Buckwheat Food Plot Guide

Overview

Buckwheat is a warm-season broadleaf (not a true grain, and not related to wheat) that grows faster than almost anything else you can plant. It comes up in days, closes its canopy in three to four weeks, flowers in about five, and sets seed in ten to twelve. Food plotters use it two ways: as a summer smother crop that cleans up weedy ground and mellows the soil before a fall planting, and as a quick summer food that deer browse and turkeys and doves feed on as the seed drops. It's frost-tender, thrives in low-fertility and slightly acidic soil, and is cheap to plant.

New to food plots? Read our beginner's guide for step-by-step planting instructions, or use the Buckwheat seed calculator to plan your plot.

Soil & Growing Conditions

Check our planting calendar for the best planting window in your state.

Planting Tips

1. 1

   Plant any time from about two weeks after your last spring frost until 10–12 weeks before your first fall frost.

2. 2

   Broadcast 50–60 lbs/acre and cover lightly, or drill 40–50 lbs/acre.

3. 3

   Go easy on fertilizer. Heavy nitrogen makes tall plants that fall over.

4. 4

   As a smother crop, mow or disk it under within 7–10 days after it starts to flower, before the seed matures, then plant your fall plot.

5. 5

   On badly weedy ground, grow two buckwheat crops back to back in one summer.

When to Plant Buckwheat by State

Planting windows from each state's average frost dates. Colder parts of a state plant fall crops earlier and spring crops later; open a state for its frost dates and every crop.

Weed Control

• Buckwheat is the weed control: a thick stand shades out most summer weeds within a few weeks. Few herbicides are labeled for it, so start with a burndown and seed at the full rate.

Herbicides are named by active ingredient as examples, not endorsements. Read and follow the label of the product you buy: it sets the crops it is safe on, the rates, and any grazing or harvest limits, and registrations vary by state.

No-Till & Throw-and-Mow

Buckwheat can be no-till drilled into a killed cover. Broadcast seed needs covering, so lightly disk or drag it in.

How Big Should a Buckwheat Plot Be?

Any size. As a smother crop it goes on whatever ground the fall plot will use.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Recommended Buckwheat Seed Products

Best Paired With

These crops complement buckwheat in a food plot rotation or mix:

Frequently Asked Questions