Sanctuary Seed Planting and Soil Guide

Plant to hunt. Prepare the soil to perform.

START WITH YOUR pH

You can't control the rain. You can control your pH.

In a perfect world, we want our food plot soil around 6.5 pH before the seed ever hits the ground. Most food-plot crops perform well in the 6.0–7.0 range, and getting your soil in that window helps your plants make better use of the nutrients that are already there and the fertilizer you apply.

This becomes even more important when you're investing in a perennial plot like clover. You want that stand producing for years, so give it the right foundation from the beginning.

THE RIGHT WAY — START EARLY

Start with a soil test. Don't guess at pH or fertility when a soil test can tell you exactly what you're working with.

Ideally, test your soil and begin making corrections at least 6 months before planting.

If your pH is low, apply the recommended amount of agricultural lime or pelletized lime based on your soil-test results. Getting lime down early gives it time to begin working before planting season arrives.

This is also the time to look beyond pH. Your soil test can identify deficiencies in phosphorus, potassium and other nutrients so you can begin getting the pH and fertility in line before planting.

The goal is simple: when planting day arrives, you're putting seed into soil that's already prepared to grow it.

PLANTING TIME IS HERE AND MY pH IS LOW. NOW WHAT?

Don't worry—and don't skip the lime.

Go ahead and get your recommended lime applied. You still need to begin correcting the underlying pH problem even though you didn't get started six months earlier.

Then, if you want something that can begin working more quickly, there are products marketed for faster availability, including Flo-Cal/liquid limestone and fast-acting lime products. These can be useful tools when you're trying to make the best of a plot at planting time.

Think of them as an at-planting option—not an excuse to ignore your long-term pH program.

Get your lime down, plant your plot and make a plan to test the soil again so you're ahead of it next season.

WHY pH MATTERS

You can pour fertilizer on a plot, but poor soil pH can limit how effectively plants use available nutrients. Correcting pH creates a better environment for nutrient availability and plant growth.

That's why we want to work on pH and fertility before planting, rather than trying to fix everything after the crop is already growing.

For perennial clover, this preparation is even more valuable. You're not preparing the soil for one hunting season—you're building the foundation for a plot you want producing year after year.

WANT TO TAKE YOUR SOIL FURTHER?

Once your pH and fertility are in line, humic and carbon-based soil amendments can be another tool for improving your soil over time.

These products can support nutrient availability, soil biology and overall soil health, but they aren't a substitute for correcting pH or supplying the nutrients your soil needs.

Get the basics right first, then build from there.

Correct the pH.

Correct your fertility.

Build your soil.

Plant your plot.

CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL

Every food plot depends on Mother Nature. You can't make it rain, and you can't control the temperature.

But you can soil test.

You can correct your pH.

You can address nutrient deficiencies.

You can improve your soil.

You can prepare a good seedbed.