Do to fillers in the commercial "thro and grow" seed packages I'm looking for a do it yourself solution. I've heard that winter wheat and rye oats (not eye grass) will grow just about anywhere you properly plant it. I'm looking to put out some small plots on wooded ridges and logging roads. Obviously for the 2015 season, has anyone experimented with this? Where would I obtain the seed and what are the soil and fertilization preferences? Thanks

Recon

I planted oats and rye this year and it came up everywhere I spread it. One plot in the middle of the woods did amazing. Also had the extra seed I mixed filled up the hopper on the spreader so I walked it down the trail through the woods and it came up and i didn't till or brake ground there at all just laid on top. I did not fertilize but I had buckwheat planted in them all summer. all the plots are ate down to the ground now thinking about frost seeding some annual clover for cover and summer food. I bought plot spike forage oats at tsc and winter rye from coxs plant farm. I have been looking at products from fridgid forage they make a blend that is supposed to grow in shady wooded areas. I will say I have never seen a deer in any of the plots but trail cams and forage cages say different

Tough to get any plot to its potential in a shady wooded situation. I'd probably try white clover as it's about the simplest stuff to work with and get going. You can get 3-4 years out of it before the grass takes over generally too.

Any local CO-OP or seed dealer can get this and other plot seeds for you. If you prefer mail order, Seedland.com has whatever you need. My go to food plots are white clover, soybeans and purple top turnips.