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Usually, 1 acre of chufa per 100 acres of habitat pro- vides sufficient production of tubers for wild turkeys. or early summer, after all danger of frost is past and soils are getting warmer. Best dates for planting in Alabama are from May 15 to July 10.
Does chufa come back every year?
REGROWTH: For best production chufa should be replanted each year but it is possible to get a second year’s growth out of it as long as the turkeys do not eat it all. Simply disk plot during normal planting dates to evenly distribute seed.
How late can you plant chufa?
In the northern states, wait until late May or June to plant. In most cases, with adequate rainfall, you can plant chufa on into late July, specific seed, rain and temperature depending. Once the plant matures, turkeys will feed on it throughout late fall, winter and into early spring.
Will chufa grow in shade?
Though this plant will grow in a wide variety of conditions, if you want a good crop you will need full sun and moist soil all season long.
Will chufa reseed itself?
Chufa is a plant that will do a good job of reseeding itself, sometimes for several years. Reseeding can be accomplished by simply disking the area of the previous planting between April and the end of June and following fertilizer recommendations for the initial planting.
What is the best thing to plant for turkeys?
Turkeys prefer thinner vegetation when foraging and strutting. Some of the most popular and well known plants for turkeys include agricultural crops like rye, millet, oats, wheat, soybeans and sorghum. Chufa, a plant which forms small underground tubers, is also a favorite of wild turkeys.
What can I plant in January for turkeys?
1 | Wheat, Oats, or Grain Rye While all three will produce lush green growth during the cool weather of early turkey seasons, oats are the way to go if you desire grain production in the fall for a winter food source. These crops are perfect for small timber openings that aren’t accessible to heavy equipment.
Do you fertilize chufa?
Prepare a good, fine seed bed prior to planting and make sure the pH is between 6 and 7. Fertilize at 300 pounds of nitrogen per acre.” The next step is to plant the food plot. “There are a number of ways to plant chufa,” Vance said.
What can I plant in spring for Turkey?
Green fields of any type attract turkeys. Alfalfa and clover are prime green field candidates. Many varieties of clover are available to fit your climate, soil type and drainage. Both clover and alfalfa green up early in spring.
What does Chufa seed look like?
Chufa Seed (Cyperus esculentus) Chufas are a bunch grass with a peanut like an underground nut – used for food plots of deer, turkey, hogs and wild hogs. This legume is very similar to peanuts, if you have ever seen hogs rooting peanuts, they go after chufa the same way. Plant in spring through summer.
How do you maintain chufa?
Spraying a post-emergent will kill unwanted weeds and grasses, allowing your chufa to thrive. For unwanted grasses, spray Poast or Fusilade at 1½ pints per acre. For broadleaf weed control, spray 2,4-DB at 1-2 pints per acre. To maximize effectiveness, add an oil surfactant at one quart per 100 gallons.
Is chufa easy to grow?
Chufa plants grow well in the southern half of the US from Northern California across to Southern Iowa and even Southern Pennsylvania. Chufa plants grow in a variety of soil, but perform best on well-drained, sandy or loamy soils. Clay soils can support chufa.
Does chufa need nitrogen?
Chufa is a nitrogen-loving plant. Applying the recommended amounts of fertilizer to soils with a pH between 6 and 7 will maximize nut production.
Can you eat chufa seeds?
Chufa (CHOO-fah) Cyperus esculentus, the yellow nut sedge, is listed as a noxious weed in many places and difficult to control. It can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds per plant per season. All sedge seeds are edible, according to Ray Mears and Gordon Brown.
What can I put out to attract turkeys?
Turkeys love acorns and pecans, as well as dogwoods, huckleberries, blueberries, and other fruits found in the understory. Planting food plots: Follow these tips to establish food plots as a supplement to natural forage. Food plots can also be used to increase turkey sightings and harvest success.
What time of day are turkeys most active?
General Weather Conditions: As a general rule of thumb, turkeys are most active during calm, clear days in morning and early afternoon hours. Turkey activity generally decreases with bad weather conditions including wind and rain.
What shrubs do turkeys like?
Turkeys will be naturally attracted to trees and shrubs like dogwoods, chokeberries, viburnums, hickories, beech, hawthorns, and more. Oak trees should also be on the top of your list with white oak and red oak trees, in particular, proving to be effective at attracting turkeys.
What can you plant in turkey in Alabama?
Corn, chufa, soybeans, and grain sorghums are planted extensively to supplement fall and winter foods of turkeys. Vetch, rye, wheat, clover, and oats provide winter grazing for turkeys. Seeds of browntop millet and other grain crops are used heavily during summer (Table 1).
What can I plant in turkey and deer in the spring?
Common perennial food plot species include clover, alfalfa, or chicory. Annual food plot species only grow for that growing season and are highly attractive. Common annuals include corn, soybeans, turnips, radishes, cereal grains, or peas.
What grasses do turkeys like?
Bluestem, Indiangrass, eastern gamagrass and other native warm season grasses provide great nesting, brood rearing and escape cover for wild turkeys. Native warm season grasses are also an essential part of a healthy prairie grassland ecosystem.
Is chufa a legume?
Chufa seed (Cyperus esculentus) is a warm season bunch grass planted in food plots for deer, turkey, ducks, hogs and other wildlife. Chufa is a legume species that produce a tasty under ground nut or tuber that wild turkey scratch up and eat.
