# How's Your 2005 Growing Season Been?



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Since I've been foodplotting, I've had two really crappy weather years; 2002 and..._this one, 2005!_ 

Lack of rain is the problem. We'v had two long, dry spells.


1. From Memorial Day until June 30, we got no rain; had it not been for that 06/30 rain, we would have went the whole month of June without a drop. 
2. From the 17th of July until now, I think we've had a total of about two inches, one of which fell on the 18th of August, a rain that appeared to rescue my soys, but that was just temporary; it hasn't rained at all since then!

If it hadn't been for the good rains we got in the first half of July, farmers in my area would be looking at a catastrophy about now. Except for the alfalfa in one patch of clover, all of my food plots are looking stressed. My new warm season grass planting looks worse than I hoped it would look at this time.

With the dry ground and no rain in the forecast, I'm in no rush to get my two winter wheat plots planted.

I've been told that Mid-Michigan, and some other areas, have had pretty good growing conditions this summer. 

What's the weather been like at your place?


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Until now, it has been one of the best growing season I can remember. We had good rains all year until August. It has not rained much the month of August. The crops still look good. The corn is drying out a bit too fast and the soys are tall and full but may have small beans. I have not seen any dead tree seedlings, from my spring plantings.


----------



## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

It was very dry in March and April. Dry enough that I was able to plant corn on April 19th on land that is usually underwater til June. Then it snowed and was water logged til June anyways. On the high spots the corn grew great, 10 foot tall and 3 ears a stalk. On the lower ground it still grew but looked like sweet corn, short and small ears.

I managed to plant some soys mid-July knowing they would never get beans but just to make the deer happy. And they have been happily triming them ever since they sprouted.

I'm waiting now for some rain so I can over seed some wheat, rye and oats.
I did plant some rye already and it's still just sitting there waiting for rain.


----------



## Lew (Jun 8, 2003)

FL, The WUP has been dry, but had enough rain to keep things growing. Right now has been the longest dry spel. If we can get some rain in the next 10 days, I think we will have a good crop going into the bow season. Looking forward to a very good year. Lew


----------



## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

Been really dry here all year. My clover plots did good this summer though. Both plots do not see sunlight the entire day and they are in good, dark soil. I planted a little over an acre of ww, clover, and chicory two weeks ago. All of the ww is up and around 4 inches and the clover/chicory is just starting to pop. I planted this during rain and the ww took right off. Planted another acre of just ww last weekend and it hasn't done anything. Haven't had any rain since I planted the 1st acre two weeks ago. Heard rain is on the way Wed or Thur. I expect a lot of green to show shortly after.


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

The summer drought really put a hit on my perennial clover and chicory mix plots. I mowed in May and didn't dare to mow until August when the rains came back. The summer rains went north and south of me but the August rains have them growing great now.

My annual plantings are just fantastic. I planted a combination of Ed's brassica mix + 50% tyfon turnips. 2 weeks ago when NorthJeff toured my property the mix was in the ground for 13 days. The brassica was 3" tall, last week it was 6" and this weekend it's 13" tall. The buckwheat/austrian winter peas are also over a foot tall. This plot is getting some good usage already.

I've had some rain every week for 5 weeks now but no down pours to flood out any part of the plots. September usually is a wet month so things should continue to be great. Good moisture is down to the yellow clay. I just put in a half acre plot of oats and de rape. It was almost too wet to work the soil.

It should be a good antler growing season even though it was dry for a couple of months. Spring came early this year plus we had heat in the soil to get things growing earlier than normal.


----------



## Andy (May 20, 2004)

FL,

you must be in southern Mich, cuz im in NE Ohio and we might have gotten similar weather....no rain! we planted all our fall plots with clovers and BRASSICAS (the stable of hunting plot strategies for us) on Aug. 3rd. We went the rest of the month of August with no rain!! It finally rained a few days after the hurricane last week, but our fields just look terrible! All they are, are dirt. I know someone out there is going to suggest, "just plant grains now, you'll still have good hunting" (probably Northjeff).....but the problem with that strategy, there is still no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days and it might last alot longer cuz the sept. in our area are usually dry! Im plumb pissed! that was alot of money we spent on quality seeds and the weather really screwed us. we usually get rain once a week in august so we didn't even bother to think it might not come. I hate to say this, but we might be dropping some cracked corn in our plots this year. that sucks!
andy


----------



## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

We had a fairly bad year up here for mid-summer...less than an inch of rain for 2 months! BUT, rain was O.K. in mid-May and allowed for the establishment of some brassica within the clover and chicory from the year before.

