How to Grow Food Plots in a Drought

When you see rain coming, it is important to get fertilizer out on your plots if you have not done so already. You need to make the most of every rain and every growing day when facing a drought, and fertilizer helps with that.

Hey Bill. I am looking forward to this next season of Midwest Whitetail! I planted a small plot to Autumn Quick Plot in the middle of August and it germinated fairly quickly. Like many here in the Midwest, we are experiencing a drought and the only rain we have gotten is the few days of rain just after I planted in August. Needless to say, my plot isn’t coming in as well as I had hoped. Is there anything I can do to improve my plot at this stage?

There is supposed to be a good amount of rain coming in the forecast around the 16th of September. Is it too late to till it up and start over or do I just pray for rain and maybe add more fertilizer? Thanks for everything you do for the hunting community.

Bill responds,

Luke,

Thanks for your support. I appreciate it. I wish I could say that there is supposed to be rain coming here. The best thing you can do now is to fertilize the plot right before the rain hits. If you fertilized it when you planted it, you can likely skip this step. But otherwise, the fertilizer will kick it into gear quickly. Simple Triple 13 or Triple 19 that you buy at a lawn and garden store will work. I would put it on at a rate of roughly 100 to 150 pounds per 1/2 acre. So if your plot is just 1/4 acre, then roughly 50 pounds, or more if possible. Good luck. (9-12-17)