Plant spring food plots for better hunting
Spring 2026
By Jimmy Jacobs
Unlike some plantings for whitetail deer, food plots for the upland birds don’t need to be multi-acres in size. More often these plots are in smaller strips and spread around a piece of property. That smaller size can mean the need for truly heavy equipment is not as great. Smaller utility tractors like those made by John Deere and offered by Ag-Pro dealers around the state can fit the bill.
Photo courtesy of Ag-Pro.
To produce a good food plot, the first step is to clear other vegetation from the site. A second good idea is to contact your county agent and get the soil tested. This generally is fairly easy. Just drop off the sample at their office or it can be mailed in many cases.
The most likely result will be a recommendation to ad lime to correct the pH of the soil. Doing this homework before the planting can be the difference between a lush plot and disappointment.
Now it’s time to put the tractor to work breaking up the ground and creating a good weed-free seed bed. Having a perfectly level bed with no clots or chunks would be fine if you have nothing else to do, but it doesn’t have to look like you are building a putting green.
Once the bed is ready, Ag-Pro can again be your best partner. They provide seeding equipment to match the tractor size and make the job more efficient.
Photo courtesy of Ag-Pro.
Keep in mind that the actual planting does need to be timed. You want to plant into a period of adequate moisture. Don’t plant and just hope for rain. Rather watch the long-range forecasts to improve the chances of having that moisture in the soil.
Enjoying the results in the fall. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Once the planting is done, fertilizing comes next and should adhere to the type and amount that the earlier soil test recommended. That done, just keep the plot from getting overrun with weeds and you are ready to watch it grow. In the meantime, you and your bird dog can try to stay in shape to hunt around the plot in the coming fall!
Jimmy Jacobs is the editor of Georgia Outdoor Adventures, as well as being editor/publisher of On The Fly South. He also is a member of the Georgia Outdoor Writers Association. He makes his home in Marietta with his English setters, Luke and Lulu. He can be contacted at jimmyjacobs970@gmail.com.