Broadcasting Seed Into Small “Hidey Hole” Food Plots

By GrowingDeer,

  Filed under: Food Plots, Hunting Blog

Braden and Josh helped broadcast several hidey hole food plots yesterday before the rain. They broadcasted Green Cover Seed Browse Pressure Release at twice the drilling rate. This higher rate ensures a good stand!

We often broadcast seed into standing vegetation but spread at least twice the seed as normal and then realize there may not be a great stand. For good success the seed needs to make seed to soil contact.  There will be a low survival rate if the seeds land on vegetation, etc., rather than directly on soil.  It’s best to broadcast the seed just before or during a rain!  This will help by splashing dirt and covering the seed and insuring there’s adequate soil moisture.

Sometimes we create a firebreak around the plot and burn the existing vegetation when it’s dry/dead and then broadcast the seed.  This is a good technique that still increases the amount of organic matter as it doesn’t harm the roots, but does create a clean seed bed and often a very good stand of forage! This technique was used successfully by Danny and Bradley in this video.

For more in-depth tips on how to use hand tools or a broadcast spreader to create a small food plot, check out this video.