All my perennials were established late summer in 2004, or late summer in 2003. As the summer progressed the drought hit really bad...especially bad with the dry soils. The clover died back about 70-80%, but wasn't killed completely. The brassicas turned all shades of color except green, and literally layed down on the ground and appeared dead. BUT, the chicory stayed fairly green and in places where there was more chicory (1pound+), the clover actually did very well and appeared to benifit from the added shade and protection of the chicory. 

Then, on 7/23 and for about 2 weeks after we had 3" of rain. Everything came to life, including the brassica and now just about all has grown back in and the fields are full again and look more like they would typically in mid-June, then early Sept. Growth suffered greatly with less than an inch of rain in 2 months, but everything lived through it.

Rain was in the forcast for 8/9 so I planted all my planned late summer plantings...over 5 acres on 14 fields on 8/9 and was rewarded with enough rain to get about 50-70% germination. Timely .25 to 1" rains since approximately 7-8 days a part have greatly added to the growth and added germination of the 8/9 planting and the cool night time temps have helped to offset some of the longer periods of no-rain.

Despite the very harsh summer drought the plots are looking better than ever and are set for the rest of the year in establishment and moisture. 

Even in the U.P. it is absolutely NOT too late for a great food plot! We just finished our wheat and rye plantings in SW WI last Saturday and may be even a little early in those parts. For Southern MI this is an oustanding time for wheat, rye, or oats mixed with various perennials including clover and chicory and good germinating rains up to the later 3rd week of September in those parts would still produce very good plots.

It's way to early to throw in the towel and this time is probably one of the best times for grain and perennial plantings with still 2-3 weeks more of great planting times for southern locations. If you live in southern locations and can control when you plant...be ready and don't pass up a solid forcast of rain, even if it's just for one day. That one day 1/2" rain is often all you need to insure great germination and once germination begins you can take another couple weeks of little to no moisture before it becomes a problem.

The drought was bad this year, but great plots can still be planted in many locations that will not only be great for this year, but establish a perennial base next year that will be able to withstand a possible 2006 drought. If nothing else, I've had good luck with a 9/31 planting of rye that was germinated by 5" of wet snow and subsequent warm temps...all the way up here in the U.P. You guys in southern MI and OH still have 2-3 weeks of good planting time for grain and perennials, and in northern portions of MI to WI, to MN a straight grain planting is still a very high possibility. Also, rye can sit for weeks on top of soil and still germinate....a very hardy seed.

Here are 2 plots pics taken on 8/19/2005, 10 days after planting this year. The portion on the right in both pics was planted on 8/5/2004 and both contain some of the poorest and driest soils on the property. The curved planting includes a much higher portion of chicory and the clover is much thicker..the straight plot pic is very sandy and contains less chicory...but both survived and the planted portions on the left will look at worst the same next year, or possibly much better if we get a good 2006 growing season.



















BTW, those high plants in the curved field are not weeds, but are instead the stems and flowers of chicory that will stay above the snow and are a favorite of migrating deer that don't typically dig much for food through over a foot of snow that will be on the ground when they come through later this year. Those older halves will be mowed next year, but I count on those stems in the plantings of this year, for next years migration.


----------



## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Too many deer, too many turkeys, most guys would love your problems! I always wonder why my area is so different. Hunters control the deer and turkey numbers. The deer have never been a problem. We probably have 10-15 a mile. I do know, that we have a large percentage of people that hunt. Density probably has to do with the ratio of farmland to cover. 

I have a two story house and a spotting scope and seen a doe and fawn yesterday. The first deer sighting in a month. They are there , but enough cover to conceal them. They are hitting the acorns in the woods. No sightings in the soybean field that runs along my property in a month. It runs 1/2 mile deep. 

I bowhunt funnels, edges and where they travel, we don't have noticeable deer runs. Some of this has to do, with cropland everywhere. No consistant travel patterns for any length of time. "foodplots hold up nicely"  

On the bright side: There is plenty of deer to hunt, and a good buck to doe ratio. Nearly 1 to 1. They grow big fast..


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Andy said:


> FL, you must be in southern Mich, cuz im in NE Ohio and we might have gotten similar weather....no rain!
> It finally rained a few days after the hurricane last week, but our fields just look terrible! All they are, are dirt.
> 
> there is still no rain in the forecast for the next 10 days and it might last alot longer cuz the sept. in our area are usually dry! Im plumb pissed! that was alot of money we spent on quality seeds and the weather really screwed us. we usually get rain once a week in august so we didn't even bother to think it might not come.


