Missouri food plot planting dates by zone and species

Last updated 2026-07-26

When should you plant food plots for deer in Missouri?

Missouri splits into two planting windows: a spring/summer window for warm-season annuals and perennials, and a late-summer/early-fall window for the brassicas, cereal grains, and clover that carry deer through winter. Most Missouri food plotters get more bang from the fall window because it lines up with the rut and late-season hunting pressure, but a spring soybean or corn plot gives deer a high-protein food source all summer when does are lactating and bucks are growing antlers. The University of Missouri Extension's variety trial guidance and planting date recommendations for row crops (soybeans, corn) put the safe planting window for soybeans across most of Missouri from late April through early June, with yield potential dropping the later you plant past mid-May ^[1]. For food plot purposes, most Missouri land managers aim for the second half of May, after the last frost date has passed and soil temperature is reliably above 60°F. For fall plots, the Missouri Department of Conservation and MU Extension both point to late July through mid-September as the working window, with brassicas going in earliest and clover or cereal grains following as the calendar allows ^{[2] [3]}. The single biggest mistake first-time planters make in Missouri is waiting until late September to plant brassicas. By then, a turnip or radish plot in northern Missouri has maybe six weeks before a hard freeze, not enough time to bulb out.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, usually somewhere between a quarter-acre and a few acres, seeded with forage that deer and other wildlife eat. It's not a garden and it's not row-crop farming for profit. The goal is nutrition and, often, a hunting setup: a food plot near a stand or blind gives deer a reason to show up in daylight during a specific season. Food plots generally fall into two categories. Annual plots get replanted every year, brassicas, cereal grains, soybeans, and they're cheap and flexible. Perennial plots, mostly clover and chicory, go in once and can produce for three to five years with proper mowing and fertility maintenance. Missouri's climate (humid continental, with real winters up north and milder ones in the Bootheel) supports both types well, which is part of why the state has such an active food plot culture on both public and private ground. If you're new to plot type selection, the choice between a summer annual, a fall annual, and a perennial clover blend comes down to your hunting goals and how much labor you want to put in every year. For a broader rundown on what each type does, see food plot whitetail and deer food plots.

Missouri food plot planting dates by region and species

Brassicas (turnip, radish, rape)	Jul 25 - Aug 10	Aug 1 - Aug 20	Aug 10 - Sep 1
Clover (white/red)	Aug 1 - Sep 1 or Mar 15 - Apr 15	Aug 10 - Sep 10 or Mar 1 - Apr 1	Aug 20 - Sep 20 or Feb 15 - Mar 15
Oats	Aug 1 - Sep 10	Aug 10 - Sep 20	Aug 20 - Sep 30
Winter wheat	Sep 1 - Oct 1	Sep 10 - Oct 10	Sep 20 - Oct 20
Soybeans (forage)	May 10 - Jun 5	May 5 - Jun 10	Apr 25 - Jun 15
Corn	Apr 25 - May 20	Apr 20 - May 25	Apr 15 - May 30
Grain sorghum	May 15 - Jun 10	May 10 - Jun 15	May 1 - Jun 20	These are working ranges, not guarantees. A wet spring can push soybean planting back two weeks; a dry August can make you wait on brassicas until a rain is actually forecast. Soil moisture at planting matters more than the calendar date for anything with small seed.

Missouri runs about 300 miles north to south, from the Iowa border down to the Bootheel near Arkansas and Tennessee. That's roughly one full USDA hardiness zone difference, and it shifts planting dates by two to three weeks across the state. North Missouri sits mostly in USDA zone 6a, central Missouri in 6b, and the Bootheel dips into 7a. Here's a working planting calendar built from MU Extension agronomy guides and MDC food plot publications ^{[1] [2] [3]}: | Species | North MO | Central MO | South MO / Bootheel |

When to plant turnips for deer in Missouri?

Plant turnips in Missouri between late July and early September, earlier if you're in the northern part of the state, later if you're in the Bootheel. Turnips need roughly 80 to 90 days to fully bulb and reach peak sugar content after a couple of frosts sweeten the tops and roots. If you plant turnips too late, say the last week of September in central Missouri, you'll get leafy growth but small or no bulbs by the time deer season opens in November. MU Extension's forage brassica planting guidance recommends getting brassica seed in the ground by mid-August in most of Missouri for full bulb development before the first hard frost, which typically falls in mid-to-late October across the state ^[3]. A common blend is turnip, radish, and rape together, since deer often hit the tops first in fall, then switch to the bulbs after a couple of freezes soften the starches into sugars. Seeding rate for a straight turnip plot runs 4 to 6 pounds per acre broadcast, lighter if you're mixing with other brassica species.

