Spring is a perfect time to plant food plots on your South Carolina hunting land. It is an excellent idea to offer a nutritional food source for deer in the summer months. Spring and summer are when bucks need to replenish their skeletal systems and overall physiology. Antler growth, the primary rut and the sometimes tough winter months can put a lot of stress on bucks. It is also a very important time for does to replenish themselves since most are carrying fawns at this time and need a nutritious food source.
There are several reasons why spring is the ideal time to plant. For starters, it’s the easiest time to establish a quality food plot base. In the summer months, especially in the South, it can really dry out and be very tough on your plants.
Ideally, the first thing you’ll do is prepare your plots in late winter/early spring. Send a soil test in to the Whitetail Institute a few weeks prior to planting. Don’t skip this step if you want to ensure the best results for your food plots. You’ll want to till and get lime in your soil as soon as possible. If you get started early enough, dormant weed seeds will be stirred up into the topsoil, germinate, and begin growing before you even plant your food plot seeds. This way, you can spray the weeds right before you plant your clover or alfalfa. If you prefer not to use chemicals, you can weed your plot several times before planting to minimize competing vegetation. Getting rid of competing plants will greatly increase your clover’s survivability during the dry months.
Whitetail Institute sells the only seeds manufactured solely for whitetail deer. Check the test date on the bags and get the absolute freshest seeds you can. It’s important that the seeds, as well as the seeds coatings, are as fresh as possible. Whitetail Institute’s seeds contain important bacteria that maximizes germination as well as helps produce the maximum amount of nitrogen for themselves. Whitetail Institute also uses Rainbond on their seeds, which helps seedling survival rates.
In North and South Carolina, the best time to plant spring Imperial Whitetail Clover is February 1st-March 1st. The best time to plant Imperial PowerPlant is April 1st-May 1st. It’s important to plant your food plots during the right time period for your area. Check the Whitetail Institute website for more planting time information at www.whitetailinstitute.com
