Best time to plant turnips for a deer food plot

Last updated 2026-07-26

when to plant turnips for deer, in one sentence

Count backward 60 to 90 days from your area's average first killing frost date and plant then. That's the whole rule. Turnips are a fall and winter food source, not a summer one, and they're bred to get better after a hard frost converts starches to sugar, so you want that frost to hit while the plant still has weeks of growing left in it, not right after you planted. Most of the whitetail range breaks down like this: far northern states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, upper Michigan, Maine) should be in the ground by late July to mid-August. The broad Midwest and mid-South band (Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Virginia, southern Ohio) targets mid-August to early September. The Deep South and Gulf Coast (Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida panhandle) can wait until early to mid-September and sometimes into early October in the warmest pockets ^[1]. The reason this window matters more than a fixed calendar date is that frost timing shifts year to year and region to region by weeks, not days. NOAA's climate normals data shows first fall frost dates ranging from late August in parts of the northern Rockies to mid-November along the Gulf Coast ^[1]. A planting calendar that says 'plant turnips August 15' everywhere is just wrong for half the country.

why does turnip planting timing matter so much

Turnips need roughly 60 to 90 days from seed to a mature, palatable plant, and the bulb needs a hard frost or two to convert its starches into sugars that deer actually prefer ^[2]. Plant too early in hot, dry August soil and you risk poor germination or bolting. Plant too late and the plant never bulbs up before winter shuts growth down. University of Tennessee Extension's food plot publication notes that brassicas are highly digestible and preferred by deer, and that palatability improves once frost converts stored starches into sugars ^[2]. That single mechanic, frost sweetening the plant, is why so much food plot advice fixates on counting backward from frost date instead of just picking a date off a calendar. There's also a soil temperature piece nobody talks about enough. Turnip seed germinates best in soil temps between 50 and 85 degrees F, and in the deep South a mid-August planting can hit soil temps well above that if there's a drought, which stalls germination for weeks. Waiting two or three weeks for a rain event is often smarter than planting into bone-dry, 95 degree dirt just to hit an arbitrary date.

when to plant food plots for deer overall

Food plot timing splits into two seasons: spring plots (clover, chicory, soybeans, cowpeas) go in after your last frost, generally April through May depending on zone. Fall plots (turnips, brassica blends, cereal grains, winter wheat) go in 60 to 90 days before first frost, generally late July through September ^{[1] [3]}. A simple way to think about it: spring plots are built to feed deer through summer stress and antler growth. Fall plots are built to feed deer through the rut and into winter, when natural browse is gone and deer need calories most. Turnips fall firmly in the fall camp. Mississippi State University Extension's food plot publication recommends soil testing before every planting and adjusting lime and fertilizer based on results, since brassicas are heavy nitrogen feeders and perform poorly in acidic soil below pH 6.0 ^[3]. If you haven't pulled a soil sample in the last two to three years, that's step one, before you even think about a planting date.

when to plant turnips for deer, zone by zone

Region (example states)	Avg. first frost	Turnip planting window
Upper Midwest / North (MN, WI, upper MI, ME)	Late Sept to early Oct	Late July to mid-August
Northeast / Mid-Atlantic (PA, NY, NJ, MD)	Early to mid-Oct	Early to late August
Central Midwest (IA, IL, IN, OH, MO)	Mid to late Oct	Mid-August to early September
Upper South (KY, VA, TN, NC)	Late Oct to early Nov	Late August to mid-September
Deep South / Gulf Coast (GA, AL, MS, LA, FL panhandle)	Mid-Nov to early Dec	Early September to early October	These ranges come from NOAA climate normal frost data averaged by region [1] and are meant as a starting point, not gospel. Microclimates matter. A river-bottom plot can run five to ten days colder than a ridge-top plot half a mile away. If you've hunted or farmed the same property for years, your own frost memory beats any regional table. Check your specific county's average first frost date through your state climate office or local extension office before locking in a date. Extension offices often publish county-level planting calendars that are more precise than any national chart, including this one.

do deer like clover, and how does it compare to turnips

Yes, deer readily eat clover, and it's one of the most consistently preferred food plot forages across the whitetail range. Clover is a perennial (or reseeding annual in some varieties) that feeds deer spring through fall, while turnips are a fall-and-winter annual bulb crop. They solve different problems. Clover gives you season-long tonnage and regrowth after grazing, which is why it's the backbone of most spring and summer plot programs. Turnips give you a huge tonnage spike in late fall and winter, right when clover growth has stalled from cold and natural browse is thinning out. Most experienced plotters run both: clover for three seasons, brassicas like turnips layered in for the fourth. Clover species like red and white clover tolerate a fairly wide soil pH range but generally perform best between 6.0 and 7.0, similar to turnips, so the two can often share a soil program even if they're planted at different times of year. If you're deciding between the two for a single plot, ask what season you're actually hunting hardest. Early season and summer favor clover. Late season and post-rut favor turnips.