When to plant oats for deer in Missouri?

Oats go in the ground in Missouri from early August through late September, with the earlier end of that window giving you more fall grazing tonnage before winter dormancy. Oats are a cool-season annual grass, cheap, fast to establish (7 to 10 days to emerge), and highly attractive to deer especially in the first six weeks after planting. Oats don't survive a hard winter in most of Missouri the way winter wheat or rye does. They'll green up fast in fall, get grazed hard, and then die back once temperatures drop into the teens for extended stretches. If you want food into late winter, pair oats with a cereal rye or wheat that can handle Missouri's colder months, or plan on oats being a September-through-December food source only. Seeding rate for oats in a food plot runs 2 to 3 bushels per acre (roughly 64 to 96 pounds), drilled at a half-inch to one-inch depth or broadcast and lightly covered.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer eat grain sorghum, both the standing plant and the seed heads once they mature, though it's generally considered a secondary food plot species rather than a first choice. Deer will browse young sorghum shoots in spring and summer, and they'll hit the seed heads in fall once the grain hardens, similar to how they use corn. Grain sorghum works well in Missouri as a drought-tolerant alternative to corn, particularly useful in years with a dry July and August, which happens regularly in the state. MU Extension's sorghum production guides note it needs less water than corn to produce a grain crop, which is one reason some Missouri plotters use it on sandier or south-facing ground ^[4]. Plant sorghum mid-May through mid-June once soil temperatures are consistently above 65°F. Sorghum isn't as attractive standing alone as a soybean or brassica plot, and deer tend to use it more as a fall/winter grain source (especially for turkey and other wildlife too) than a primary summer draw. If you're deciding between species, deer food plot seed breaks down attractiveness rankings in more detail.

Do deer eat clover, and do deer like clover?

Yes, deer eat clover readily, and most wildlife biologists and extension agronomists rank it among the most consistently used food plot forages available, especially white clover and red clover blends. Clover is a perennial, so once established it can produce forage for three to five years with proper mowing, liming, and periodic overseeding. MU Extension's forage legume publications point to clover's high crude protein content, often 25 to 30 percent in vegetative growth, as a major reason it draws deer during spring green-up and again through summer and fall regrowth after mowing ^[5]. Clover also tends to be more drought-tolerant once established than annual brassicas, since its root system runs deeper. In Missouri, clover plots are typically frost-seeded in late February through March, or planted in late summer (August into early September) alongside a cereal grain nurse crop like oats or wheat. The late-summer planting window is generally considered more reliable in Missouri because spring frost-seeding success depends heavily on freeze-thaw cycles that aren't guaranteed every year.

What are deer's favorite foods?

There's no single universal answer, deer preference shifts by season, region, and what's available on the landscape, but agricultural soybeans, clover, and acorns consistently rank at the top of most wildlife agency and university food-preference studies. Deer are opportunistic browsers; they'll eat over 500 different plant species across their range depending on region and season, according to long-standing wildlife management literature cited by state agencies. In Missouri specifically, MDC's deer management guidance notes that acorns (both white and red oak groups) are a preferred natural fall food when available, and agricultural crops like soybeans and corn get heavy use where they're accessible ^[2]. Among planted food plot species, soybeans during the growing season and brassicas/clover in fall and winter tend to draw the most consistent use in Missouri plot studies and extension trial observations. Worth noting: what deer prefer changes as the season goes on. Early fall, they may ignore a mature brassica plot in favor of acorns dropping in the timber, then switch hard to that same brassica plot once the acorns run out and a freeze sweetens the bulbs. That's part of why a mix of plot types across a property, more than one field, tends to hold deer longer through the season. See food plot seed for how blends address this.

Do deer like honey, or foods marketed with 'honey' in the name?

Deer don't eat honey itself in any meaningful dietary sense, it's not a natural forage item and isn't something deer seek out in the wild or on a food plot. The confusion usually comes from product names like "Honey Hole" or attractant sprays that use honey-based scents or sugar compounds to draw deer to a specific spot, not from deer actually consuming honey as a food source. What's actually happening with those products is usually a sugar or molasses-based scent and taste additive, sometimes combined with corn or soybean meal. Deer are drawn to high-sugar, high-carbohydrate foods generally (think apples, acorns, corn), and a honey-scented attractant is playing off that same preference rather than deer having any specific taste for honey as such. If you're looking for something with a similar sugar draw that's a legitimate agronomic choice, sugar beets and forage turnips both produce high-sugar content after frost and serve a similar late-season attraction role, minus the marketing gimmick.

