Picture of next week's forecast, decent chance of rain. Would you plant food plots or wait? I know rain chances can fizzle out and I have to watch for that.

I wouldn’t count on that stuff to give the subsoil moisture that wheat needs.

Our ground is dry and hard so hoping we get some forecasted rain in next ten days. Then we’ll prep the ground and either plant into that moisture and/or hope for rain again. Been planting plots for 20 years and always surprised it always comes up and attracts deer even with the finicky weather.

I shredded last weekend and am hoping to get some moisture out of next weeks forecast (not holding my breath for here in central TX), plow the following week and plant before the next forecast front later in Sept.

I used to plant mid Sept. but army worms seem to wipe things out planting that early around here.

Army worms got me until it got cold. What do you guys do for weeds; do you fertilize?

I probably should fertilize but I haven't in years.

My little place in central TX is under wildlife improvement and has been for about 13-14 years. It's a rocky motor scooter but I have about 5 decent size plots cleared of most of the rock and it has some decent soil. I merely shred all the plots as low as possible a couple weeks before planting, then I plow with a tandem disc (or is it disk?), making several passes to plow under any shredded weeds and stubble (completely turn it over where only dusty dirt is showing), spread my seeds and then run back over it again with my disc running very shallow just to cover the seeds up ... and pray for rain.

I put out 13-13-13 once and didn't see anything noticeable improvement ... that might have been the year the hogs re-plowed the majority of the plots though, I just don't remember. I'm not trying to grow crops, just food supplement for the wildlife. There isn't any livestock on the place.

anyway, the key (for me anyway) is getting adequate rains over the first few weeks after planting.

Last year, I prepped as always, planted in late September when there was supposed to be a decent wet front push thru ... the weather guessers were wrong and only got a little rain, enough for the seeds to sprout and break the ground but then several weeks of no rain and everything withered up and died.

Unless I see significant moisture, I won’t do it.

^ this has been my sob story last couple of years too - put out a couple $hundred in seed and watch it all burn up with a dry fall!

Just had this conversation with a friend near my lease. He had plowed his field near the road, and I asked if he was planting for the deer yet. He said he was just plowing it so it would take the water better when it did rain. If you can get the moisture for it to come up it will probably not make it due to the heat and still lack of water after it comes up. Seem several fields die near me that were planted to early.

I don't plant mine till 5th-10th of October. Between heat, grasshoppers and such, I've learned my lesson many years ago. I do about a 40 acre wheat field.

PMK, fertilize if you can. It'll be expensive this year but the nutrition from fertilized plants are better than non fertilized.

Way too dry and too many 100 degree days yet for me. The grasshoppers are eating EVERYTHING!

We are in San Saba county and have good chances for moisture this coming week. We have already plowed one pass over the fields . I think we will go down in a week and plow again, plant and fertilize. Mid to late September is traditional.

Last two years I planted Oct 9th, about a month later than we used to sow. If the rains comes next week, I'll start prepping and hope to plant after/right before the next go-round.

The last time I planted wheat plots was the first year the hogs showed up.

Guess I'll be running ripper on plots this weekend - soil a few inches down is as hard as rock right now it's been so dry.
That should help get some of this 'rain' next week down deep - then I'll prep it for planting a couple weeks later.

I'll also probably go ahead and prep one small plot that I can reach with water hose - and seed it just before next weeks 'rain' forecasted.
That way I have at least something going in case September stays dry, and don't have to risk burning up all my seed.

And a favorable forecast for additional moisture for weeks to come.

I don’t plant until last week in September if rain is forecast. Army worms get a lot of plots if planted with 100 degree days still a head.

Problem at my place is lack of sub soil moisture

OK standing by like the rest of you guys, praying for rain.

Where are you that you still have 100 degree days forecast. My last one was yesterday. Cooler weather and maybe rain- just about planting times.

Have plowed several plots hoping the possible rain can get some depth. Will plant late Sept or early Oct.

I have everything waiting for some rain, once it rains i will put in the seed and the wait for more rain. Cant beloece my chances of rain keep going down seems by the hour.

It will eventually rain, just gotta remind myself this happens every fall since i have owned the place and every year i get antsy about when to plant.

I hear ya on the ran chances going down.

Decided to roll the dice and dust in the seeds in to my 3 plots last weekend. Hoping for no minimum rain but praying for good and consistent rain. i know I should have waited, my schedule for September and early Oct was going to be tough (business travel, birthday parties and the kicker babysitting 4 yr old niece for 1 1/2 weeks). The latter is kicking my wife and my butt currently, definitely out of condition for a toddler.

But looks like my area in north Montague County got a quite a bit of rain yesterday and overnight and forecasted to get more over the coming weeks. Hopefully will be able to get up there next weekend and see some growth. Hopefully everyone gets some much needed rain as well.

You did better than me South of Bowie. I got approx 1/4 inch.