when to plant oats for deer

Oats go in the same fall window as turnips, generally 60 to 90 days before first frost, and they're often planted in the same mix. Oats germinate fast, tolerate cooler soil than turnips, and give deer green forage within two to three weeks of planting, which makes them a good nurse crop or blend partner. Oats are less cold-hardy than winter wheat or rye, and hard freezes in the teens and single digits will kill oat forage back, while wheat and rye keep growing through much of winter. That's a real tradeoff: oats taste great to deer early and mid-fall, but in the far North they can be done by December while turnip bulbs are just hitting peak palatability. A lot of successful fall blends combine oats (fast early attraction), turnips (winter tonnage and bulb energy), and a cereal grain like winter wheat (late-season green browse that survives hard freezes). Planting all three at the same time, in that 60 to 90 day pre-frost window, lets each one peak at a different point in the season.

do deer eat sorghum, and does it fit a fall turnip plot

Deer will eat grain sorghum (milo) heads and some green sorghum forage, but it's a secondary food source compared to brassicas, clover, or soybeans, and it's mostly valued for cover and as a supplemental grain source late in the season. Sorghum is a warm-season crop planted in late spring to early summer, not alongside fall turnips. Sorghum's real value in most food plot programs is standing cover through winter (it holds up to snow load better than most grains) and a grain head deer and turkey will pick at once it dries down. It's not a direct substitute or companion planting for a fall turnip plot, since the planting windows don't overlap. If you want a summer-into-fall standing grain option, sorghum works, but plan it as its own plot, not part of your turnip planting.

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 provide supplemental forage for deer and other wildlife on hunting land. Plots are typically planted with agricultural forages like clover, brassicas, cereal grains, or legumes rather than wild native vegetation. State wildlife agencies generally treat food plots as a land management practice, not as bait, as long as the crop is planted and grown in place rather than piled or scattered on the ground. That distinction matters because baiting rules vary hugely by state. Some states allow bait freely, some ban it outright, and some allow it only in certain zones or only outside disease management areas. Michigan's baiting and feeding statute, MCL 324.40118, restricts baiting and feeding of deer in much of the Lower Peninsula with limited exceptions tied to chronic wasting disease management ^[4], while other states have no baiting restriction at all. Before you plant, and definitely before you consider any supplemental feeding, check your state wildlife agency's current regulations. Rules change year to year, especially in states dealing with CWD, and a food plot that's perfectly legal in one county can run into different rules a state line away.

what are deer's favorite foods

Deer preference shifts by season, region, and what's available, but research and field observation consistently point to a short list: acorns (especially white oak family), soybeans, clover, and brassicas like turnips and forage radish rank among the most preferred forages across whitetail range ^{[2] [3]}. Acorns are often the single most sought-after natural food when available, particularly in fall. Within food plot species specifically, deer show strong preference for soybeans and clover through the growing season, then shift hard toward brassicas and cereal grains once frost hits and those crops sweeten up or green up. This is exactly why fall blends built around turnips, oats, and winter wheat are so common. They match a preference shift that's already happening naturally. If you're planning a full-property program rather than one plot, food plot whitetail strategy generally works best when you stack a spring/summer perennial (clover) with a fall annual (turnips, brassica blend) so there's a preferred food source available in every season you're likely to be hunting.

do deer like honey, and does it belong in a food plot

There's no real evidence deer specifically seek out honey, and it has no legitimate place in a food plot program. Deer are herbivores built to digest plant fiber through a rumen, and honey isn't part of their natural diet. Some hunters have used sugary substances as mineral or attractant additives in the past, but that shades quickly into bait territory depending on your state's regulations, and it does nothing for the actual nutritional program a food plot is meant to provide. If you're trying to boost attraction, put the effort into forage selection and soil fertility instead. A properly limed and fertilized turnip plot, tested and amended based on your soil report, will draw and hold deer far better than any additive poured on the ground, and it stays clearly on the legal, agronomic side of the line in every state.

how do you plant turnips for a fall food plot

Turnips need a firm, clean seedbed, shallow planting depth (a quarter inch or less, since turnip seed is tiny), and a soil test to guide lime and fertilizer before you ever put seed in the ground. Extension guidance generally recommends a seeding rate around 4 to 5 lbs per acre for pure turnip stands, less if you're blending with other brassicas or grains ^[3]. Step one is always the soil test, not the seed. Turnips want pH 6.0 to 6.5 and respond hard to nitrogen, phosphorus, and especially boron in some regions. Your soil test lab is the actual authority here, not a blanket internet recommendation, since lime and fertilizer needs swing widely by field history and region. Step two is seedbed prep. Turnips fail more often from poor seed-to-soil contact than from bad timing. A disked and cultipacked seedbed, or a no-till drill set shallow, beats broadcasting onto trash or thick thatch almost every time. Step three is timing, which is everything covered above: 60 to 90 days before your average first frost, adjusted for your own field's microclimate and moisture conditions. If you want a planting date and blend built around your specific coordinates, soil report, and equipment, that's exactly what a $99 Custom Food Plot Plan is built to do, turning a general 60-to-90-day rule into an actual date and seed mix for your ground. For seed selection specifics, deer food plot seed options vary a lot in turnip variety (Purple Top, Barkant, Appin) and in how they're blended with radish or rape, and picking the right blend for your soil and frost timing matters as much as the calendar date itself.

