Episode #20 - Food Plot Prep Continues - Native Grass and Miscanthus in the Ground

Published: 2020-04-27
Episode page
Duration: 55 min

In this episode

chemical-selection

• Terry recommends contacting a local chemical or ag store rather than relying on brand names for herbicide questions. 18:52

clover

• For small plots facing heavy browse pressure, Terry says he will choose clover every time. 45:14

clover-maintenance

• Don recommends overseeding a clover plot roughly every other spring, which can keep it productive for ten years or more. 45:52

contest

• Terry mentions an Aero Wild TV scavenger hunt contest that ran during the lockdown period. 54:26

contest-winner

• The contest winner received Real World gear and will appear as a guest on Chasing Giants to discuss their property. 54:37

deadly-dozen

• Terry says he has more confidence in Deadly Dozen than any other product for reliably drawing deer despite drought or browse pressure. 44:54

deer-management

• Terry announces an upcoming full episode dedicated to herd management and culling of bucks, a topic Don had hinted at earlier. 20:42

food-plot-rotation

• What can be rotated with Deadly Dozen instead of soybeans in small food plots that get decimated? 43:08

food-plot-season

• Terry announces the podcast will focus heavily on food plot listener questions over the next couple of episodes. 4:33

habitat-management

• Terry cleared roughly two acres of overgrown cow pasture near his parking access where deer had been bedding. 16:45

hunting-access

• Don emphasizes that good property access is essential, or the property is essentially unusable. 17:29

miscanthus-planting

• Don had Jay Gingerich of Gingerich Tree Farm help plant his Miscanthus using a tree seedling planter. 9:45
• Terry advises growers planting Miscanthus near soybean fields to control wind direction or spray distance since Roundup will kill the Miscanthus. 41:18
• How and when should Miscanthus be planted, including site prep and follow-up care? 35:59
• Does a Miscanthus rhizome need to be oriented a specific way when planted in the hole or ditch? 40:14

native-grass-germination

• Don explains native grasses germinate slowly and put on a lot of root growth before any top growth appears. 7:21
• Don states native grass seed will not do anything until soil temperatures reach 60 degrees. 8:14

native-grass-planting

• Don recommends not pushing native grass planting much past mid-June for the best results. 5:55

podcast-guest

• Terry mentions he was recently a guest on the Whitetuckle Productions podcast discussing the hunting industry and pro staff involvement. 21:32

podcast-reviews

• Terry announces the podcast received its first negative written review after roughly 90 positive ones. 28:51

resistant-weeds

• Don explains residual chemicals can be applied before planting to prevent glyphosate-resistant weeds from growing. 19:33

saddle-hunting

• A listener’s negative review criticized the hosts’ saddle hunting content, according to Terry. 29:21

scouting

• With rain expected this week, what scouting or indoor projects does Don plan to accomplish? 49:41

soybean-planting

• Terry expects to be about a couple weeks out from planting soybeans due to rain forecast for the week. 4:10
• Don notes corn requires precise spacing to produce well, unlike soybeans which adapt to whatever space they’re given. 33:01
• Does Don have all his soybeans planted, or just some of them? 4:46

soybean-population

• What soybean seed population per acre should be used when setting up a planter? 30:33

spring-food-plot

• What spring-planted brassica or mix would attract deer to new small food plots before fall overseeding? 46:45

spring-prep

• Don plans to be totally finished with his food plot and stand projects within another two weeks. 1:50

stand-placement

• Don says he moved stands, taking four down and putting two up in a single day while getting ahead on spring farm work. 1:45

treestand-maintenance

• Don has been rebuilding older stands by replacing worn cables with wider chain, which is much stronger. 51:03
• Terry describes removing the top strap bolt on Lone Wolf Treestands and reaming the hole so a chain can be used instead of a strap. 51:41

turkey-hunting

• While turkey hunting, Terry describes a bull moving closer and closer toward him through a fence gap. 13:41
• Terry recounts a bull sniffing, biting, and carrying off his seat pad after he abandoned his gear to avoid it. 14:55

Deer activity

• Smokey (harvest) 44:29
• unnamed buck (harvest) 44:29

Listener questions

Question: What soybean seed population per acre should be used when setting up a planter? 30:33 — asked by Brandon Erickson

• Answer: Don recommends one bag of Real World soybeans per acre, about 140,000 seeds, regardless of row spacing or broadcasting. 30:50

Question: How and when should Miscanthus be planted, including site prep and follow-up care? 35:59 — asked by Eric Wagerman

• Answer: Don recommends starting with a weed-free site prepared by spraying herbicide before planting Miscanthus. 37:05

Question: What can be rotated with Deadly Dozen instead of soybeans in small food plots that get decimated? 43:08 — asked by Brian Coleman

• Answer: Don suggests clover as another rotation option alongside Deadly Dozen, ranking soybeans first and Deadly Dozen second in preference. 43:16

Question: What spring-planted brassica or mix would attract deer to new small food plots before fall overseeding? 46:45 — asked by Russ

• Answer: Don recommends planting soybeans in spring rather than brassica for these small new plots. 47:19

Question: Does a Miscanthus rhizome need to be oriented a specific way when planted in the hole or ditch? 40:14

• Answer: Don explains the rhizome just needs to lay flat and horizontal, fully covered with soil. 40:21

Question: With rain expected this week, what scouting or indoor projects does Don plan to accomplish? 49:41 — asked by Terry

• Answer: Don plans to hang two more stands this week among a list of other projects. 49:54

Question: Does Don have all his soybeans planted, or just some of them? 4:46 — asked by Terry

• Answer: Don has not planted any soybeans yet, only a couple of test plots. 4:51

Don and Terry covered spring food plot and stand prep, with Don finishing four stand moves and two new hangs in a day and planning to wrap food plot and stand projects within two weeks, while Terry expected to be about two weeks from planting soybeans due to rain. They fielded listener questions on soybean seeding rate (one bag of Real World beans per acre, about 140,000 seeds), Miscanthus planting and rhizome orientation, and rotating small decimated plots with clover or Deadly Dozen instead of soybeans. Don explained native grass germination timing, soil temperature thresholds, and residual herbicide use against resistant weeds; Terry advised checking local ag stores rather than relying on brand names. Don described rebuilding stands with chain instead of cable, and Terry recounted a tense turkey hunt where a bull approached and made off with his seat pad. Terry also noted the show’s first negative review, targeting saddle hunting content, after about 90 positive ones.

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.