I'm minutes north of the Ohio (Williams County) line. I was told by a farmer that we are on track in Hillsdale County for the driest summer since 1988. All the farm drains in my area are bone dry. Plots are all looking pretty stressed, with the exception of that deep-rooted alfalfa in one of my clover plots. 

As of today, I am in *no* rush to get my fall plots planted.

Good pics, Jeff.


----------



## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

FL,
When is your typical timing for wheat...I'd bet you still have a good cushion wouldn't you?


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

I've seen farmers plant wheat as late as early November. 

I kind of like to have some wheat growing a little sooner than that (I have my reasons :evil: ).

Really, as long as I can get the wheat planted by October 1, I'll be happy. I would be very surprised if the next 7 weeks are as dry as the last 7 weeks have been.


----------



## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

That's what I was thinking. That date is near the limit up here and probably too late most years for the U.P., but it's a lot different where you guys are at. I'd think in the next 2-3 weeks would still be good to establish clover with a cover crop of wheat for you guys.

Sounds like you'll still have a good crop for the season with those plans FL...GOOD LUCK!!


----------



## Andy (May 20, 2004)

we planted rye on Oct. 10-12th last year and the deer were hammering it throughout Nov. and into Dec. And I guess we'll have to do that again. That is not the point of my frustration though. We had spread, high protein, high dollar, clover, brassica, chickory seed in early Aug. and it looks as though most of it never germinated. Anyone know what the difference in protein AND tonnage is between Bio. Maximum and winter rye (late planted)? My guess is 38% compared to 10%. And tonnage ALOT to a little. Frustrating to think with a year more of knowledge and experience we will actually have less productive plots than last year, that's all

andy


----------



## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

Andy, depending upon when the brassicas are planted compared to rye, and on what soil type and temps and how the deer utalize them, the differences can go either way. Take up here for example. The brassicas grow to whatever heigth by early Sept., and then stop growing due to temps for the rest of the year. By Nov. there is virtually nothing left, and if we have a later start to winter the fields can be bare for a couple months. On the other hand, rye will grow well right through Nov. with any string of warm days and can compete very well with grazing deer, even on small plots. Especially when compared to clover, rye or wheat in November and later will often do much better.

Right now I have may broadcast brassicas growing within my clover and chicory planted in 2004, and then the rye/oats/chicory, and 15% brassicas growing on the other 1/2. The growing new fields are very aggressive and take the competition off the clover/chicory/brassica on the older 1/2 so that both halves experience a very good amount of forage heading into the later months with combinations of clover, chicory, brassicas, oats, and rye at various stages of growth.

Would be interesting to see some nutrition and tonnage comparisons....but it would also be interesting to see side by side plot utalization with amounts of the various forages for each month of the year, especially Nov through April.

Something else to consider is planting risk levels. For example, planting clover in the spring is riskier than late summer/fall due to weeds and drought. Same with late summer brassicas and drought. On the otherhand, rye and wheat planted in the fall is about as fool-proof as it gets and is an excellant variety to use when establishing perennials. Cut back on your perennial portion of the planting and your plots have enough open dirt in early spring to broadcast and cultipack a great crop of brassicas growing within your clover that have the entire year to mature and reach maximum growth, while at the same time acting as a nurse crop to your young perennials to safegaurd against drought. Sometimes it's not about planting the best great crop, but the best good crop with the highest chance for percentage of success for overall plot consistancy and effectiveness year-in and year out.

As you've experienced you can still have a great crop with the rye while establishing the perennial base you want. You had a great loss....but it can still be positive, and if nothing else you can sometimes get great deals on seed at this time of year...not what you want to hear, but you can still have great success with your plots and enjoy them for hunting season and the entire next year or more if you choose.

Good luck and I trully hope it gets better for you!


----------



## Andy (May 20, 2004)

don't it look great!?!? yeah, this is the plot that germinated the least, in fact zero. You can see my brother in the stand in the first pic. On a south wind, this would be a "can't miss" opportunity at a doe harvest at least. Now it's a can't miss opportunity for getting skunked. Im really hoping the rye comes through for us here. There's an oil well in this opening, would it matter if some of that spilled on the ground? would that keep it from germinating? Also, we sprayed Arsenal on this plot twice this year, once last year to kill everything but mostly the fragmites, which is a noxious swamp plant that multiplies like a virus on our place. I think we killed it, but possibly contaminated the soil to a point that nothing will grow! ?!? Not sure, any opinions?
andy


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Andy, I understand your frustration. Of course, it could be worse - we could do this stuff for a living!

