Best fertilizer for clover food plots, by soil test

Last updated 2026-07-25

What's the best fertilizer for a clover food plot?

For established clover, you want a fertilizer low in nitrogen and higher in phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Clover is a legume, and once the rhizobia bacteria on its roots get going, it pulls nitrogen from the air and fixes it into the soil. Dumping nitrogen on clover is mostly wasted money and can actually push weeds and grasses to outcompete it. A common recommendation from land-grant extension programs is a blend like 0-20-20, or straight potash (0-0-60) and triple superphosphate (0-46-0) mixed to hit your soil test targets. Oklahoma State University Extension's forage legume fertility guidance notes that established clover stands need phosphorus and potassium maintained according to soil test levels, with nitrogen fertilization generally unnecessary once a good stand of nodulated clover is established ^[1]. The catch: there's no universal number that works on every property. Soil test results vary by region, by field history, and by what was grown there before. A field that ran corn for ten years and got hammered with nitrogen will test different than an old pasture. That's why the soil test, not a bag label, is the real authority here. Send a sample to your state land-grant lab before you buy anything. Most run public soil testing programs for a small fee. If you're planting new clover into bare dirt, a starter dose of nitrogen (maybe 20-30 lbs/acre actual N) can help seedlings get going before the rhizobia colonize the roots, according to several extension clover establishment guides. After that first year, cut nitrogen out almost entirely unless your soil test says otherwise.

Why does lime matter more than fertilizer for clover?

Because clover flat out won't grow right in acidic soil, no matter how much fertilizer you throw at it. Clover wants a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension's clover establishment guidance states that clover species are more sensitive to soil acidity than most grasses and recommends liming to pH 6.0 to 6.5 before seeding for best stand establishment and persistence ^[2]. Here's the part a lot of first-time plotters miss: fertilizer doesn't do much good if your pH is off. Phosphorus in particular gets locked up chemically in acidic soil and becomes unavailable to the plant, even if it's sitting right there in the dirt. You can spend $200 on a premium blend and get a thin, yellowing clover stand if your pH sits at 5.2. Lime is slow. Ag lime (calcium carbonate) takes months to fully react with the soil. The University of Missouri Extension's guide to soil acidity notes that lime should be applied and incorporated several months before planting whenever possible, since the neutralizing reaction takes time to move through the soil profile ^[3]. If your soil test comes back needing 2 tons of lime per acre and you're planting in three weeks, get what lime you can down now and plan on a second application next season. Pelletized lime reacts faster than ag lime but costs more per effective ton. For food plots most guys are fine with bulk ag lime spread by a local co-op. A soil test typically costs $10 to $20 through a university lab and takes 1 to 3 weeks to get results back, which is cheap insurance against wasting a few hundred dollars on the wrong fertilizer blend.

How much fertilizer per acre does clover actually need?

Soil-test custom blend	Varies, e.g. 0-20-30	Best practice, any planting	$40-90
Generic 0-20-20	0-20-20	New clover, no test available	$35-60
Triple superphosphate + potash	0-46-0 + 0-0-60	Correcting a specific P or K deficiency	$50-100
Starter N blend (new seeding only)	19-19-19 light rate	First-year establishment only	$30-50	*Costs vary widely by region, dealer, and year; treat these as rough 2024-2025 ballparks, not quotes. Don't guess on potassium. Clover is a heavy K user, and deficient stands show it as scorched, yellowing leaf margins, sometimes mistaken for drought stress. If your test comes back low K, don't skimp on that part of the blend even if the bag costs more.

There's real variation by soil type and clover species (red vs. white vs. ladino), but a rough starting range that shows up across several extension clover guides for the first year is 300-400 lbs/acre of a blend like 0-20-20, adjusted to soil test recommendations ^[1][2]. Established stands in following years often need less, sometimes just a top-dress of potash if your test shows adequate phosphorus. Here's a simple comparison of common approaches: | Fertilizer approach | N-P-K example | When to use it | Rough cost/acre* |

Do deer like clover?

Yes, and it's usually near the top of preference studies for planted forages. Clover is high in crude protein, often 25-30% on a dry matter basis in a well-managed stand, and stays palatable through most of the growing season when it's kept mowed and free of heavy weed competition. White clover and red clover are the two most planted types for deer, with ladino (a large white clover variety) especially common because of its tolerance for grazing pressure. Deer will hit a healthy clover plot hard in spring and early summer, then again in fall once cooler weather knocks back competing vegetation. That said, clover isn't magic. A weedy, unfertilized, low-pH clover plot gets ignored in favor of nearby ag fields or better forage. The plant has to actually be growing well to pull deer traffic consistently.

What are deer's favorite foods overall?

