What food plot to plant in october (zone-by-zone picks)

Last updated 2026-07-26

what should I plant in october for a deer food plot

October is a transition month, and what you plant depends heavily on how far north or south you sit. In the Upper Midwest and Northeast (USDA zones 3-5), most perennial clover and brassica plantings should already be in the ground by early September, so October plantings are really about salvage options: winter rye or oats for a quick green blast before frost shuts things down. In the transition zone and mid-South (zones 6-7), October is prime time. Brassicas planted in late August through mid-September are hitting peak palatability now, and you can still get cereal grains and clover in the ground through the first half of the month. In the Deep South (zones 8-9), October is often the best planting window of the whole year, since summer heat has finally broken. The short answer: brassicas (turnips, radishes, rape), cereal grains (oats, winter wheat, cereal rye), and clover overseeds are the three workhorses for October across most of the country. Which one wins depends on your soil test results, your equipment, and how much daylight (growing season) you have left before a hard frost. If you haven't pulled a soil sample yet, do that first. Extension services like Penn State and Mississippi State both recommend testing at least 6-8 weeks before planting so lime has time to react in the soil ^[1]. October plantings often mean you're playing catch-up on lime, so don't skip this step even if it feels late.

when to plant food plots for deer

3-4	Northern MN, WI, ME	Mid-July to late Aug
5	Southern MN, IA, PA	Aug 1 to Sept 1
6	KY, VA, MO	Aug 15 to Sept 15
7	TN, NC, AR	Sept 1 to Oct 15
8-9	Deep South, TX Gulf Coast	Sept 15 to Nov 1	If you're building a full-season plan rather than just chasing one planting date, the food plot whitetail guide breaks down how spring and fall plots work together on the same property.

Timing for food plots for deer breaks into two seasons: spring/summer plots (usually warm-season annuals and perennials like clover, chicory, and beans) and fall plots (cereal grains, brassicas, and clover). Fall plot planting generally runs from mid-August in the northern tier down through late October in the Deep South, with most of the country falling somewhere in between. The rule of thumb used by most extension agronomists is to count backward from your area's average first frost date. Brassicas need 80-90 days of growing time to bulb out properly, so in a zone with a mid-October frost, that seed needs to go in the ground by late July or early August. Cereal grains like oats and wheat are more forgiving. They germinate fast and provide grazeable forage in 3-4 weeks, so you can plant them right up until 4-6 weeks before your ground typically freezes solid. Here's a rough national breakdown, though you should always check your local extension office for exact dates since microclimates vary a lot within a state. | Zone (USDA Hardiness) | Region example | Fall plot window |

when to plant turnips for deer

Turnips need to go in the ground 80 to 90 days before your first hard frost to bulb out and reach peak sweetness. That means in most of the whitetail's range, turnip planting happens in late July through early September, not October. By the time October arrives, your turnip plot should already be established and the tops (and eventually bulbs, once a few frosts convert starches to sugar) should be drawing deer in. There is a narrow window in the Deep South (zones 8-9) where a September or even very early October turnip planting can still work, since frost doesn't show up until December or later in places like the Gulf Coast. But for most hunters north of Interstate 20, October turnip planting is too late to get a real bulb crop. You'd get some leaf growth before winter, but not the tuber that makes turnips such a late-season draw. If you missed your turnip window this year, don't force it. Oats or winter rye will give you faster tonnage and are a better use of October soil. Mississippi State University Extension notes that brassicas like turnips "perform best when planted 60 to 90 days prior to the first killing frost" ^[1], which lines up with the late-summer planting recommendation most extension programs give.

when to plant oats for deer

Oats are one of the most forgiving fall food plot options and one of the best choices for an October planting in the transition zone and mid-South. Oats germinate in 5-10 days under decent moisture and soil temps, and deer will hit young oat shoots almost immediately, often within two to three weeks of emergence. In zones 6-7 (much of the Southeast and mid-South), oats can go in from September through mid-to-late October and still produce a solid forage crop before winter dormancy. In zones 8-9, oats can be planted even later, sometimes into November, since the growing season stretches further. One caveat: oats are less cold-hardy than winter wheat or cereal rye. A hard freeze below the low 20s Fahrenheit for an extended period can kill oats outright, while wheat and rye will often survive and green back up in spring. If you're in a zone that gets consistent hard freezes (zones 3-5), plan on oats as a fall-only forage that won't carry you through to spring, and consider mixing in wheat or rye for that reason. Oklahoma State University Extension recommends oats as a fall forage option specifically because of their fast establishment and high palatability to deer during the September-November window ^[2].

