Tools and Equipment for Food Plots

Tools & Equipment for Small Plots

Small food plots such as 25’x25′ near a tree stand can be accomplished with very little equipment.

Clearing
Several methods can be used to clear small ares. The following are some tools that will get the job done. Your goal is to have bare soil with little or no vegetation.

• Your home lawn mower can be used to mow the area
• A small one gallon hand held sprayer can be used to spray the area
• A gas weedeater will help mow a small area
• More primitive is a “lively lad” hand held non-motorized “weed eater”

After Clearing Prepare Seed Bed
Several methods are avialable here also. The goal is to loosen the soil as deep as you can.

• Apply a little lime and fertilizer before working the soil. Apply 10 lbs of lime and 5 lbs of fertilizer per each 25’x25′ area. This is rough but a good guess if you don’t soil test.
• Use a rototiller as this will work the best for these small areas (Rentals are available at home supply chains and rental companies). You probably can till 3″-4″ deep using the rototiller..
• Use a hard tine garden rake (not a leaf rake) and press down hard. This is work. You may be able to loosen the soil a half inch or inch deep.
• Use a mattock (similar to a pick). This is hard work. You probably can till 2″-3″ with this hand tool.

Seeds to Use
Basically grass (oats & wheat) and small seeds will work. Try not to use really large seeds. We assume that this is a fall planting personal hunting food plot. Therefore, we will show seeds for a small area spring planting. Seed quantity is for 25’x25′ area. Please note a 50’x50′ plot is four times larger than a 25’x25′ plot

• Buy a small bag of our winter mix. Use 1 lb of the oats and peas. Use 1/2 pound of the smaller seeds. Save the rest inside your house in a closet for the next season.
• Otherwise you could plant oats, wheat and winter clover using the rates above.

Planting the Seed

• Broadcast the big seed (oats, wheat, peas)
• Use the garden rake with tines down and rake pulling to you one time using pressure on the rake-don’t rake back and forth
• Broadcast the small seeds
• Turn the rake upside down and drag firmly one time over the plot

This is a tough way to plant a food plot but it works!