I appreciate you posting the pics of your barren plots; we (me included) like to show off our lush, thriving greenery, but, the reality is, bad stuff can happen, whether due to our hard-earned lessons, or just mother nature's fickle behavior.

FWIW, my soys are so crappy now that the deer are ignoring them.


----------



## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

The rain was real spotty this year with all the storms. In Washtenaw County by my home, my small plots there are looking as close to perfect as could be. I seeded one with Imperial Whitetail clover last spring (2004) and it is thick and lush. I (actaully my wife mowed it) last mowed it in early Aug. I just fertilized it again last week. I started another plot there this spring planting with Imperial Whitetail Clover and I also mixed in some old rape seeds that I had laying around. The plot took off great and the clover is thick and lush. The five year old rape seeds also did very well and were about two feet tall when my wife mowed most of them down last month by mistake.

My plots were pretty dry looking in the U.P. when I was last up there during early Aug. A new, large clover field germinated well, but the drought stunted the plant's growth. When I was there though we had lots of rain and they greened up and started growing right in front of my eyes. I also planted a bunch of rye during that visit, but I havn't been there since to see how its growing. I'm heading there on Sept. 18 to check things out and do some bird hunting. We'll see then.


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Forecasted "scattered" showers failed to materialize Tuesday/Wednesday, and dry conditions are predicted until next Wednesday, where there is a chance of "isolated" showers. By then, it'll be 4 full weeks without a drop, on top of already below-avg precipitation.

Even the weeds are starting to look like crap.

Fall plots may not get planted until October. :rant:


----------



## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

I was fortunate enough to get a 3/4 inch rain on Wednesday night.
Seeing that rain in the forecast I gambled a little and overseeded my soys and a new clover patch Wednesday morning with some WW and oats.


----------



## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

You trying to catch up to NJ there Andy? :lol: Hell, ya probably have more. Wish I had the money to do all that. :lol: wish I had the energy to do all that :lol: I'm to cheap to buy a dang sprayer and roundup. My fertilizer is cow ****, but I actually have bought seed and lime at one time. :yikes: Sounds like you should be all set this hunting season. Good luck.


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Andy said:


> Going into season we will have 4 1/2 acres of standing beans, 5 acres of corn, another 2 acres of beans, 1/2 acre of buckoats, 1/2 acre of Ed's perennial mix (which is overgrown with ragweed), 1/2 acre clover field, another 1/2 acre clover, chickory field, 1 1/2 acres of good growing Maximum, 3/4 acre plot of maximum and clover, 1/8 acre of clover and chickory, 1/8 acre green patch plus planted a year ago, 1/2 acre wheat and rye, 1/2 acre of wheat and rye, 3/4 acre wheat and rye, 1/4 acre tyfon turnips and spring planted maximum (4 to 5 ft. tall now), another 1/2 acre of maximum, 1/2 acre of wheat and rye.....and i think that's it.


Andy, I think it's time you quit goofing off and got serious about this food plot business. Next year, set aside some serious acreage and give your critters something to _eat,_ for crying out loud.


----------



## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

Andy said:


> 1/2 acre of Ed's perennial mix (which is overgrown with ragweed),
> 
> andy


Don't worry about the ragweed, deer like it.


----------



## Andy (May 20, 2004)

hey, just trying to follow recommendations of having 5% of your land in food plots. That would be 35 acres for us.....so we still have a ways to go!

If this was YOUR goal, would you include clearcuts meant for browse to the deer in your total acreage of food available to deer? I ve never included our clearcuts in the acreage in foodplots, but it is acting as a buffet for the deer....

andy


----------



## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

Andy, that's an amazing amount of land and food plot acreage you guys have to work with!!

To get to 5% in the future I'll need to expand to roughly 12-13 acres of food plots and the 17 plots and 8 acres right now is giving me a whole lot to handle when it's just myself...can't imagine 35 acres being 5%!! Sounds like you have a lot of food growing right now and I'd be willing to bet your efforts will pay off and we'll be seeing some nice pictures in the months to come!


----------



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

The 5% number may be arbitrary especially within the "deer attraction" competition between neighbors. Some landowners are making their majority property to be the 5% food plot of the entire neighborhood when the surrounding properties are not designed or being managed as food plots. This statement could be a separate topic thread.


