Big, tough perennial forage that stands up to heavy grazing.
Elk are large, hard-grazing herd animals, so elk plots need to be bigger and tougher than deer plots — a small, tender stand gets mowed to dirt fast. Perennial forages carry the load: clover, alfalfa, and chicory, backed by brassicas and cereal grains for fall.
Protect first-year perennial stands from heavy grazing so roots can establish, and lean on cereal grains and brassicas for quick, high-volume fall forage.
Plan your plot
Pick one of the best elk crops and enter your plot size for the exact seed, bags, and lime you need.
Seed needed · Ladino White Clover
5lbs
5 lbs/acre · broadcast · 1 acre
Lime estimate
Enter your soil pH to estimate lime. No test yet? A ~$15 soil test is the best first step before you lime or fertilize.
Where to buy Ladino White Clover seed — affiliate link, no extra cost to you.
Best plantings
Ladino White Clover, Red Clover, Alfalfa, Chicory, Forage Brassicas (generic blend) are all solid picks — compare bag sizes and prices online, then size your plot with the calculator below.
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More crops
Planting something not listed here? The full food plot calculator covers every crop, and the crop directory has a page for each.
Other species