Spraying food plots before planting: a complete guide

Last updated 2026-07-26

why spray food plots before planting at all

Spraying kills the existing sod, weeds, and volunteer growth that would otherwise out-compete your food plot seed for light, water, and nutrients. Most food plot ground isn't bare dirt. It's an old hayfield, a logging landing, or a fencerow full of fescue, ragweed, and briars. If you drop clover or brassica seed straight into that mess, the existing vegetation usually wins. A burndown herbicide application, typically glyphosate, kills the standing competition before you ever run a disc or a no-till drill. Hunters spend money on seed and fertilizer but skip the weed control step that actually lets that seed establish, and that's the single most common reason a first-year plot looks thin. This matters more on no-till plots than on ground you're tilling repeatedly. If you're disking three or four times, you're mechanically killing a lot of weeds anyway. But even then, perennial grasses like fescue and bermudagrass can survive tillage and regrow from root fragments. Spraying knocks those roots out in a way steel never fully does.

what is a food plot, exactly

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. It's not a garden and it's not a pasture, though it borrows techniques from both. Food plots range from small "kill plots" tucked into timber openings (a quarter acre or less, meant for close bow shots) to large "destination" or agricultural-style plots of 3 to 10 acres meant to hold deer and provide bulk tonnage through fall and winter. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service recognizes wildlife habitat plantings, including food plots, as an eligible conservation practice, and several states offer cost-share or technical assistance for them through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), authorized under 16 U.S.C. 3839aa ^[1]. The common thread across every food plot, regardless of size, is that it starts with soil preparation. Spraying is one piece of that prep, right alongside soil testing, liming, and fertilizing. Skip the spray step on weedy ground and you're not really planting a food plot. You're planting into a weed patch and hoping.

when should you spray before planting a food plot

Spray your burndown herbicide 7 to 14 days before you plant, giving glyphosate enough time to translocate into root systems and fully kill perennial weeds and grasses. Spraying the same day you plant, or even a day or two before, is a common mistake. Glyphosate needs active, growing plant tissue to absorb the chemical and move it down into the roots. That process takes time. Purdue University's cover crop termination guidance notes that glyphosate needs time to move through the plant to the root system before tillage or planting, and that cool, cloudy, or drought-stressed conditions slow uptake and translocation considerably ^[1]. If you spray dormant or stressed weeds, you may see them brown up top while the roots survive, and you'll get regrowth right through your new seedlings. As a practical rule: spray when weeds are actively growing (not stressed by drought or frost), wait at least a full week, check for browning and death, and only then till or drill. If you're on a tight schedule around a rain window, err on the side of spraying earlier rather than later. A plot that sits sprayed-and-fallow for three weeks is fine. A plot planted five days after spraying into surviving fescue is a problem.

when to plant food plots for deer, by season

Food plot timing depends on species and region, but most fall plots go in from late July through September, and most spring/summer plots go in from April through June. Spraying has to happen ahead of both windows, which means you're really working on two separate calendars each year if you plant both seasons. For cool-season fall plots (clover, brassicas, cereal grains), spray burndown in late summer, roughly 2 to 4 weeks before your planting date, so weeds have time to die and decompose before you drill or broadcast. For warm-season spring/summer plots (soybeans, corn, sorghum, sunflowers), spray in spring once soil temperatures warm and weeds green up, generally April into May depending on latitude. Regional extension calendars vary a lot. Clemson Cooperative Extension's food plot planting guide for the Southeast lists brassica and small grain plantings from mid-August through October, with warm-season legumes like soybeans and cowpeas going in April through June once soils warm ^[2]. Northern states push everything later in spring (frost risk) and earlier in fall (shorter growing season before hard frost). Check your state extension's specific planting calendar rather than relying on a national date. For a full breakdown by species and zone, see food plot whitetail.

