easiest food plot ever?
Cereal rye (also known as winter rye or grain rye) is an excellent choice for food plots and offers numerous advantages that make it a top contender among other options. Cereal rye is highly tolerant of low-nutrient soils and low pH levels, thriving in environments where other food plot options might struggle. This resilience makes it ideal for areas where soil quality might otherwise limit the success of a food plot. It’s also well-suited for newly established plots that haven’t yet had a soil sample taken or soil amendments applied.
One of the most important benefits of cereal rye is its exceptional cold tolerance compared to other food plot options. It is the most cold-resistant cereal grain available, capable of surviving harsh winter conditions that would render other crops dormant or dead. In northern climates, where winters can be particularly brutal, cereal rye remains green longer than any other food plot option. This ability to stay green and provide forage throughout the winter months ensures that deer have access to nutrition when other food sources are scarce. Additionally, cereal rye is often the first crop to green up in the spring, providing an early source of food that is crucial for deer as they recover from winter and prepare for the fawning season.
Cereal rye is also one of the least expensive food plot seeds available, making it accessible for almost any budget. It typically costs $25 or less per bushel or 50-pound sack through local farm co-ops or feed mills. Despite its low cost, cereal rye can produce a high volume of forage—up to 7,000 pounds per acre.
Another significant benefit of cereal rye is its role in weed suppression. It effectively outcompetes weeds for light and space, and its natural allelopathic properties inhibit the growth of weeds in the spring.
When selecting winter rye seed for food plots, it’s important to focus on varieties intended for grazing. A common pitfall is that many varieties available in northern climates (where rye is most beneficial) were developed for winter cover cropping to reduce nitrogen loss and erosion, or for grain production, rather than for grazing. In the southern half of the country, including winter rye in a grazing crop rotation is more common. Crude protein levels can range from 16% to 34%, depending on whether a variety was developed for cover cropping versus forage/grazing, which significantly impacts its attractiveness to deer.
One downside of winter rye is that varieties developed for grazing typically have less cold tolerance than those developed for cover cropping or grain production. Depending on individual hunting styles, preferred seasons, and locations, selecting an appropriate variety is key. For example, in one of our test plots in Northern Wisconsin, we plant Pennington Wintergrazer 70, which is a high-protein but less winter-hardy forage variety, followed by LaCrosse Guardian, which has mid-level protein but excellent winter hardiness and spring weed suppression. The Wintergrazer provides a significant boost in attraction for early-season hunting, while the Guardian serves as a late-season food source and improves nitrogen retention in sandy soil.