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Planting for Wildlife

Spring/Summer Varieties for Central Virginia Area           bunny_hop_md_wht.gif (9116 bytes)

Name
Animals Attracted
Type
Planting Date
Rate per acre
Remarks
Aeschynomene                 "Deer Vetch"
Deer, Ducks, Quail, Dove
Annual Legume
May to June
20 lbs.
Seeding very sensitive to drought, use in poorly drained or wet areas.
Alfagraze Alfalfa
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Perennial Legume
August/September
20-25 lbs.
Requires minimum pH of 6.5 and heavy fertilization.  Very drought tolerant
Black "Oil" Sunflower      (Peredovik-Type)
Quail, Dove, Turkey, Pheasant
Annual Oil Seed
May
40 lbs.
Excellent dove attractant.  Grows 2-3 feet tall.
Brown Top Millet
Quail, Dove, Duck, Deer
Annual Grass
Early spring to late summer
40 lbs.
Grows fast.  Heavy seed producer.  Can be flooded on low lands for ducks.
Buckwheat    
 
Quail, Pheasant, Dove, Duck, Deer, Turkey,
Annual Grass
April-July
25-50  lbs.
Most soil types.  Matures in 10-12 weeks.  Seeds remain on stalk after ripening, providing food for extended period. Makes excellent cover for garden areas-bees love it.
Carolina Spring Deer Mix   (Pennington)
Deer
Mix of Grasses
May
25 lbs.
Long growing season.
Chufas 
Deer, Turkey, Waterfowl
Annual bunch grass producing underground nuts.
April to July
30 lbs.
Turkey are crazy about it and will dig it up.  Likes sandy soil. Plant min. 1 acre
Corn
Deer
Annual
April to June
Broadcast 30 lbs.                     Drilled 15 lbs.
Crown Vetch

cv2_plant_med.JPG (19521 bytes)
Quail, Dove, Deer
Perennial Legume
May to August
20 lbs.
Permanent ground cover, blooms purple flower.  Good erosion control.
Dwarf Pearl Millet
  
Perennial Grass
May-July
25-40 lbs.
Grows 4-5' tall.  Good for hay.
Egyptian Wheat
Quail
Annual Grass
April to July
10 lbs.
Also called "chicken corn" and belongs to the sorghum family. Seed matures approx. 110 days after emergence. Seed heads are leafy though have little nutritional value. Seed heads are large, creamy white, brittle, but not hard, very high in protein. Shatters freely when mature, an advantage when grown for game birds as it shades as they scratch and feed off fallen seed.
German Foxtail Millet
  
Annual Grass
May-July
20 lbs.
Good for hay or forage.  Grows 2' tall
Iron Clay Cowpeas
Quail, Deer
Annual Legume
April to September
60 lbs.
Late maturing peas for quail, summer forage for deer.
Japanese Millet
Ducks, Doves, Quail
Annual Grass
May-July
20-30 lbs.
Also known as "duck millet".  Grows fast, produces abundance of seed.
Korean Lespedeza
Quail
Annual Legume
April to June
30 lbs.
Korean is earlier maturing than Kobe providing seed for Quail in early August.
Lab Lab
Deer
Annual Legume
May to July
5 lbs.
Fast growing vine.  Grows like Kudzu but because it is an annual, will not take over. Can be planted with millet, sorghum or corn.
Ladino Clover                      (Rackmaster, Trophy, Whitetail)
Deer, Turkey, Rabbits
Perennial Legume
August
8 lbs.
Lime soil to pH of 6.5.  Requires soil with good water holding capacity.
Milo-Sorghum
Doves
Annual
May-June
Drilled 8-12 lbs.                 Broadcast 40-50 lbs.
Grows 4-5' tall and produces grain.
Partridge Peas
Quail
Annual Reseeding Legume
March-June
Very expensive.  Grows 1-5' tall.  Good cover for quail and other wildlife (predator protection, winter food, shade & insects).   Cover seeds lightly, pack with cultipacker or tractor tires. A nurse crop of rye, wheat or ryegrass will protect seedlings.  If disked lightly or burned in March, the patch will reseed for years.
Pro-Graze by Evolved Habitat
Deer
Perennial Forage Attractant- Brassica, Clover & Chicory
Early Spring
Late Summer & Fall
8 lbs. acre
Premium mixture of perennial and annual forage
Pro-Vide by Evolved Habitat
Deer & Turkey
Perennial Forage Clover and Forage Chicory
Spring, Late Summer & Fall
8 lbs. acre
Premium mixture of forage clover and chicory developed to provide top quality food plot year around.
Red Millet
Doves
Annual Grass
April-July
25-50 lbs.
  