How does Missouri's soil and fertility affect planting timing?

Missouri soils range widely, from the deep loess and glacial till soils of north Missouri to the clay-pan soils common across much of the central and southern parts of the state, to the sandy, well-drained soils of the Bootheel. Clay-pan soils in particular hold water differently and can delay field access after rain, which is one of the biggest practical planting-date variables Missouri plotters deal with. A soil test is the starting point for any plot, and your soil test lab's recommendations on lime and fertilizer rates should be the final word for your specific field, not a general article like this one. MU Extension's soil testing program recommends testing at least every three years and notes that Missouri's often-acidic soils, particularly in the Ozark region, frequently need lime to bring pH up to the 6.0 to 6.5 range most food plot species prefer ^[6]. Lime takes time to move soil pH, often three to six months to fully react depending on how finely ground the lime is and how well it's incorporated. That means if your fall soil test comes back needing lime, and you apply it right before planting, you may not see the full pH benefit until the following season. Get soil tests done in early summer for a fall plot and midwinter for a spring plot, so lime has time to work before seed goes in the ground. A $99 Custom Food Plot Plan (like the one at /plot-plan-builder) can take your soil test results and property details and turn them into a species and planting-date plan specific to your ground, but the lab itself remains the authority on your exact lime and fertilizer numbers.

What equipment do you need to hit these planting windows in Missouri?

You don't need a full tractor and drill setup to plant a Missouri food plot on time, but having the right gear ready before your window opens matters more than owning expensive equipment. A basic setup, ATV or UTV, a small disc or tiller, a broadcast spreader, and a cultipacker or drag, covers most small plot needs (under 3 acres). For brassicas and clover, seed-to-soil contact is the main variable that separates a good stand from a thin one. Broadcasting small seed onto rough, unpacked ground and hoping for rain is the single most common reason Missouri food plots fail. A cultipacker (or even dragging a chain-link section or piece of carpet behind an ATV) after broadcasting makes a real difference in germination rates. For row crop plots (soybeans, corn), a planter or drill gives more consistent depth control than broadcasting, especially important for soybeans, which need to go in at roughly 1 to 1.5 inches deep. If you're renting or borrowing equipment, book it well before your target window since everyone in your area is trying to use the same rented drill during the same two-week stretch.

What's the risk of planting too early or too late in Missouri?

Planting too early risks seedling loss to a late spring frost (for warm-season species) or heat stress and poor germination in dry August soil (for fall brassicas planted in July). Missouri's average last spring frost date ranges from around April 5 in the Bootheel to April 25 in far north Missouri, based on NOAA climate normal data referenced by MU Extension planting guides ^[1]. Planting too late is the more common mistake for fall plots specifically. Brassicas planted after September 1 in north Missouri, or after mid-September in the Bootheel, often don't have enough growing degree days left to bulb before the first killing frost, typically in the October 15 to October 25 range across most of the state. You'll get green leafy growth deer might browse a little, but you won't get the sugar-loaded bulbs that make brassica plots so effective in December and January. The safest approach: mark your target window based on the table above, then watch the actual weather rather than the calendar. If a good rain is forecast three days before your target date, plant into that. If it's bone dry, holding a week for rain usually beats planting into dust and hoping.

Do you need to check Missouri baiting or feeding rules before planting?

Food plots planted and left to grow are not considered baiting under Missouri regulations, but supplemental feeding (piling out corn, minerals, or other feed) is regulated differently and subject to specific rules that vary by county and by whether Chronic Wasting Disease management zones are in effect. The Missouri Department of Conservation maintains current feeding and baiting regulations, including CWD-related feeding bans in certain counties, on its official hunting regulations pages ^[2]. Because these rules change and CWD management zones get added or adjusted from year to year, always check MDC's current regulations before setting up any feeding station, mineral site, or supplemental feed program, separate from your planted food plots. A growing food plot is broadly treated differently than a feed pile under most state agency definitions, but don't assume, confirm with MDC's current published rules for your specific county.

Frequently asked questions

When should I plant food plots for deer in Missouri?

Plant warm-season plots (soybeans, corn, sorghum) mid-April through mid-June depending on region. Plant fall plots, brassicas, clover, oats, wheat, from late July through mid-September, with brassicas going in earliest so they have time to bulb before frost. North Missouri plants about two weeks earlier than the Bootheel.