when to plant oats for deer

Plant oats for deer in late summer to early fall, generally August through September in most of the Midwest and Upper South, so they establish before the first hard frost slows growth. Oats are a cool-season annual cereal grain, and deer hit them hard in the fall because oats are highly digestible and often stay palatable even after a light frost sweetens the starches. Oats germinate fast, often in 5 to 7 days under good moisture and soil temps in the 50s to 60s Fahrenheit, which makes them a good nurse crop mixed with slower-establishing clover. The tradeoff is that oats won't survive a hard winter in most northern climates the way winter wheat or rye will, so in colder zones oats function as a fall-only attractant rather than a plant that carries into late winter. Before planting oats into existing sod or weedy ground, the same burndown logic applies: spray glyphosate 1 to 2 weeks ahead so the oat seedlings aren't competing against surviving perennial weeds the moment they emerge.

when to plant turnips for deer

Plant turnips for deer in mid to late summer, typically late July through August in most whitetail range, so they have 90 to 100 days to bulb up before deer start hitting them hard after the first frost. Turnips need a long growing window and cool finishing temperatures. Plant too late and they never bulb properly; plant too early into summer heat and they can bolt or get hammered by insects before establishing. Deer often ignore turnip tops and bulbs early in the season, then switch hard once frost converts starches to sugars, sometime in late October through December depending on latitude. This delayed-attraction pattern shows up consistently in brassica variety trials, and it means turnip plots planted for a September bow season won't peak until later in the fall. Because turnips are a broadleaf brassica, herbicide choice before planting matters. Glyphosate burndown is fine (it doesn't leave meaningful soil residual that affects brassica germination), but if you're using a residual herbicide for grass control ahead of turnips, check the label's plant-back interval for brassica or cole crops specifically, since some residual products restrict broadleaf plantings for 4 months or more.

what herbicide should you use before planting a food plot

Pure clover (new seeding)	Glyphosate burndown pre-plant only	Clover is broadleaf; grass-selective herbicides can be used later to clean up grass without killing clover
Brassicas (turnips, radish)	Glyphosate burndown, watch residual herbicide history	Brassicas are broadleaf and sensitive to some residual chemistries used in row-crop rotations
Cereal grains (oats, wheat, rye)	Glyphosate burndown	Grains are grasses, so no in-season grass herbicide options after planting
Soybeans	Glyphosate burndown; glyphosate-tolerant beans allow post-emerge spray too	Roundup Ready soybean varieties let you spray weeds after the beans are up
Established clover (maintenance year)	Grass-selective herbicide (like clethodim) instead of glyphosate	You want to kill grass encroachment without killing the clover stand	For established perennial clover plots you're maintaining rather than replanting, don't reach for glyphosate at all. A grass-selective herbicide like clethodim kills grass weeds while leaving the clover alive, which is the whole point of maintaining a perennial stand instead of starting over every year.

Glyphosate (sold as Roundup and many generic equivalents) is the standard burndown herbicide for food plots because it's non-selective, kills grasses and broadleaf weeds alike, and has no meaningful soil residual that would prevent you from planting almost any food plot species shortly after. Typical burndown rates run 1 to 2 quarts per acre of a 41% glyphosate concentrate, though you should always follow the specific product label since concentrations vary ^[3]. Here's where it gets specific to your seed mix: | Planting into | Herbicide approach | Why |

do you have to spray before every food plot, or can you skip it

You can skip spraying on genuinely bare, freshly tilled ground with no weed pressure, but that situation is rare. Most food plot sites have some combination of perennial grass sod, established weeds, or a seed bank that will germinate the moment you disturb the soil. If you're converting a true ag field that was sprayed and harvested clean the same season, you might get away without a separate burndown. But if you're working reclaimed CRP ground, an old logging road, a fencerow, or any plot that sat fallow over winter, spray it. The cost is low (a few dollars per acre in chemical) compared to the cost of seed, fertilizer, and the season you lose if weeds choke out a new planting. The one situation where spraying isn't optional: converting fescue sod to anything else. Tall fescue, especially the endophyte-infected variety common on old pastureland, is aggressive and will out-compete almost any food plot seedling if you don't kill it first. Extension forage programs across the fescue belt recommend a full burndown when converting infected fescue stands, sometimes two applications in successive years, because a single spray often leaves surviving rhizomes.