do deer eat sorghum

Yes, deer will eat sorghum, but it's not typically planted as a primary food plot forage crop the way corn or soybeans are. Grain sorghum (milo) produces a seed head that deer and other wildlife will feed on once it matures and dries down, similar to how they use standing corn. It's more common as a component of dove field or wildlife food plot mixes in the South and Midwest than as a stand-alone deer plot. Forage sorghum and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids are sometimes used as a summer screening or biomass crop, and deer will browse the young shoots, but the primary draw usually comes later in the year once the seed heads mature and dry. If you're specifically trying to plant for October hunting, sorghum planted in spring or early summer will often be standing and drying down right around fall, which can make it a decent late-summer through fall attractant in warmer zones, but it's a secondary or supplemental plot, not a first choice for October planting itself since it should already be in the ground months earlier. For a dedicated October plot, cereal grains and brassicas are a more direct, better-tested choice.

do deer eat clover, and do deer like clover

Yes, deer eat clover heavily, and it's consistently rated as one of the most preferred forages in food plot research and extension trials. Clover is high in protein (often 25-30% crude protein in vegetative growth stages) and digestible, which makes it a go-to for spring and summer nutrition as well as a fall option when overseeded or maintained as a perennial stand. Whitetail preference studies and extension forage trials repeatedly rank clovers like white clover, red clover, and ladino clover near the top of the palatability list, often alongside soybeans and alfalfa. The University of Tennessee's food plot publications list clover as one of the most reliable perennial forages for both nutrition and deer attraction across multiple seasons ^[3]. October is actually a great time to overseed thin or aging clover stands, especially in the transition zone and South. A light disking or dragging, a fresh application of fertilizer per your soil test, and broadcasting clover seed into existing stands in early-to-mid October can thicken up a plot before winter dormancy and set it up strong for spring green-up. In colder zones, this overseed window closes earlier, generally by mid-September. If you're weighing clover against other perennial and annual options for your specific property, the deer food plots overview compares species side by side.

what is a food plot

A food plot is a planted area, usually somewhere from a quarter acre up to several acres, established specifically to provide supplemental forage for deer and other wildlife. Food plots are typically planted with agricultural or forage-type seed such as clover, brassicas, cereal grains, soybeans, or corn, chosen based on the season, soil type, and the specific goal (attraction for hunting season, nutrition for antler and fawn development, or both). Food plots are different from natural browse or mast (acorns, browse plants) in that they're actively planted, fertilized, and managed by the landowner or lease holder, generally following a soil test and a planting calendar tied to the region's frost dates. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and state wildlife agencies often provide cost-share or technical guidance for wildlife food plots as part of broader habitat management programs, since well-managed plots can supplement natural forage availability, particularly in late summer and late winter when natural food is scarcest ^[4]. A basic food plot program usually involves four steps: soil testing, lime and fertilizer application based on that test, seedbed preparation (disking, tilling, or no-till drilling), and planting on a schedule matched to the species' frost tolerance and growing season needs.

what are deer's favorite food, and do deer like honey

Deer preference varies by season, region, and what's available naturally, but extension research and browse studies consistently point to a short list of favorites: soybeans and clover during the growing season, acorns (especially white oak acorns, which are lower in tannins and more palatable than red oak acorns) in fall, and brassicas plus cereal grains once cold weather hits and other food sources thin out. Acorns deserve a specific mention because in years with a good mast crop, deer will often bypass planted food plots entirely in favor of white oak acorns, which the USDA Forest Service and multiple state wildlife agencies note are preferred over red oak acorns due to lower tannin content and a sweeter taste ^[5]. This is a real frustration for plot owners in big mast years: your plot might sit untouched in October and November simply because the deer have better, free food in the woods. As for honey: no, deer do not have any natural access to or preference for honey as a food source, and there's no credible wildlife research suggesting deer seek out honey. This question likely comes up because of confusion with mineral or sugar-based attractant products that are sometimes marketed with "honey" or sweetener additives, or because of deer's known attraction to sugary, high-carbohydrate foods generally (which is part of why molasses-based mineral licks and sugar beet plots work). If you see a product claiming deer specifically crave honey, treat it as marketing, not biology. Also worth noting: many states restrict or ban baiting and supplemental feeding, including sugar-based attractants, so check your state wildlife agency's regulations before using anything beyond a standard planted food plot.