When to plant turnips for deer in Missouri?

Plant turnips between late July and early September. North Missouri plotters should aim for late July to mid-August; Bootheel growers can wait until mid-August through early September. Turnips need 80 to 90 days to bulb fully, so late planting often means leafy growth with little to no root development.

When to plant oats for deer in Missouri?

Plant oats from early August through late September across Missouri, earlier in the window for maximum fall tonnage. Oats emerge in 7 to 10 days and get grazed hard early, but they generally winterkill once sustained cold hits, so pair with wheat or rye if you need forage into deep winter.

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes. Deer browse young sorghum shoots and eat mature grain heads in fall, similar to corn use. It's a secondary rather than primary food plot species in Missouri, more valued for drought tolerance than raw attractiveness, and plants best mid-May through mid-June once soil hits 65°F.

Do deer eat clover, and do deer like clover?

Yes, clover is one of the most reliably used food plot forages for deer, offering 25 to 30 percent crude protein in vegetative growth according to MU Extension forage data. Deer use it heavily spring through fall. In Missouri, plant clover in late summer (August to early September) or frost-seed it in late February through March.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted patch, typically a quarter-acre to several acres, seeded with forage crops for deer and other wildlife. Plots are either annual (replanted yearly, like brassicas or soybeans) or perennial (clover, chicory, lasting three to five years). They provide nutrition and often double as hunting locations.

What are deer's favorite foods?

Preference shifts by season and region, but acorns, soybeans, and clover consistently rank highest across wildlife agency studies. In Missouri, acorns dominate when available in fall, soybeans draw heavy use during the growing season, and brassicas or clover take over once acorns run out and frost sweetens the bulbs.

Do deer like honey?

No, deer don't eat honey as a natural food source. Products with honey in the name usually use sugar or molasses-based scent additives to draw deer, playing off their general preference for high-sugar foods like apples, acorns, and frosted turnips rather than any actual taste for honey itself.

What's the best month to plant a fall food plot in Missouri?

August is generally the best month for most of Missouri. Brassicas should go in by August 1 to 20 depending on region; clover and oats can follow through late August into September. Waiting until late September statewide risks brassicas not bulbing before the first hard frost around mid-to-late October.

How late can you plant a food plot in Missouri and still get results?

Cereal grains like wheat and rye can go in as late as early-to-mid October and still establish before winter dormancy. Brassicas planted after early September in most of Missouri usually won't bulb fully. If you're planting late, lean toward wheat, rye, or oats over brassicas or clover.

Does soil pH affect when I should plant in Missouri?

Soil pH doesn't change the calendar date you plant, but if lime is needed, it takes three to six months to fully adjust pH. Test soil in early summer for fall plots and midwinter for spring plots, so lime has time to work by the time you seed. Your soil test lab's recommendation is the final word for your field.

Do I need special equipment to plant food plots on time in Missouri?

Not necessarily. A UTV, small disc or tiller, broadcast spreader, and a cultipacker or drag cover most plots under 3 acres. Book any rented equipment (drills, planters) well ahead of your target window, since demand spikes during the same two-week stretch across a whole region.

Is planting a food plot considered baiting in Missouri?

Generally no, a growing food plot is treated differently than a feed pile under Missouri Department of Conservation rules, but supplemental feeding and mineral sites are separately regulated and restricted in some CWD management counties. Always check MDC's current published regulations before starting any feeding program beyond a planted plot.

Sources

1. University of Missouri Extension, soybean planting date and variety guidance: Safe soybean planting window across Missouri runs late April through early June, with yield potential declining after mid-May
2. Missouri Department of Conservation, deer management and food plot guidance: MDC guidance on deer food sources, acorn preference, and food plot management in Missouri
3. University of Missouri Extension, forage brassica establishment guide: Brassicas should be planted by mid-August in most of Missouri for full bulb development before first hard frost
4. University of Missouri Extension, grain sorghum production guide: Grain sorghum requires less water than corn to produce a grain crop, useful in drier Missouri conditions
5. University of Missouri Extension, forage legumes and clover management: Clover in vegetative growth stages provides 25 to 30 percent crude protein, driving high deer use
6. University of Missouri Extension, soil testing program: Missouri soils, especially in the Ozark region, are often acidic and require lime to reach the 6.0-6.5 pH range most food plot species need; testing recommended every three years
7. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, climate normals: Average last spring frost dates and first fall frost dates used to bound Missouri planting windows