Outdoor Logic with BioLogic

No-Till Kill Plots

Increased Results with Fewer Steps

By not turning the soil, we’re eliminating an important step in the planting process, so certain other steps must be carried out if you wish success. Clovers, like these bucks are browsing through, can make a great choice for a kill plot from opening day until the plants go dormant. (Photo Credit: Linda Arndt)

The terms “no-till” or “no-plow” can be very misleading when it comes to food plot products. I believe when companies use these terms it gives “newbies” a false sense of hope — it tells them that it’s acceptable to cut out an important step in the planting process and everything will be fine. The problem being that these types of products are often sold to first-timers or food plot farmers that don’t have the equipment necessary to complete all the planting steps according to the book. For those reading this publication, likely you have the equipment to accomplish the task. However, it’s still a good idea to know these tactics, because the truth is, if a few key steps are followed, a little “honey-hole”-type plot back off the beaten trail can be created and is very effective at attracting mature bucks during legal shooting light.

The more steps you skip in the planting process, the more you will sacrifice in attraction, yield and palatability until you get to a point where you have a total failure. Is it possible to plant a food plot without working or turning the soil? Absolutely; however, if you’re going to skip this very important action, some of the remaining steps become much more essential and must be completed correctly.

Remember, too, these small kill plots don’t need to be “picture perfect”; they only need to be effective.

To begin, choosing a crop that will do well in often less than desirable planting conditions is crucial. These

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small hidey-hole-type plots are often located within, and/or very close to timber. Will it get full sun … partial sun … not all crops are suited for this? Areas back off the beaten track that haven’t been farmed before will often have acidic soil. Without the ability to incorporate lime into the soil to reduce the soil’s acidity, in this case you should choose a crop that will do well in a lower pH.

The size of the seeds must also be taken into consideration. For the most part, you’ll need to use small seeds that have a planting depth of one-half inch or less. If you aren’t working the soil to prepare a deeper seedbed, you’ll have to utilize what Mother Nature left you. So that means large seeds like corn, beans and peas with a planting depth of an inch or more will likely need to be passed on unless you do have an implement that will bury the seeds the appropriate depth, or an awful lot of “elbow grease.” Instead, small seeds like clovers, brassicas, chicory and some cereal grains will need to be your choices.

For late summer/fall planting, there are numerous choices — products with cereal grains like Outfitter’s Blend or Last Bite or brassica blends like Maximum, Deer Radish or Winter Bulbs & Sugar Beets should produce good stands in a no-till situation. Clover blends like Clover Plus and Non-Typical are also good choices; but, again, you’ll want a somewhat neutral pH for these legumes. There are many other blends that will turn out if you follow the necessary steps.

These remote areas often provide the best opportunities for coming into contact with mature bucks, but are the worst location for a food plot. A blend like Hot Spot has been scientifically designed and is meant for this exact no-till situation. The plants in this blend will grow on concrete! Well … I may be exaggerating a bit, but the plant types in Hot Spot (buckwheat, two varieties of rape, daikon radish and rye grass) are fast-germinating, extremely attractive to deer and incredibly easy to plant.

As said, if you’re going to skip a major step like seedbed preparation, you must make certain the rest of the procedures in the planting process are completed properly. Along with other details, there are three vital steps to ensuring success: 1) You must make sure you choose a suitable location. 2) Make sure to eliminate the existing vegetation (competition). You don’t want your crop competing with native plants for sunlight, moisture and soil nutrients. 3) Make sure your seeds make contact with the soil. For good germination, the seeds must be planted the appropriate depth.

A good rule of thumb in choosing a location is: If significant vegetation is growing on the site or has grown there during the prior growing season, that normally indicates there should be enough sunlight hitting the spot. It should also be receiving adequate moisture and the soil should be suitable to sustain plant life.

Some people think they’re going to plant a no-till plot back in the “boonies” near their treestand where there’s only a bunch of matted-down leaves or pine needles. If there’s not something currently growing in the spot, what makes you think your food plot would grow any better? In this case, I would make sure to remove some canopy trees before ever attempting to plant the site. Four hours of direct sunlight is the absolute minimum. Buckwheat, brassicas, some cereals and some clovers can be grown in as little as four hours of direct sunlight per day, but I would want six hours per day or more to grow most other plant types.

A soil test would be a good idea for several reasons. Obviously, just like any plot, we need to know what we’re dealing with so we know what to add for success. However, in the case of a no-till plot, since we cannot turn the soil, adding lime to reduce the soil’s acidity will be much less effective.