how do I prep soil for an october planting

October soil prep starts with the same first step as any other season: a soil test. Extension offices, including Penn State's Agricultural Analytical Services Lab, generally recommend testing 2-3 months ahead of planting so lime has time to adjust soil pH before seed goes in. If you're already at October and haven't tested, test now anyway. Your results will guide lime and fertilizer decisions for this planting and set you up for spring. Once you have results, follow your soil test lab's specific lime and fertilizer recommendations. Rates vary a lot by existing pH, soil type, and what you're planting; a lab recommendation for your exact field is always more reliable than a generic rule of thumb. Most food plot species (clover, brassicas, cereal grains) do best in a pH range of roughly 6.0 to 7.0, and lime takes weeks to months to fully react in the soil, so an October application won't fully correct pH for this fall's crop, but it will help going into next spring. For seedbed prep, a light disking or dragging is usually enough for an overseed or a fresh cereal grain planting, especially if you're working into existing plot ground rather than breaking new sod. No-till drills work well in October too, since they disturb less soil moisture right when fall rains can be inconsistent. If you're deciding between equipment options for a plot this size, the deer food plot seed guide covers seeding rates and basic equipment needs by species.

what's the best food plot mix for october specifically

For most hunters planting in October, a mix of a cereal grain (oats or winter wheat) with a brassica component (if you're far enough south or catching the tail end of the brassica window) and/or clover gives you fast green-up plus season-long draw. Cereal grains alone are the safest bet if you're planting late in the month or you're unsure about your remaining growing season. A simple, well-tested combination many extension programs and food plot seed companies recommend is oats plus winter wheat or cereal rye, sometimes with a small percentage of clover or brassica seed mixed in for variety. The cereal grain component gives you fast, reliable tonnage even in marginal soil or a compressed planting window, while clover or brassica adds long-term value if conditions allow it to establish. If you're not sure which combination fits your specific soil test results, frost date, and acreage, a Custom Food Plot Plan can map species, seeding rates, and a planting calendar to your exact property for a one-time $99 fee. It won't replace your soil test lab's specific lime and fertilizer recommendations (that's still the authority on your dirt), but it can save you from guessing on species and timing. Whatever mix you choose, match seeding rate to your drill or broadcast method. Broadcast rates typically run 1.5 to 2 times higher than drilled rates for the same species, since broadcast seed has lower soil contact and germination success.

what if I missed my planting window entirely this fall

If you're reading this in late October and you haven't planted anything yet, you still have options depending on your zone, but you need to move fast and lower your expectations for tonnage. Cereal grains, specifically oats and winter rye, are your best bet since they germinate quickly and tolerate cooler soil temperatures better than brassicas or clover. In zones 7-9, you likely still have a workable window, potentially into November. In zones 3-6, you're pushing it, and a planting now may only produce a thin stand before winter dormancy sets in, though winter rye in particular is bred to survive hard freezes and will often green back up as one of the earliest spring food sources on your property, even if it doesn't do much this fall. Don't waste money and seed on brassicas or clover if you're truly out of growing season. Cereal rye's cold tolerance (it's rated as one of the most winter-hardy cereal grains, surviving temperatures well below 0degF once established) makes it the most forgiving "emergency" planting for a missed window ^[2]. Put your energy and lime budget into prepping the plot properly for an on-time planting next year instead.

Frequently asked questions

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer will eat sorghum, particularly the seed heads once grain sorghum matures and dries down. It's more common in dove field and multi-species wildlife mixes than as a stand-alone deer food plot, and it's typically planted in spring or early summer, not October, so it's not a primary choice for fall plot planning.