do deer eat clover, and do they actually like it

Yes, deer eat clover readily and it's one of the most consistently preferred food plot forages across whitetail range. Clover is high in protein, typically 20 to 25% crude protein in vegetative growth stages, and it's available across a long window since perennial clovers like white clover and red clover regrow after grazing throughout the growing season . Clover's popularity with hunters isn't just anecdotal. It shows up as a top recommendation in nearly every state wildlife agency and extension food plot publication because it's a perennial (2 to 5 years of production from one planting), it fixes its own nitrogen, and deer use it heavily in spring and summer when protein demands are highest for antler growth and lactation. The tradeoff is establishment. Clover seed is small and needs good seed-to-soil contact and a clean seedbed, which loops back to why burndown spraying matters so much for new clover plots. A weedy clover seeding often fails not because deer don't like clover, but because the clover never got a fair shot against competing weeds. For seed mix options, see deer food plot seed.

do deer eat sorghum

Yes, deer eat grain sorghum, both the standing grain heads and, to a lesser extent, the foliage, though it's typically used more as a screening and standing-grain food source than a primary attractant crop. Sorghum is drought-tolerant and produces a grain head that matures in late summer to fall, providing a high-energy carbohydrate source right around hunting season in much of the whitetail range. Sorghum's biggest food plot role is often as a nurse crop or screen, tall stalks that block visibility into a plot or bedding area, with the standing grain as a secondary benefit once other softer forages get picked over. It's less commonly the sole species in a plot compared to soybeans, corn, or brassicas, but it's a legitimate warm-season option, particularly in drier regions where corn struggles without irrigation. As with any warm-season grass crop, spraying ahead of planting matters, since sorghum seedlings compete poorly with established grass weeds in the first few weeks after emergence.

what are deer's favorite foods, and does honey matter

Deer preference shifts by season and region, but soybeans, clover, and acorns consistently rank at the top of whitetail diet studies, while corn and brassicas provide high-energy fall and winter forage. No, deer do not eat honey in any meaningful dietary sense; honey isn't part of a deer's natural diet or a food plot species, and there's no wildlife research suggesting deer seek it out. That question likely comes from confusion with mineral or molasses-based attractant products, some of which use sweeteners, not actual honey foraging behavior. Deer food habits research consistently ranks soft mast (acorns, persimmons), soybeans, and clover among preferred forages, with preference shifting toward high-carbohydrate foods like corn and standing grain in late fall as deer build fat reserves. Preference also depends heavily on what's available; deer in acorn-poor years lean much harder on planted forage. One practical note: check your state's baiting and feeding regulations before assuming any attractant, mineral, or supplemental feed is legal on your hunting ground. Baiting rules vary widely by state, and some states restrict baiting and feeding in areas designated for chronic wasting disease management. A food plot itself is almost universally legal (it's a planted crop, not bait), but piles of feed, mineral licks, or supplemental attractants are a different legal category in many states.

how do you plan spray timing around your specific plot

The honest answer is that spray timing depends on your species mix, your region's frost dates, your soil test results, and what's currently growing on the site, which is more variables than a single generic calendar can account for. A soil test tells you lime and fertilizer needs. It doesn't tell you when to spray or what's growing on your ground right now. That's the gap a lot of hunters hit after they've got a soil test back and a plan for species, but no clear week-by-week sequence for burndown, planting, and follow-up herbicide. If you want that sequence built out for your specific ground and zone, that's exactly what the $99 one-time Custom Food Plot Plan is built to do: species picks, planting windows, and a spray schedule based on your soil test and location, not a one-size-fits-all national calendar. Whatever route you take, the core sequence doesn't change: identify what's growing, spray it while it's actively growing, wait 7 to 14 days, confirm the kill, then plant. Skipping steps in that sequence is the single most common reason a food plot underperforms in its first year.

Frequently asked questions

How long after spraying glyphosate can you plant a food plot?

