GREENING UP THE HERD: A Spring Food Plot Guide for Whitetails
Written by: Ryan Reading, Fall Obsession Pro Staff
Spring is the season of growth, rebirth, and opportunity—for the land, the wildlife, and the landowner. As the frost leaves the soil and green shoots emerge, it's the perfect time to get your hands dirty and build something meaningful for the whitetails you steward. Planting a spring food plot is one of the most effective ways to improve the nutritional health of your local deer herd while also shaping the future of your hunting opportunities. But this isn't as simple as tossing seed and hoping for rain. Success takes planning, timing, and sweat equity.
Every good food plot starts with clear objectives. What are you trying to achieve? If your goal is to provide year-round nutrition, especially during spring and summer when bucks are regrowing antlers and does are fawning, you're on the right track with a spring plot. These aren't necessarily the plots you'll hunt over in the fall—though some blends can carry over into hunting season—but rather the foundational food sources that support the herd when they need it most.
Once you have your goals in mind, you’ll need to select a location. Pick an area that gets ample sunlight—ideally six or more hours per day—and has decent access for maintenance and machinery. Try to locate your plot near bedding areas or natural travel corridors, but not so deep in the cover that your presence will pressure the deer. Good soil moisture, manageable weed competition, and existing traffic patterns all play into a location’s success.
Before you even think about putting seed in the ground, you need to understand your soil. Conducting a soil test is one of the most overlooked yet vital steps in the food plotting process. You can get a test kit from your local agricultural extension office or order one online. The results will tell you what your soil needs—most importantly, lime and fertilizer requirements. Deer forage crops thrive in a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. If the pH is off, even the best fertilizer and seed won’t reach their full potential.
With a soil test in hand, it’s time to prep the site. Begin by spraying down any existing vegetation with a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate. Give it 10 to 14 days to work, then mow the dead material as low as possible. If you’re going conventional, disk or till the soil to create a good seedbed. For those using a no-till method, you can terminate vegetation with a roller/crimper and broadcast seed directly into the mulch layer. Either way, aim for firm soil with good seed-to-soil contact.
Next, apply your lime and fertilizer based on the soil test recommendations. Lime should go down as early as possible—weeks in advance, if you can swing it—so it has time to work. Fertilizer, on the other hand, should be applied shortly before or during planting. Be mindful of what you’re planting; clover, for instance, doesn’t need much nitrogen, while grains like oats or spring wheat do.
When it comes to selecting seed, base your decision on your goals, soil conditions, and how much maintenance you're willing to do. Perennial clovers are excellent for spring plots and can last for years if cared for properly. Chicory is a great companion to clover—deep-rooted, drought-resistant, and protein-rich. Alfalfa is another strong option but demands better soil drainage and more attention. If you want to plant annuals, soybeans and cowpeas are protein-packed and fast-growing, though smaller plots may suffer from overbrowsing. Spring oats or wheat can be used as a nurse crop to protect legumes and offer quick forage.
Seeding properly is often where things go wrong. Broadcasting is a common method, especially for small to mid-sized plots, and works well when followed by cultipacking or dragging to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. A drill is more precise but requires more equipment. Whatever method you use, don’t bury your seed too deep. Tiny seeds like clover and chicory should be planted no deeper than a quarter inch, while larger seeds like peas or oats can go an inch deep. After planting, a final firming of the soil helps lock in moisture and improve germination rates.
Once your plot is in the ground, patience and observation become your tools. Spring rains will kick-start growth, but if the weather turns dry, your seedlings could struggle. Keep an eye on weed competition—particularly in perennial plots—and mow as needed to keep broadleaf weeds or grasses from taking over. Fertilize again in mid-summer if the crops are showing signs of stress or nutrient deficiency. Many perennials benefit from one or two mowings per year to stay lush and tender.
Trail cameras can tell you a lot about how your plot is being used. Monitor deer activity throughout the summer. Take notes on which crops perform best, how deer are reacting, and what adjustments might be needed next year. Some landowners opt to overseed in late summer with brassicas or cereal grains, transforming a spring nutrition plot into a fall hunting hotspot. That kind of plot rotation builds both seasonal diversity and long-term soil health.
A spring food plot is more than a green field—it's an investment. It provides critical nutrients when deer need them most, offers insight into herd behavior, and serves as a building block for everything that comes later in the year. When done right, it sets the tone not only for your hunting season, but for the overall health of the deer population you're trying to manage. So as the frost retreats and the days stretch longer, grab your gloves and a bag of seed. The work you put in now will echo through antlers, fawns, and stories for seasons to come.