Last updated 2026-07-25
TL;DR
Plant deer turnips 60 to 90 days before your area's first fall killing frost, so bulbs and tops mature right as cold weather triggers deer to switch to them. In most of the whitetail range that lands between mid-July and early September. Check your local frost date and count backward.
When is the best time to plant turnips for deer?
The short answer: 60 to 90 days before your average first fall frost. Turnips need that window to grow a bulb worth eating and enough leaf mass to survive early browsing pressure. Plant too early in hot, dry August conditions in the south and you risk poor germination. Plant too late and you get a plot full of small bulbs and thin greens right when deer need calories most. Most land-grant extension guidance for brassica forage crops (turnips, forage rape, kale) recommends a late July through early September planting window depending on latitude, matched to a fall frost date roughly 75 to 90 days later. The University of Tennessee Extension notes brassicas for deer plots should go in from mid-July to early September, with earlier dates for northern zones and later dates as you move south [1]. Here's the thing people get wrong: turnips aren't planted for early fall attraction, they're planted for late fall and winter attraction. The sugar content in the bulb and leaves increases after a hard frost converts starches to sugars, which is exactly why deer often ignore a turnip plot in October and hammer it in December [2]. If your goal is October bow season attraction, turnips aren't your best tool. Oats or a clover plot already established will pull more traffic early. Turnips are a late-season play.
What's the zone-by-zone planting calendar for deer turnips?
| Upper Midwest / Northern New England (zone 3-4) | mid-Sept to early Oct | mid-July to early August | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Midwest / Mid-Atlantic (zone 5-6) | early to mid-Oct | late July to mid-August | |
| Transition zone / Southern Midwest (zone 6-7) | mid to late Oct | mid-August to early September | |
| Deep South (zone 8) | early to mid-Nov | early to mid-September | These ranges track USDA plant hardiness zone data used to estimate average frost timing across regions, cross-referenced against extension brassica planting guides [1]. If you're within 50 miles of a zone boundary, split the difference and lean toward the earlier date. Turnips forgive an early planting far more than a late one. A soil test taken in spring or midsummer gives you time to correct pH before planting. Brassicas want a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5 for best nutrient uptake, and most extension labs will flag lime needs on the report itself. Follow whatever your soil test lab recommends for lime and fertilizer rates; that report is written for your specific dirt, not a national average. |
Frost dates vary by hundreds of miles even within one state, so use your county's average first frost date from NOAA or your local extension office, then count back 75 to 90 days. Below are general windows used by extension programs and seed suppliers, treated as a starting point, not gospel for your specific ground. | Region (USDA zone approx.) | Typical first frost | Turnip planting window |
When should you plant food plots for deer overall?
It depends entirely on what you're planting, because food plots split into two seasons: spring/summer plots for growing season nutrition, and late summer/fall plots for hunting season attraction. There's no single "food plot planting date." Spring plots (clover, alfalfa, chicory, soybeans for forage) generally go in from April through May once soil temps hit 50 to 55 degrees F and frost risk has passed. These carry deer through spring green-up and summer lactation and antler growth. Fall plots (brassicas, cereal grains, annual clovers overseeded) go in from late July through September, timed to be mature and attractive by hunting season. A practical rule extension agronomists use: warm-season annuals need soil temps above 60 degrees F to germinate well, while cool-season brassicas and cereal grains tolerate cooler soil and even light frost once established [1]. That's why you can plant oats or turnips into late summer heat and still get a stand that thrives as fall cools down. If you're building a plot rotation from scratch, a food plot whitetail plan that blends a perennial clover base with an annual fall brassica or grain mix gives you spring nutrition and fall attraction from the same acreage, just planted in different windows.
When should you plant oats for deer?
Plant oats 60 to 75 days before your first fall frost, similar timing to turnips but oats germinate faster and green up quicker, often within 5 to 7 days under good moisture. That makes them a solid early-fall attraction crop while your brassicas are still bulking up underground. Oats are a cool-season annual grass that tolerates light frost but dies back hard once temperatures drop into the low 20s for extended periods, unlike winter wheat or rye which can survive a full winter in most zones [3]. That's a real limitation: if you want late-December and January forage in a cold climate, oats alone won't get you there. Pair oats with a brassica or cereal rye if you want the plot to still have something green in January. Many hunters plant oats and turnips or oats and radish in the same blend, same day, since both fall in a similar 60-90 day pre-frost window. The oats give quick cover and early attraction, the brassicas take over once frost hits.
Do deer eat clover, and do deer like clover?
