FX 1001 Winter Triticale Food Plot
Whitetail Deer
As I sit here in January, I'm already thinking about my food plot strategy for the upcoming season.
A fairly new alternative has caught my attention. It's called...FORAGE FX 1001 WINTER TRITICALE...a winter hardy wheat (I think).
I have no experience with planting Wheat in any of my food plots so I am kindly asking for some help.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.....
1) When is it planted? I believe in August. 2) If planted in August, will it be mature enough for deer during hunting season. I live in the Northeast. 3) Is it an annual or perennial? 4) How do you plant it? I don't have a tractor. Can I hand seed and drag? 5) What fertilizer, if any, should I use? 6) What are the benefits/drawbacks? 7) Once planted, is there maintenance? If so, what? Any other thoughts would be most welcome.
Thank you in advance
Triticale is basically a cross between wheat and rye. It is very winter hardy, which means It should withstand a pretty cold winter, and grow the following spring. For food plot purposes, my guess it is best planted in late August/early September in your area. The green leaves are what is attractive to the deer in the fall/winter. It would be considered an annual. If planted in the fall, it should start to green up again the following spring, and if not terminated by spraying or discing, it will continue to grow and put seed heads on and ripen in mid summer. You can broadcast the seed by hand or with a hand/atv seeder. If you get plenty of moisture, it will sprout right on top of the ground, but it would be ideal to incorporate it into the soil approximately an inch deep. Ideally, a soil test would be best to know what amendments need to be added to your soil. Generally, Nitrogen is the most beneficial fertilizer for grasses.
It is very easy to grow and usually very attractive to deer in the fall, but somewhat less so in the winter, especially in northern states. Personally, I prefer triticale to most other cereal grains (wheat, rye, oats). Oats are good as well, but they are not winter hardy. A few hard freezes and they are toast.
why not just use cereal rye? it works great, inexpensive and you can get awnless if you let it bolt in the late in the late spring? Rye is MUCH more forgiving then winter wheat.
This is rye in earl Apr in OH, it grew all winter and all four acres were mowed chin high by the herd.