There's no single universal answer, it shifts by season, region, and what's locally available, but acorns, soybeans, clover, and standing corn consistently rank as top whitetail forages in state wildlife agency and university deer diet studies. Acorns in particular are a preferred fall food where oak stands exist, often preferred over planted forages when a good mast year hits. Food plot species like clover, brassicas, and cereal grains fill the gaps between natural food pulses and give deer a reliable, high-protein option through spring and summer when acorns aren't around. For a broader look at species selection, see food plot whitetail and deer food plot seed.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer eat grain sorghum (milo), both the standing seed heads and the plant itself as forage, though it's more commonly planted as a screening or standing-grain crop for fall and winter than as a primary attractant like clover or beans. It's drought tolerant and holds up well as standing cover into winter, which makes it useful in plot design even where deer preference for it runs behind corn or soybeans.

Do deer like honey?

There's no meaningful evidence deer seek out honey as a natural food source, and it's not a practical food plot or attractant strategy. Deer are browsers built around forbs, woody browse, grasses, mast, and agricultural crops, not sugars in that concentrated form. Some hunters use sweet feed or molasses-based mineral products where legal, but that's a different category than honey and is subject to state baiting laws, covered below.

When should you plant food plots for deer?

Timing splits into two seasons: spring/summer plots (warm-season) and fall plots (cool-season), and the right window depends heavily on your USDA plant hardiness zone and your state extension's local frost date guidance. As a general framework used across most state extension food plot publications, spring plots go in after your last frost date, and fall plots go in 6-8 weeks before your first fall frost so plants establish before killing cold hits. Clover specifically can be planted in either season. Spring seedings (roughly March through May depending on zone) let clover establish over summer. Late summer/early fall seedings (August into September in northern zones, into October further south) work well too and often face less weed competition. Check your state extension's planting date chart; most land-grant programs publish zone-specific planting windows for exactly this reason.

When should you plant oats for deer?

Oats are a fall, cool-season planting, typically going in 6-8 weeks before your area's average first frost date, which lines up with most cereal grain plantings for deer. That puts oat planting windows around late August through September in northern states and into October in the mid-South, per standard cereal grain extension guidance. Oats germinate fast and put out attractive, tender forage within a couple weeks, which is part of why they're a popular fall food plot component, often mixed with clover, brassicas, or winter wheat. In most zones, oats winterkill with hard freezes, so they function as an annual fall/early winter food source rather than something that carries a plot through to spring.

When should you plant turnips for deer?

Turnips go in as a fall planting, generally 60-90 days before your first expected hard frost, since deer preference for turnip bulbs and foliage really picks up after a few frosts sweeten the plant through starch-to-sugar conversion. That timing puts turnip planting in the July-to-August window across most of the whitetail's range, adjusted for your specific frost dates. Turnips are often blended with clover or planted as a standalone brassica plot. They're not usually the first thing deer hit in a mixed plot early on, but late season, once other food thins out and frost has hit the bulbs a few times, turnip plots can pull heavy traffic.

What exactly is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually somewhere between a quarter-acre and several acres, established specifically to provide supplemental forage for deer or other wildlife, distinct from natural habitat or agricultural crops grown for harvest. Food plots typically run species like clover, brassicas, cereal grains, soybeans, or corn, chosen for palatability, nutrition, and season of availability. State wildlife agencies generally treat food plots differently from baiting under game laws, since a food plot is a growing crop rather than a pile of feed, but the legal line varies by state and sometimes by whether the crop has been harvested or mowed down. Check your state wildlife agency's regulations before assuming a practice is legal, particularly around supplemental feeding, mineral use, and whether hunting over a food plot counts as hunting over bait in your state.

How do you plan fertilizer and species together without guessing?

Start with the soil test, not the seed bag. Pull a sample from each distinct plot (more than one for the whole farm if soils vary), send it to your state land-grant lab, and read the actual lime and nutrient recommendations before buying fertilizer or picking a clover variety. A soil test tells you your current pH, phosphorus, potassium, and sometimes organic matter and cation exchange capacity. From there, the lab's recommendation (often given in lbs/acre of N-P-K and tons/acre of lime) is specific to your field, not a generic number off a bag. That's the single most useful piece of information you can have before spending money on inputs. If you want a plan built around your specific soil test results, zone, and acreage instead of piecing together generic advice, PlotSeason's $99 one-time Custom Food Plot Plan walks through species selection, fertilizer rates, and a planting calendar matched to your property. It's general guidance built from your inputs, not a substitute for your soil lab's specific lime and fertilizer recommendations, which remain the final word on your dirt. For species options beyond clover, browse deer food plots and food plot seed to compare blends by region and goal.

What's the smartest way to spend a limited fertilizer budget?

