My food plots were pretty much a bust thus fall. Mainly because of a broken foot and trauma induced gout. I didn’t do everything I needed to. Not near enough time on the tractor.

My plots are small, all together maybe two acres not counting the rightaways.

The soil at the place I hunt in East Texas is really sandy. Moved to a new area and it was really sandy and not much came up.

The seed place I get my seeds suggested red ripper cow peas, which are supposed to do well in sandy soil and the did pretty good last year, couldn’t get them this year and peas I planted didn’t do well at all. Also didn’t get the rain like I did last year.

I would like to find something else to plant that does well in sandy soil to go along with cow peas. I planted some clover this year but it didn’t come up. I may have planted clover to deep, that or lack of rain. Another reason I’d loke to find something else. Deer hit my peas that came up this year and knocked them almost down to the ground, Never made the first pea.

I hope I can get red ripper peas to plant this spring.

Comments on trying to grow with a lot of sand content.

Thanks Billy

Oats

Grassburrs do well in sand. I don't recommend planting them for a food plot, but they do well in sand and spread well. Don't need rain either. I know, no help at all! Happy Thanksgiving!

Planted oats in South Texas many years back, but it never rained. One thing about East Texas, it does seem to get rain.

I recall Alfalfa grows good in sandy soil but not sure the deer would hit it.

This year will get my seeds bought much earlier. Seeds can bet hard to get depending on what you want.

Turnips grow very good in sandy soil. Lack of rain has been a major problem in NE Texas and without the water ain't nothing gonna grow. Another possible is Iron & Clay cowpeas plus they are very drought tolerant.

This was the driest fall that I can remember.

In the 1960's we would plant Labor Day weekend, Now with the late arriving cold fronts and rain, we don't plant until
mid- October.

Fall planting:

Rye Grass-broadcast
Wheat--disked
Elbon rye grass--disked
Cow peas--disked

After disking you are better off rolling the plant sites

East Texas Seed in Tyler, look at their website. Check with your local feed store for recommendations.

Your problem isn’t sandy
It s lack of water

Sand drains So need more water

Bring in a truck of mulch, fill dirt , top soil
Spread and disc

Pretty sure I got some rain, after the hog rooted up what was left of a bunch of burned up ate down cowpeas!

Austrian winter peas, oats clover is what we use in Lamar County.

In the spring plant mung beans, drought and heat tolerant. In the cold turnips and oats mixed do well.

Great advice

I’ve seen some bumper crops of sand burrs! Rain really helps them out!

Goat heads suck

Goat heads love sand. They hurt s a kid barefoot, hurt really bad s an adult!

I would agree with this. Sand will dry out much faster so you will need to plant deeper than in a heavier texture soil