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

On my way out to the farm this morning, listened to two separate weather forecasts for today. Both called for near-certain heavy rain this afternoon and evening. Went out and planted my wheat, oats, and mystery seeds today, with enthusiasm. 

Not a drop. Looking at the doppler, the heavy storms look to pass to the south of me. Nothing in the forecast but "isolated showers" a few days down the road. :rant:

Can't wait for 2006.


----------



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

FL and I may be watching the same forecast??? 
I most watch Grand Rapids TV-13, TV-8, and TV-11. I noted TV-13 said 50% chance and TV-8 said 30% chance. Both said heavy afternoon thundershowers. What I got was morning light drizzle rain for 20 minutes at 10am and nothing in afternoon. This morning I put out my last half bag Biologic plus as patch filler. Yesterday we put out winter wheat, rye, and buck forage oats. Ready or not got to do something. For me the best forecast is Milwaukee doppler radar and add on 4-hours, hoping it doesn't fall apart over Lake Michigan.


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

It's not really about how much rain you get a year but more a matter of when you get it. Scroll to the bottom of link 

May, June & July were really dry for me. Since late July I've got at least a little bit of rain every week. I don't think I could be much happier with my late summer planting even if I had an irrigation system.


----------



## Trophy Specialist (Nov 30, 2001)

I just got back from a week in the U.P. My plots there were very dry. I planted rye in two plots during the first week of Aug. and nothing germinated. There were hundreds of doves eating my seeds. I planted a plot of clover (Antler King) this spring and that one germinated well but is all dead now. I planted a new plot of Imperial Whitetail Clover in May and it was doing amazingly well especially since some other red and ladina clover I planted as a test were not doing good. The IWC was getting hit very hard by the deer though and it will be all history by early Oct. when the leafs drop. It is a 3 acre plot so it can't stand heavy grazing preasure. It's the dryest I've ever seen it there. My creek is dryed up, which is the first I've seen of that. The only water sources on my property are the waterholes I dug. I saw tons of grouse around them and deer tracks were unbelievable there too. I dug a dozen small water holes for the deer two years ago.


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Today I found that a 6a. swamp on my farm, which is deeper than my others and had always held water throughout the summer, even in 2001, my driest year before this one, has now run completely dry. The black muck is powdery. Previous owner used to duck hunt this swamp annually.

Recent rains mostly missed to both the north and south; got a total of about 1/2 inch Wed-Thur, ground is still dry as can be. Here's hoping that Rita makes it up this way!


----------



## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Farmledgend,

I just walked in the house from planting my last plot, 1/4 acre ww. We got 1.1" yesterday and .8" a few days before that. Everything appears to be growing well although my brassicas are way behind.
A little over seeding and a dose of 46-0-0 on the others and that'll do it until frost seeding time.
A clover plot in the back yard that I was able to get the hose to is green and lush and had a doe and fawn on it while I enjoyed a cup of java this a.m.
The rain gods finally smiled on Eaton Co. Life is good.
Maybe you're just holding your mouth wrong.
FWIW, your welcome to come and admire my precipitation any 'ol time you please, heck I'll even give you a jar to take home with you.
Cheers,
Big T


----------



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Big T, to add insult to injury - Monday evening I raked up and hoed the vegetable garden in my back yard (it's black muck ground too), and broacast a little leftover wheat/oats/brassica seed in it, along with some triple-19 and urea, then ran it over with a quad. Since then, we've had about 2" here in Northville, and the plot is coming up nicely already!


----------



## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

farmlegend said:


> Big T, to add insult to injury - Monday evening I raked up and hoed the vegetable garden in my back yard (it's black muck ground too), and broacast a little leftover wheat/oats/brassica seed in it, along with some triple-19 and urea, then ran it over with a quad. Since then, we've had about 2" here in Northville, and the plot is coming up nicely already!


FL,
Any good trees to hang a stand in overlooking the garden? If so make sure your not a boorish "fence setter".:lol: 

Big T


----------



## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

Planted our food plots on 8/25 and then headed for Colorado to do some elk hunting. We got back this week and were pleasantly surprised to see our main food plot above had produced a decent crop, even thou we apparently did not get any significant rain during our absence. I guess it was just the luck of the Irish that we managed to get this result. The only thing I can figure out is we did have some rain just before we planted and this moisture must have been enough to germinate the seeds.

We have three does and three fawns using the food plots, so we are hopefull that the bucks will show up by the middle of October  .


----------