Shot-Plot by Evolved Habitat
Deer
Annual
Late Summer-Early Fall
Annual forage Brassicas, Forage Rape & Forage Turnips
Soybeans
Deer
Annual Legume
Mid May to June
Drilled 45-60 lbs.               Broadcast 60-90 lbs.
White Prosso Millet
Doves
Annual Grass
April-July
25-50 lbs.
This is one of the doves favorite. Grows 3-6' tall.   Matures from head down. Plants bend over as seed matures, dropping them to the ground.

 

Fall/Winter Varieties for Central Virginia Area            buckterritory_fighting_md_wht.gif (18739 bytes)

Name
Animals Attracted
Type
Planting Date
Rate per acre
Remarks
Alfagraze Alfalfa
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Perennial Legume
August/September
20-25 lbs.
Requires minimum pH of 6.5 and heavy fertilization.  Very drought tolerant
Austrian Winter Peas
Deer
Annual Legume
August-September
40-60 lbs.
Adds nitrogen to the soil.  Excellent wildlife forage.
Bio-Logic Attractor Supreme
Deer
Annual Forage
Late August up to 30 days prior to first frost
9 lbs. per acre
Brassica Varieties, Annual Clovers and Forage Wheat
Buck Forage Oats Deer Annaul Forage 100 lb/acre Tends to stay small longer and retain a higher protein level than other small grains making them a favorite of deer.
Crimson Clover (Red)
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Annual Legume
August/February
20-25 lbs.
Used in mixes.  Can be planted with rye, wheat or oats. Good cover crop and adds nitrogen to soil when tilled in.
Ladino Clover (White) Trophy, Rackmaster, or Whitetail
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Perennial Legume
August-October
8-12 lbs.
Lime soil to pH of 6.5.  Requires soil with good water holding capacity.
Deer Greens (Dwarf Essex Rape, Premier Kale and Purple Top Turnips)
Deer
Annual
5 lbs. per 1/2 acre
Because seed is so small and difficult to see, we recommend mixing with small grain such as wheat, rye, oats for best results- (ratio-3 parts grain/1 part greens)
Oats
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Annual Ryegrain
September -November
150 lbs.
Excellent deer food and can be planted with clovers.
Pro-Graze by Evolved Habitat
Deer
Perennial Forage Attractant- Brassica, Clover & Chicory
Early Spring
Late Summer & Early Fall
8 lbs. acre
Premium mixture of perennial and annual forage
Pro-Vide by Evolved Habitat
Deer & Turkey
Perennial Forage Clover and Forage Chicory
Spring, Late Summer & Fall
8 lbs. acre
Premium mixture of forage clover and chicory developed to provide top quality food plot year around.
Rackmaster Fall Deer Deluxe Mix (Pennington)
Deer
Mix of wheat, oats, Wintergrazer rye and clover.
August
40 lbs.
Long growing season.
Ryegrass   (Annual)
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Annual
September-November
Excellent winter grazing.  Will die out the following summer when it is hot. Can reseed itself.
Ryegrass (Perennial)
Deer, Turkey, Rabbit
Perennial
September-November
Excellent winter grazing.
Shot-Plot by Evolved Habitat
Deer
Annual
Late Summer-Early Fall
Annual forage Brassicas, Forage Rape & Forage Turnips
Switchgrass

switch2_field.JPG (25927 bytes)
Deer
Perennial Bunch Grass
Spring or fall
6-8 lbs. acre
Native/Warm season perennial bunch grass (3-5') grows best July-September. Tolerates poorly drained soils.  Does well as summer pasture or hay and can withstand frequent grazing.  Deer are crazy about this grass and will cross other seed plots to graze on it. Takes some patience to get established.
Wheat
Deer Turkey, Rabbit
Annual Ryegrain
September-November
150 lbs.
Excellent deer food and can be planted with clovers.
Wintergrazer 70 Rye         
Abruzzi Rye
Deer Turkey, Rabbit
Annual Ryegrain
August
150 lbs.
Excellent deer food and can be planted with clovers.

Note:  There are many other seeds available to plant for wildlife but these are the ones we stock and are most available in this area.