Peas or Beans

[TreeWalker]

I'm looking at putting in some smaller food plots....several in the 1/4 acre each catagory.....I noticed a couple years back, a guys feield was absolutely being pounded by deer, so when I asked him what it was he had in there...he said it was field peas....

Now I know there are several different kinds....so I approach you with this......what would be good for an area up here, with good moisture and moderate temps which can sometimes get up in the 90's later on......

And can these be broadcast, or do they need to be seeded deeper......

Thanks for any tips.....Clay

[wtnhunt]

Field peas or cowpeas can be broadcast. I use my disc after broadcasting lowered just barely enough to turn the soil, then drag off once to ensure coverage. Quarter acre plots may not be big enough to hold up to browsing though Clay.

Used lablab plus in smaller plots last year, and I think the fast growth of the sorghum helped to keep the peas and beans from getting overbrowsed.

[Texan_Til_I_Die]

I agree. Plant something like milo along with the peas to give the plants a chance to establish themselves before the deer graze them completely down.

[TreeWalker]

Excellent tips guys.....now that is what i am talking about !!

See these little plots are gonna be in several different "horseshoes" along a nice winding creek......some hold excellent locations for funnel potential and treestand locations.........can't wait to get started.....

[MCDillinois]

The peas by themselves would certainly get hammered down in the 1/4 acre size. I would highly recommend mixing sunflower and WGF sorghum to the mix. This will give the plot a "crutch" to grow on and also help take the pressure off the peas. Or, you can use Plotsaver on the plot untill it becomes established.

Good luck and let us know how it goes

[Tominator]

I don't have any experience with cowpeas, so I don't know how they would hold up to those temps. Soybeans do very well in that kind of weather though.

Todd probably knows the difference in nutritional value, but I think soybeans rank pretty high in the protein category, and I know the deer over here hammer them. Any given night in June and July you can drive around and see the deer nipping the tops off.

[hookedonhunting]

Ive never had any trouble with cowpeaas in hot weather. just plant somethin along with them because they will stay mowed!

[TreeWalker]

Wow....didn't realize till now, that Milo is just another name for Sorghum....LOL

That looks like the combo I may go with.........but, would you guys suggest peas or beans ?? How do they compare as far as production....speed of growth....nutition, etc....

Thanks again for everything so far guys......Clay

[Leo]

Austrian Winter peas do well down here in heat and filtered sunlight. Just be sure to protect the plants so they don't get browsed to the groung before they even start producing peas.

They gotta be at least 14inches high before I would think about removing protection. Even after they are fully grown deer will eat the ENTIRE plant stems and all

[dogdoc]

Clay--my absolute favorite warm season planting is Iron and Clay cowpeas (field peas=cowpeas). Like others have said plant something to give the peas something to climb on---such as milo or a forage sorghum. Give it a try---the deer might just hammer it and never give it a chance to get established--if they do this then last summer you can come back and overseed the plots with winter wheat.

have fun
todd

[Born2Hunt]

Hey thanks dogdoc! overseeding with winter wheat is a great tip.

[stick]

whole oats is also a good filler for the winter.

[dogdoc]

[ QUOTE ]
whole oats is also a good filler for the winter.

[/ QUOTE ]

you're right--oats are a great fall and early winter forage. Very attractive early season--the only problem with oats is they bite the dust on the first good freeze. I wouldn't recommend them as a planting alone but great when mixed with wheat or rye.

todd

[BamaTrophyHunter]

the iron clay peas are good too. we planted 2 acres and the deer ate them all in about four months, they got about three-four foot tall before the deer started eatin them, that might have been b/c it was the first year we planted them. we are plantin again this weekend

[wtnhunt]

Cow peas or soybeans either way, or you could even mix them together and mix in some sorghum. I may be wrong, but I think the protein is going to be about the same for the peas and the beans.

Both are tolerant of the heat and grow quite well in warm weather. I just planted our purple hull peas(cow peas) in the garden here this past week. They do really well in the heat. Will hold off on planting any plots with them until probably sometime in June here.

Going to be planting what leftover lablab plus seed I did not use last year(about 5lbs) mixed with purple hull peas(about 5 lbs) from last years garden that were not edible to us, along with some sorghum here for my summer plots this year.