Fighting back against Mother Nature Part 2

Well, the struggle continues… why wouldn’t it. But hey, Mother Nature has lost her marbles and Im growing paranoid about my fall plots. So after the exceedingly wet year in my area, we have found our selves in a sudden drought. I planted my fall plots 18 days ago and it hasn’t rained once. In order to try and save a few ‘favorite fall plot stands,’ the battle begins again.

Drug out the 300 gallon tank tonight. Along with the generator, hose, extension cords, and sump pump. There is no way I can effectively water 5 acres of fall plots, but I am making a dash to ensure some solid growth in a few places. Tonight I hand sprayed 300 gallons on half of a 1/2 acre turnip/radish plot. Plan to hit up a few spots this week and already have a 1000 gallon tank, with gas pump, lined up for the weekend. Its incredible, if you ever do the math, how many gallons a rainfall will drop on a single acre. Because of that I know my efforts may be futile, but I am going stir crazy waiting for rain!

P.S. Background of pic is a strip of forage sorghum that we use to hide our ground blind in between the fall plot and corn. This years growth is not as tall as last years, but still a good 8-9ft and producing heads now.

I commend you for your commitment and effort! May you be blessed with a great looking fall food plot!

I’ll do a little rain dance for you guys!

That sucks Brady ! Good Luck bro ! I dumped 600 gallons last week and hope it helped

It might not be ideal but any bit of water will help . Good work and I hope it works out for you!

Hope it helps, we have had more than enuff. Io me watering may create a false germintion and unless you continue to water a die off is imanent with out rain, right??

Quote:

---

Io me watering may create a false germintion and unless you continue to water a die off is imanent with out rain, right??

---

Yes, that is a very good possibility and I fully realize this may be the case. I thought quite a bit about this before I decided to water, as well as how little water this really is (in gallons) in relation to even a small rain fall. However, I came to this rationale, which could still fall through. But, Im now 19 days in to no rain at all, I want my turnips and radishes to at least have some bulbs come first frost. After 19 days, I put water on a few select spots to get them started. How many more days will the weather go with out a rainfall? No one knows, but odds have to swing at some point in time. Plus if it does go another say 15 days with out rain, these plots wouldn’t have grown to the point I need any ways. Therefore, Im taking the gamble. Another year, another experience, another game plan tried for better or worse.

Only reason I asked was because I knew you must have thought awhile before pulling the trigger. I have been close to watering before, mainly to help fresh clover but have been spared, I wish you the best of luck in your battle!!! How are your Eagle beans doing??I can’t notice any difference in mine

In a decade of planting food plots I’ve never considered watering before. If I didn’t have this 1000 gallon tank available I still probably wouldn’t have this year. However, given all the different variables in correlation to sheer deer drawing capacity of a few certain plots/plot positions Im giving it a shot. I went and picked up the tank last night actually, and got another 2,000 gallons on the 1/2 acre in the pic.

For perspective, a one inch rain over 1 acre of land is 27,154 gallons Therefore, a 1/8th inch rainfall over 1/2 acre equals 1697 gallons!

I wasn’t able to get my Eagle beans in until the first few days of June. Last time I checked them on the river bottom land (2 weeks ago) they were only a few inches taller than the ag beans . The Eagle seed on the other property is, as of Sunday, in the 3.5ft range. If I recall this seed was that size near the end of July last year. The tonnage is awesome, even on the shorter plots. However, given what I learned through using them last year, I am not holding hopes for much of any yield off of them this year.

Update on the artificially watered plot. Turned out OK, sparse in some areas but decent to good in others. Went all of August and well into September before we got some sporadic rain on the plot. Warm temps this fall helped a bit for prolonged growing. Overall, I think I dumped 9 thousand gallons on this plot over a 3-4 week period. Same mix half mile away never got over 1/2 inch in plant height. It should pay off come late season, however with the lack of growth and disturbance I did no get much for early season Tillage Radish foliage usage like I normally do.

Pic is upside down Purple top Turnip beside a size 15 boot.