Wait 7 to 14 days after glyphosate application before planting, giving the herbicide time to translocate into weed roots and fully kill the plant. Cooler temperatures or drought-stressed weeds can slow this process, so check for visible browning and death before planting, more than a calendar date.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes. Deer eat grain sorghum heads and foliage, though it's more often used as a screening crop and standing-grain food source than a primary attractant. It's a solid warm-season option in drier regions where corn needs more water than the site can supply.

Do deer like clover?

Yes, clover is one of the most consistently preferred food plot forages, running 20 to 25% crude protein in vegetative growth. It shows up in nearly every state extension food plot guide because it's perennial, fixes nitrogen, and provides forage through spring and summer growth stages.

When should you plant food plots for deer?

Fall plots (clover, brassicas, cereal grains) generally go in late July through September depending on region. Spring and summer plots (soybeans, sorghum, cowpeas) go in April through June once soil temps warm. Check your state extension's specific calendar since frost dates shift the window by weeks between zones.

When should you plant oats for deer?

Plant oats in late summer to early fall, roughly August through September in most of the Midwest and Upper South. Oats germinate fast, often in 5 to 7 days with good soil moisture, and work well as a nurse crop mixed with slower-establishing clover.

When should you plant turnips for deer?

Plant turnips in late July through August so they have 90 to 100 days to bulb before frost. Deer often ignore turnips early and switch hard once frost converts starches to sugars, usually late October through December depending on latitude.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually a quarter acre to several acres, established specifically to grow forage that attracts and feeds deer or other wildlife. Sizes range from small bow-range kill plots to larger destination plots meant to hold deer over fall and winter.

What are deer's favorite foods?

Soft mast like acorns, soybeans, and clover consistently rank among top whitetail forage preferences in regional deer diet studies. Preference shifts seasonally toward high-carbohydrate foods like corn and standing grain in late fall as deer build fat reserves for winter.

Do deer eat honey?

No, honey isn't part of a deer's natural diet and isn't a recognized food plot or attractant species in wildlife research. The question likely stems from confusion with molasses or sweetened mineral products, which are a different category from natural forage.

What herbicide should you spray before planting a food plot?

Glyphosate is the standard pre-plant burndown herbicide because it's non-selective and has no meaningful soil residual that blocks planting shortly after. For maintaining established perennial clover, use a grass-selective herbicide like clethodim instead, since glyphosate would kill the clover too.

Can you plant a food plot without spraying first?

You can on genuinely bare, freshly tilled ground with no weed pressure, but that's uncommon. Most plot sites have perennial grass sod or a weed seed bank that will out-compete new seedlings, so skipping burndown usually costs more in a failed planting than the herbicide would have cost.

How much glyphosate do you use per acre for a food plot burndown?

Typical burndown rates run 1 to 2 quarts per acre of a 41% glyphosate concentrate, but rates vary by product concentration and weed pressure. Always follow the specific product label rather than a general rule, since formulations differ.

Is spraying legal before planting a food plot, and does baiting law apply?

Spraying and planting a food plot is a standard agricultural practice and is legal nationwide; it's not considered baiting since it's a planted crop, not a feed pile. Baiting and supplemental feeding rules vary by state and sometimes by county, especially in chronic wasting disease zones, so check your state wildlife agency's current regulations separately.

Sources

1. USDA NRCS, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (statutory authorization): Food plots and wildlife habitat practices can receive technical and cost-share assistance through EQIP, authorized under 16 U.S.C. 3839aa
2. Purdue University Extension, Cover Crop Termination Guidelines (AY-368-W): Glyphosate needs time to translocate and kill weeds before tillage or planting, and cool or stressed conditions slow this
3. University of Georgia Extension, Weed Control in Wildlife Food Plots (B1362): Standard glyphosate burndown rates and non-selective herbicide use ahead of food plot planting
4. USDA NRCS Plant Guide, White Clover: White clover crude protein content and forage value for wildlife
5. National Pesticide Information Center: Glyphosate is a widely used non-selective herbicide that controls existing vegetation before planting food plots.
6. University of Georgia Extension: Recommended planting dates and management practices for cool- and warm-season food plot forages, including oats and clover, vary by region and season.