Lime first, fertilizer second, always. If your budget only covers one input this year and your soil test says you're low on both, put money into lime before a premium fertilizer blend. Low pH locks up phosphorus regardless of how much you apply, so a $20 bag of the wrong-pH-adjusted fertilizer is close to wasted money. Second priority: potassium, since clover is a heavy K feeder and deficiency shows up fast as scorched leaf edges and thin stands. Nitrogen is the input to skimp on for established clover; save that money for new brassica or grain plantings where nitrogen actually drives yield. If you're planting a mix, like clover with a cereal grain nurse crop, remember the grain component does want some nitrogen, so a blended approach (light starter N, heavier P and K) makes sense for combination plots. Straight clover-only plots rarely need repeat nitrogen applications once established, per extension clover management guidance ^[1].

Frequently asked questions

What fertilizer number is best for clover food plots?

There's no single universal number; your soil test should set it. A common starting blend is something like 0-20-20, but many established stands need mostly potassium with little phosphorus or nitrogen depending on prior soil history. Always match the blend to your specific soil test results rather than a generic bag recommendation.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes. Deer eat grain sorghum (milo) seed heads and forage, though it's more often planted for standing cover and winter grain than as a top-choice attractant. It's drought tolerant and useful in mixed plot designs, especially in dry regions where corn struggles.

Do deer like clover?

Yes, clover consistently ranks among the most preferred planted forages for whitetails, largely because of its high crude protein content (often 25-30% on a dry matter basis in well-managed stands). Preference drops sharply in weedy, low-pH, or poorly fertilized clover plots, so plot health matters as much as species choice.

When should I plant food plots for deer?

Spring/summer plots generally go in after your area's last frost date; fall plots go in 6-8 weeks before your first expected fall frost. Exact windows shift by USDA hardiness zone, so check your state land-grant extension's planting date chart for your specific region before committing seed to dirt.

When should I plant oats for deer?

Oats are a fall cereal grain, typically planted 6-8 weeks before first frost, which lands roughly late August through September in northern states and into October in the mid-South. They germinate fast and usually winterkill with hard freezes, functioning as fall and early-winter forage.

When should I plant turnips for deer?

Turnips go in 60-90 days before your area's first hard frost, usually a July-to-August window depending on region. Frost sweetens the bulbs through starch-to-sugar conversion, which is why turnip plots often see the heaviest deer use in late season rather than right after planting.

What is a food plot exactly?

A food plot is a planted patch, typically a quarter-acre to several acres, established to provide supplemental deer forage rather than a crop grown for harvest. Common species include clover, brassicas, cereal grains, and soybeans, chosen for palatability and the season they fill in the deer's diet.

What is a deer's favorite food overall?

It shifts by season and region. Acorns often top preference in fall mast years, while soybeans, clover, and standing corn rank high year-round in university and state wildlife agency diet studies. No single food holds the top spot everywhere, since local availability drives a lot of the actual preference.

Do deer like honey?

There's no real evidence deer seek out honey as a food source. It's not a practical attractant or food plot strategy. Deer are built to browse forbs, mast, grasses, and crops, not concentrated sugars, and some sweet-feed or molasses products fall under state baiting rules anyway.

Should I put nitrogen on an established clover plot?

Generally no, or very little. Established clover fixes its own nitrogen through rhizobia bacteria on its roots once the stand is going. Extension guidance recommends nitrogen mainly for new seedings before rhizobia colonize, then cutting it out almost entirely for maintenance years unless your soil test says otherwise.

How much does a soil test cost and how long does it take?

Most state land-grant lab soil tests run $10 to $20 per sample and take 1 to 3 weeks to return results, though turnaround varies by lab and season. It's cheap compared to the cost of guessing wrong on lime and fertilizer for an entire food plot.

What pH does clover need to grow well?

Clover wants soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Below that, phosphorus becomes chemically locked up and unavailable even if your soil test shows adequate levels, which is why extension agronomists rank lime correction ahead of fertilizer purchases for underperforming clover stands.

Sources

1. Oklahoma State University Extension, Forage Legume Fertility (PSS-2255): Established clover stands need phosphorus and potassium maintained per soil test, with nitrogen generally unnecessary once nodulated stands are established
2. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension, Growing Clovers for Forage in Kentucky (AGR-268): Clover species are more sensitive to soil acidity than grasses; lime to pH 6.0 to 6.5 before seeding
3. University of Missouri Extension, Soil Acidity and Liming (G9101): Lime should be applied and incorporated months ahead of planting since the neutralizing reaction takes time
4. University of Tennessee Extension, Establishing and Managing Wildlife Food Plots (PB1769): Fall food plot species are generally planted 6 to 8 weeks before the first expected fall frost
5. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Guide: White Clover (Trifolium repens): White clover is a nitrogen-fixing legume commonly used in wildlife plantings and forage systems