch your plants grow and the wildlife benefit from them! Whether you plant food plots to watch wildlife from your back window or farm fields to hunt and harvest from, this is everyone's favorite part! Seeing the yields of your work in the form of lush green food plots and knowing that they are improving the quality of habitat for your wildlife is a feeling like no other and should be shared with the entire family!

Good luck and happy Plotting!