Do deer eat clover?

Yes, clover is one of the most heavily used and preferred forages in food plot research, often running 25-30% crude protein in vegetative stages. White, red, and ladino clovers are common choices, and October is a good time to overseed thinning stands in most zones outside the far north, where that window closes earlier.

When should I plant deer food plots?

Timing depends on your zone and species. Northern areas (zones 3-5) plant fall plots mid-July through early September; the transition zone (zones 6-7) runs August through mid-October; the Deep South (zones 8-9) can plant into late October or even November. Always count backward from your area's average first frost date.

Do deer like clover?

Yes, extension forage trials and browse studies consistently rank clover among deer's top forage preferences, often alongside soybeans and alfalfa. It's palatable, high in protein, and available across a long growing window when maintained as a perennial, which is part of why it's a staple in food plot programs nationwide.

When should I plant oats for deer?

Oats generally go in from late August through mid-to-late October in the transition zone and mid-South (zones 6-7), and can be planted even later, sometimes into November, in the Deep South (zones 8-9). They germinate in 5-10 days and are one of the best choices for a fast fall food source.

When should I plant turnips for deer?

Turnips need 80-90 days before your first hard frost, which puts most turnip plantings in late July through early September, not October. Deep South hunters (zones 8-9) have a bit more flexibility into September or very early October, but north of that, October turnip planting won't produce a real bulb crop.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area established specifically to provide supplemental forage for deer and other wildlife, usually seeded with clover, brassicas, cereal grains, soybeans, or corn. Plots are chosen based on soil type, season, and goals like fall attraction or year-round nutrition, and are typically planted following a soil test and a regional planting calendar.

What are deer's favorite foods?

Preference shifts by season, but soybeans and clover during the growing season, white oak acorns in fall (preferred over red oak acorns due to lower tannins), and brassicas plus cereal grains in cold weather consistently rank as top choices in extension research and browse studies across most of the whitetail's range.

Do deer like honey?

No, there's no credible research showing deer seek out honey specifically. This question likely stems from confusion with sweetened mineral or attractant products, or deer's general attraction to sugary, carbohydrate-rich foods, which is part of why molasses-based licks work. Many states also restrict baiting and feeding, so check your state wildlife agency's rules.

Can I plant brassicas in October?

In most of the country, no, not for a real bulb crop. Brassicas need 80-90 days before a hard frost, so they should be planted in late July through early September in most zones. Only the Deep South (zones 8-9) has enough remaining season for a September or very early October brassica planting.

What's the best food plot for a late October planting?

Cereal grains, specifically oats or winter rye, are the safest bet for a late October planting almost anywhere in the whitetail's range. They germinate fast, tolerate cooler soil, and winter rye in particular survives hard freezes and can green back up as an early spring food source even after a late fall start.

Do I need a soil test before planting in October?

Yes. Extension programs recommend testing 2-3 months before planting so lime has time to react in the soil, but even a late test is worth doing. It won't fully correct pH for this fall's crop, but it tells you what your plot needs going into next spring and prevents wasted fertilizer spending.

Is it too late to plant a food plot if I missed September?

Not necessarily, depending on your zone. Zones 7-9 usually still have a workable window into late October or November. Zones 3-6 are pushing it by October; cereal grains like oats and winter rye are your best remaining option since brassicas and clover need more lead time than most missed windows allow.

Sources

1. Mississippi State University Extension, Brassica food plot planting guidance: Brassicas perform best when planted 60 to 90 days prior to the first killing frost
2. Oklahoma State University Extension, Cool-season forage and food plot recommendations: Oats and cereal rye are recommended fall forages for wildlife food plots due to fast establishment and cold tolerance
3. University of Tennessee Extension, Wildlife food plot publications: Clover is ranked among the most reliable perennial forages for deer nutrition and attraction
4. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Wildlife habitat and food plot technical guidance: USDA NRCS provides technical guidance and cost-share support for wildlife food plot and habitat programs
5. USDA Forest Service, Oak mast and wildlife forage research: White oak acorns are lower in tannins and more palatable to deer than red oak acorns