I introduced the Soil Builder mix in 2016 for many reasons. I can be planted from early April through early June and then again after August 1. The berseem and crimson clovers in the mix fixate nitrogen and smother weeds. The spring grains also give early season forage for the deer. The peas give great nutrition and fixate nitrogen. The buckwheat people overlook for the bees. The buckwheat in some areas people rave about how the deer move in and hammer it.
This year we are testing a product called fast gro in areas across the US. The fast gro mix is my WARM SEASON COVER CROP, that contains sunn help, sorghum and buckwheat. You can plant that in June until August. The sunn help grows fast and fixates up to 100 units of nitrogen, the buckwheat is great for suppressing weeds and feeding the bees and the sorghum besides giving a lot of top growth, the roots grow as far down as 6' deep, which helps loosen the soil. This mix many will kill off late summer and then come back and plant your fall brassicas.
Some of the mixes that are labeled for deer are similar to cover crop seeds. My independent seed company sells to the big dairies and large scale grain farms.The goal for cover crops is to fixate nitrogen, scavenge nutrients, suppress weeds, reduce soil erosion and to loosen the soil. This is why i formulate my grains and greens and the fall the way i do. Most don't realize that besides giving good feeding benefits to the deer when they use my mixes, they are being conservationists and smart "mini farmers"
Do you know that the radish acts as "time release" fertilizer. They uptake nutrients and store it in the roots, where it is rereleased when it's broken down in the late winter and early spring.I have crimson and berseem clovers in my fall draw, soil builder, and inner sanctum and for good reason. Nothing fixates more nitrogen than berseem clover. The deer love it, it grows fast, i tolerates low ph's and has good nutrition qualities.
Many companies offer brassica blends that can only be planted for a couple years straight because of the genetics and the pure stands. People who buy from me and rotate in grains and greens, fall draw, soil builder and fast gro have all kinds of options for future year plantings and can plant my brassica blends for many years straight.
This is where Grandpa Ray's thrives. We provide great nutrition, we help you become conservationists, we help you set up your plots for many years to come and most of all we lessen the role that mother nature plays in your food plots success.
