Annual Food Plot General

Annual food plot species include the crops that, after planting, last one growing season. Examples of spring planted annuals are corn, soybeans and lab lab. These spring planted annuals will die in the fall. Examples of fall planted crops that die in the spring include oats, wheat and Austrian winter peas.

Annuals are very important in a food plot program as they provide many tons of forge to deer, elk and turkey for most of the year. The only times when they don’t supply food if both fall and spring plantings are completed is the down time when you mow down the dead vegetation and the time after planting until the crop emerges from the soil in enough volume to be browsed.

Annuals generally will perform better than perennials while you are building the soil pH and fertility in the soil.

If you have a small amount of acreage in food plots it makes sense to plant mostly annuals as this will supply the most food.

Picture is lab lab up close.