Seed producers, legumes for insects, and open structure at ground level.
Bobwhite quail and other upland birds need three things from a planting: seed-producing plants, legumes that draw the insects chicks live on, and open structure at ground level so birds can move and chicks can travel under overhead cover.
Partridge pea is a quail staple; pair it with grain sorghum, millet, and sunflowers for seed, plus cowpeas or sunn hemp for insects and light cover. Egyptian wheat makes excellent screening and edge cover.
Plan your plot
Pick one of the best quail & upland crops and enter your plot size for the exact seed, bags, and lime you need.
Seed needed · Partridge Pea
13lbs
13 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 Partridge Pea seed — affiliate link, no extra cost to you.
Best plantings
Partridge Pea, Browntop Millet, Pearl Millet, Grain Sorghum / Milo, Sunflowers are all solid picks — compare bag sizes and prices online, then size your plot with the calculator below.
Some links are Amazon affiliate links — a purchase may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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