what if you miss the ideal planting window

If you're inside 45 days of your average first frost, pure turnips are a gamble, but you're not out of options. A faster-maturing brassica blend, or straight cereal grains like oats and winter wheat, will still establish and green up even on a compressed timeline, since grains mature faster and tolerate cooler soil at planting. The other honest answer: sometimes the smart move is skipping turnips for that plot this year and running a cereal grain mono-stand instead, then planning turnips properly for next fall's 60-to-90-day window. A thin, underdeveloped turnip stand that never bulbs up isn't doing much for your late-season hunting anyway, and you've burned seed and diesel for a marginal result. USDA's Plant Hardiness Zone Map data, along with your local extension office, can help you get a sense of your typical growing season length, which tells you quickly whether turnips are still realistic or whether it's time to pivot to a faster crop.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time to plant turnips for deer?

Plant turnips 60 to 90 days before your area's average first killing frost. For most of the Midwest and mid-South this falls between mid-August and early September; northern states plant late July to mid-August, and the Deep South can wait into September or early October.

Can you plant turnips too early for a fall food plot?

Yes. Planting more than 90 days before frost risks the plant maturing and going to seed (bolting) before cold weather arrives, and it wastes the early growth window on hot, dry conditions that stress germination. Turnips are built to peak right as frost hits, not weeks before it.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Deer will eat sorghum grain and some green forage, but it's a secondary food source compared to brassicas, clover, or soybeans. Sorghum is more valued for standing winter cover and grain that holds up through snow than as a primary attractant crop.

Do deer eat clover?

Yes, clover is one of the most consistently preferred food plot forages for whitetail deer across nearly the entire range. It's a perennial or reseeding forage that provides spring-through-fall tonnage, unlike turnips which peak in fall and winter.

When should you plant food plots for deer in general?

Spring/summer plots (clover, soybeans, cowpeas) go in after your last frost, typically April to May. Fall plots (turnips, brassica blends, cereal grains) go in 60 to 90 days before your first fall frost, typically late July through September depending on your region.

Do deer like clover more than turnips?

It's not really a competition; they serve different seasons. Deer readily eat both, but clover gets heavier use in spring and summer while turnips see the biggest spike in use during late fall and winter, especially after frost sweetens the bulbs and leaves.

When should you plant oats for a deer food plot?

Plant oats in the same 60-to-90-day pre-frost window as turnips, generally late July through September depending on zone. Oats germinate fast and green up within two to three weeks, but they're less cold-hardy than winter wheat or rye and can die back in hard freezes.

When is the best time to plant food plots for deer overall?

There isn't one universal date. Spring plots follow your last frost date; fall plots, including turnips, follow a 60-to-90-day countdown from your average first fall frost. Check NOAA climate normals or your local extension office for your specific county's frost dates.

When should turnips be planted for deer specifically, by zone?

Upper Midwest and northern states: late July to mid-August. Central Midwest and mid-South: mid-August to early September. Deep South and Gulf Coast: early September to early October. These are averages; your specific field's frost history can shift things by a week or two either way.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually a quarter acre to several acres, established on hunting land to provide supplemental forage for deer and other wildlife. Common plot species include clover, brassicas like turnips, cereal grains, and legumes like soybeans, planted in place rather than scattered as bait.

What are deer's favorite foods?

Acorns, especially from white oak species, rank among the most preferred natural fall foods. Among planted food plot species, soybeans and clover are heavily preferred through the growing season, while brassicas like turnips take over as the top preference once frost sweetens them in late fall.

Do deer like honey?

There's no real evidence deer seek out honey specifically, and it isn't part of their natural diet as herbivores. It has no legitimate role in a food plot program, and using sugary attractants can cross into bait regulations depending on your state, so it's better to focus on forage and soil fertility instead.

Sources

1. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals: Average first fall frost dates vary by region from late August in northern areas to mid-November along the Gulf Coast
2. University of Tennessee Extension, Establishing Wildlife Food Plots (PB 1769): Brassicas like turnips are highly digestible and preferred by deer, especially after frost converts starches to sugars
3. Mississippi State University Extension Publication 2111, Food Plots for Wildlife: Soil testing and pH/fertilizer adjustment guidance for brassica and food plot planting, including seeding rate recommendations
4. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Plant Fact Sheet: Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.): Clover species tolerate a range of soil pH but perform best in the roughly 6.0 to 7.0 range
5. Michigan Compiled Laws, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 of 1994, Section 324.40118: Michigan law restricts baiting and feeding of deer with limited exceptions tied to disease management