Lime works best when you can place the lime particle where you want it to do its job, which is “throughout the top 8 inches of the soil column where the plant’s roots will be,” so working lime into the soil will be best. Since we’re unable to do that with a no-till approach, again, plant selection will be crucial. An application of pelletized lime may help somewhat, but it will be im

Radishes make a great choice for a kill plot. Not only are they very attractive throughout the hunting season but they are great for the soil. They are also browse tolerant – here you see a radish that’s had its “haircut” by the local herd yet it still stays green and productive. (Photo Credit: Todd Amenrud) portant to choose a crop that will grow in the pH that you currently have since raising it (or reducing the soil’s acidity) will be more difficult without being able to turn the soil.

It will be important that you pay attention to your soil test results and make sure you apply the NPK fertilizer called for in your test’s recommendations. In a no-till situation. BioLogic’s M.E.E.N. Green Water Soluble Fertilizer can be just the ticket. This unique product contains water soluble phosphorous which helps stimulate root development and increased plant growth. Healthier root systems allow plants to more efficiently utilize soil moisture. It also provides plants with key micronutrients which are often unavailable in ordinary fertilizers. The main advantage in a no-till situation, however, is the fact that the nutrients are absorbed through the plants’ leaves and stems (in addition to the roots), so even in acidic conditions the plants will be able to utilize these important nutrients more effectively. This unique formula makes plants healthier and noticeably more attractive to whitetails. This approach works best when applied shortly after germination.

A granular fertilizer can also be applied at planting time. This is a good approach if you won’t be able to get back to the plot after the plants have germinated. In ab

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sence of a soil test, about 400 lbs. of 10-10-10 per acre (or the equivalent) should suffice.

It is vital that you remove all competing vegetation. Plain glyphosate (Roundup) is usually the best, easiest and least expensive choice for this job. There were ideal conditions at the spot for whatever native plant was growing there before; now you need to remove those plants and create “ideal conditions for your new proposed crop.” If there is a lot of plant mass to kill and remove, some managers may plan a no-till plot and begin killing weeds a year in advance.

Since we’re cutting a corner, I want to use every other advantage I have at my disposal. If I’m planting a crop that DOES NOT contain a desirable grass, a selective grass herbicide can also be used. A clethodim-based herbicide is designed to kill annual and perennial grasses without harming my broadleaf food plot crops.

It can be tank-mixed with M.E.E.N. Green to increase its effectiveness – so you can “foliar feed” the crops you want to protect and at the same time, kill the grasses all in one application. Best results will be achieved by spraying grasses when they are young and thriving so the poison is readily absorbed.

If there is a matt of vegetation like a layer of sod, it must be removed. All dead plant matter should be raked out of the plot. For late summer/fall planting, there will often be tall, green plants or grass growing so you may need to mow before you spray your herbicide. If you mow, make sure to wait a few days before you spray the herbicide. Mowing will shock the plants into dormancy and you want your target plants growing robustly so they suck the poison into their root systems. Regardless, the dead plant residue needs to go. A plain garden rake and some elbow grease will work to remove it, or

These types of “kill-plots” work very well when combined with other attractions like water, fresh browse, minerals or mast. Give them multiple reasons to want/ need to be there. These spots will best attract during hunting hours when adjacent to thick escape cover. (Photo Credit: Dave Medvecky)

This is exactly what we’re after! Mature bucks feeding in our kill plot during hunting hours. Since the soil isn’t being turned, your kill plot may not look as presentable as plots where you’ve worked the soil, but remember, they don’t need to be pretty … just effective. (Photo Credit: Linda Arndt)

an ATV with a harrow-type drag will cover ground much faster. A lawn dethatcher pulled behind an ATV or tractor also works well for removing debris. The seeds need to make contact with the soil, not get caught up in the dead plant residue.

Even if the seeds could make it through the residue to the soil and germinate, all the decaying plant material would rob nitrogen and other nutrients from your new seedlings. The process of breaking down dead plant matter in the soil and turning it into valuable organic matter will take precedence over the process of plant growth. It robs the soil of the energy that should be going to your plants. So the dead plant residue must go.

These types of “kill-plots” work very well when combined with a water source, mast crop trees of some kind (acorns, hickory nuts, walnuts or soft mast like apples, pears, persimmon, berries and fruits such as crabapples, blueberries and serviceberries, etc.), a mineral site or fresh-cut browse. A convenient, “one stop shop” for your whitetails will give them multiple reasons to want/ need to be there. These spots will work best when adjacent to thick escape cover.

The ultimate “no-till planting method” would be a notill drill. However, without the luxury of this implement, food plot farmers can still produce a decent stand without turning the soil. Since we’re cutting out a major action in the planting process we must ensure the other steps are executed adequately. No-till planting is a great method to produce a plot in a spot where the ground cannot be worked due to excessive rocks, stumps or other debris, a site you cannot get equipment to, or for first-time farmers who don’t have the necessary equipment. A no-till plot may not look as pretty as a well-prepared seedbed, yet you can still produce tons of forage for your wildlife.