Yes. Clover is one of the most consistently used food plot species across the whitetail range, and multiple state wildlife agency and extension forage studies rank it among the highest-preference plantings when available [4]. White clover and red clover both show up regularly in deer diet studies, and clover's high crude protein content (often 25 to 30 percent in vegetative growth) makes it valuable during spring antler growth and lactation [4]. The catch: clover is a perennial that needs a full growing season and, ideally, a soil pH near 6.0 to 6.5 with adequate phosphorus and potassium to persist for 3 to 5 years. It's planted in spring (March through May) or late summer (August in cooler zones) rather than in the same window as turnips. If your only plot is going in during the July-September brassica window, clover isn't your species; that's a spring project. For a mixed strategy, look at how deer food plot seed blends handle clover alongside annuals on the same property.
Do deer eat sorghum?
Yes, deer eat grain sorghum, both the standing seed heads and, in the case of forage sorghum varieties, the leafy growth. Sorghum is more common as a summer annual grown for cover, screening, and a late-season standing grain crop than as a primary attraction food plot species. It tolerates drought and poor soil better than corn, which is part of why it shows up in food plot mixes in the southern and transition zones where summer heat stresses other grains [5]. Sorghum isn't a first-choice deer forage the way clover or brassicas are; it's more of a secondary or screening crop. If sorghum is on your list, plant it in late spring after soil temps hit the mid-60s, similar timing to corn.
What are deer's favorite foods?
There's no single universal answer because it shifts by season, region, and what's naturally available, but research and state agency forage studies point to a consistent short list: acorns (especially white oak group), soybeans, clover, and browse from native forbs and woody stems rank at or near the top depending on the time of year. In fall, acorns often out-compete any planted food plot when there's a good mast crop, which is why plot success can vary wildly year to year regardless of what you plant. Among planted food plot species, clover, soybeans, and brassicas (turnips, radish, rape) consistently show up as high-use forages across multiple state deer research programs [4]. Corn and cereal grains rank lower on raw preference but matter as high-energy late-season food when deer need calories to survive cold stretches. Deer diets shift with the seasons: spring and summer favor high-protein forbs and legumes for antler growth and lactation, fall favors mast and high-energy plants like soybeans, and winter favors whatever standing forage or woody browse is left, including frost-sweetened brassicas.
Do deer like honey?
Deer don't eat honey and there's no wildlife research showing honey as a meaningful deer attractant or food source. Deer are herbivores built to digest cellulose and plant material through a four-chamber rumen system, not concentrated sugar sources like honey. Some commercial deer attractant sprays use sugar, molasses, or apple scent as an additive, but that's a scent-based lure product, not a food plot planting question, and its effectiveness is debated among wildlife biologists. If you're trying to boost sugar content in a fall food source for deer, that's exactly what a hard frost does to brassica bulbs and leaves naturally, converting starches to sugars in turnips, radish, and kale [2]. That's a real, biologically documented process. Honey sprayed on a plot is not.
What is a food plot?
A food plot is a planted area, usually somewhere between a quarter acre and several acres, established specifically to grow forage that attracts and feeds deer (or other wildlife) rather than relying on native vegetation alone. Food plots range from small, hidden "kill plots" tucked near stand sites and designed mainly for hunting access, to larger destination or nutrition plots planted with perennial clover or alfalfa meant to carry deer through spring and summer. Most state wildlife agencies treat food plots as a habitat management tool, distinct from baiting, though the legal line between the two varies significantly by state. Some states classify food plots as legal year-round agricultural plantings with no restriction on hunting over them, while others impose distance requirements or classify certain practices as baiting if food is added loose or in piles rather than planted and grown in place. Check your state wildlife agency's regulations before hunting over any plot, especially if you're combining a food plot with any supplemental feed . Building a food plot generally means four steps done in order: soil testing, lime and fertilizer application based on that test, seedbed prep (tillage or no-till drilling), and planting timed to your species and frost dates. Skipping the soil test is the most common mistake; guessing at lime rates wastes money and often leaves pH too low for brassicas or clover to perform well. If you want a plan built around your specific soil test results, acreage, and region, that's exactly what a Custom Food Plot Plan from PlotSeason is built to do: a $99 one-time plan using your soil test and property details rather than a generic seed bag calendar. It's guidance, not site-specific agronomy advice; your soil test lab is still the authority on exact lime and fertilizer rates for your dirt.
How do you pick the right turnip planting date for your exact property?
Start with your county's average first fall frost date, which you can pull from NOAA climate normals or your local extension office's frost date tables. Count back 75 to 90 days from that date; that's your target planting window. Then build in a few days of flexibility for rain, since brassica seed germinates poorly in bone-dry soil and turnip seed is small enough that it needs consistent surface moisture the first 5 to 10 days. A few practical adjustments worth making: if your property sits in a low frost pocket that historically frosts a week or two earlier than the county average, plant on the early end of your window. If you're broadcasting seed rather than drilling, plant a few days earlier still, since broadcast seed-to-soil contact is less reliable and germination is slower and patchier than a drilled stand. Don't chase a perfect calendar date over real soil conditions. A turnip plot planted into good moisture on August 20 will outperform one planted into dust on August 1 just because a chart said August 1. Watch the weather, more than the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When to plant turnips for deer?
Plant turnips 60 to 90 days before your area's average first fall frost, which lands roughly mid-July in the far north and early September in the transition zone and deep south. Count back from your county's frost date rather than using a fixed national date, since frost timing varies widely even within one state.
Can you plant turnips too early for deer?
Yes. Planting turnips too early into summer heat can cause poor germination and lets bulbs mature and start declining before deer switch to them after frost. Late July to early September is the typical safe window depending on your zone; earlier than that risks heat stress and weed competition before fall.
Do deer actually eat the turnip bulb or just the leaves?
Both, but timing differs. Deer usually browse the leafy tops first in early fall, then switch to digging up and eating the bulbs later in winter once a hard frost sweetens the starches into sugars and other food sources become scarce.
When to plant oats for deer food plots?
Plant oats 60 to 75 days before your first fall frost, similar timing to turnips. Oats germinate faster than brassicas, often within 5 to 7 days, giving quicker early fall green-up, but they typically die back hard in sustained freezing temperatures unlike winter-hardy cereal rye.
Do deer like clover more than turnips?
Preference varies by season. Clover is favored heavily in spring and summer for its high protein content, while turnips and other brassicas become more attractive in late fall and winter after frost sweetens the bulbs and leaves. Many plot plans use both, planted in different seasons.
What is the ideal soil pH for planting turnips for deer?
Most extension guidance recommends a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.5 for brassica forage crops like turnips to access nutrients efficiently. A soil test is the only reliable way to know your actual pH and lime needs; your test lab's recommendation should be followed over any general online figure.
Do deer eat sorghum in food plots?
Yes, deer will eat grain sorghum seed heads and forage sorghum leaves, though it's used more often as a drought-tolerant summer crop for cover and standing grain than as a top-choice attraction forage. Clover, soybeans, and brassicas generally rank higher in deer preference studies.
When should you plant food plots for deer overall?
It depends on the plot type. Spring and summer plots like clover or soybeans go in April through May after frost risk passes. Fall attraction plots like turnips, brassicas, and cereal grains go in late July through September, timed 60 to 90 days ahead of your area's first fall frost.
What is a food plot for deer?
A food plot is a planted area, from a small hidden kill plot to a multi-acre field, established specifically to grow forage that attracts and feeds deer rather than relying only on native vegetation. Most are built around soil testing, lime and fertilizer correction, and species selection matched to season.
What are deer's favorite foods?
Acorns, especially from white oak species, often top deer preference when available, followed by soybeans, clover, and other high-protein forbs. Among planted food plot species, clover, soybeans, and brassicas like turnips consistently rank as high-use forages across state wildlife agency and university research.
Do deer like honey as an attractant?
No. Deer are herbivores that don't naturally seek out honey, and there's no wildlife research supporting honey as an effective food plot attractant. Some commercial scent products use sugar or molasses additives, but that's a separate scent-lure category, not a food or food plot planting strategy.
Is it legal to hunt over a turnip food plot?
In most states, yes, since a planted and grown food plot is generally treated differently from baiting or supplemental feeding. Rules vary by state though, and some states have distance or method restrictions. Check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before hunting over any plot.
How late is too late to plant turnips for deer?
If you're inside 60 days of your area's average first fall frost, you're pushing it. Bulbs need roughly 75 to 90 days to size up properly, and a late planting often produces thin, small bulbs with little of the frost-sweetened forage value deer are drawn to in December and January.
Sources
- University of Tennessee Extension, Wildlife Food Plot Establishment: Brassica food plot planting window from mid-July to early September depending on region
- USDA NRCS, Plant Guide: Oat (Avena sativa): Oats as a cool-season annual with limited winter hardiness compared to cereal rye
- University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry, Deer Food Plot Guide: Clover ranks among the highest-preference forages for white-tailed deer with high crude protein content
- USDA NRCS, Plant Guide: Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor): Sorghum characteristics as a drought-tolerant summer annual grain crop used for wildlife food and cover
- State wildlife agency baiting and feeding regulations (varies by state): Baiting and feeding regulations vary by state and food plots are treated distinctly from bait piles under most state rules