By Institute Staff
Have you ever wished that someone would develop
a perennial forage blend that could also deliver the high tonnage of fall/winter
annuals? If so, your wish has come true. New Imperial Whitetail Double-Cross is
the answer you’ve been looking for.
By now, most hunters and managers are aware of the critical role perennial forages play in a food-plot system. In most cases, perennial forages can provide the backbone of a food-plot system, since they are designed to last for years and, at least in the case of Imperial perennials, provide high nutritional levels and unmatched attractiveness to deer. The role of annual forages in food plot systems is also well known. Annuals can be used to supplement existing perennial forages, or by themselves to draw deer and hold them. They can also fill targeted needs. For example, Imperial Power Plant is often planted alongside existing perennial plots to provide a massive protein boost for deer right when they need it most – during the spring and summer. Likewise, Imperial Pure Attraction and Winter-Greens are a superb complement to existing perennial plots and provide an additional high-carbohydrate food source for the colder months of the year. You may be asking, “Since the Institute already offers perennials blends and annual blends designed for almost any climate and soil type, what makes new Imperial Double-Cross so unique?”
The
answer is simple: Double-Cross provides the multi-year performance of a
perennial AND the quick establishment and early and late season tonnage of an
annual all in one planting! Like all Whitetail Institute products, Double- Cross
is blended with the ideal percentages of all components. The perennial
component of Double-Cross consists of Advantage and Insight clovers. These are
the very same perennial clovers that are the backbone of the number-one
perennial forage product in the world, Imperial Whitetail Clover. These clovers
exhibit early plant vigor, excellent heat and cold tolerance, and of course
exceptionally high nutrition and attraction for deer. They are the only clover
varieties ever developed specifically for deer, and they are only available in Whitetail
Institute products.
The
annual component of Double-Cross is the Whitetail Institute’s outstanding
brassicas. These brassicas have already proven themselves in other Imperial blends,
including Winter-Greens and Pure-Attraction. These brassicas include
lettuce-type brassicas, which are vastly more attractive to deer than standard
brassica varieties. The combination of these perennial and annual varieties in
one blend is truly a dream come true for planters who have wanted the
performance of Imperial Whitetail Clover and Whitetail Institute annual forage brassicas
all in a single planting. Double-Cross establishes very quickly, and it
provides more tonnage during its early growth stage. Later in the season when
the weather turns cold, Double-Cross will keep performing and providing deer
with a high-carbohydrate food source during the winter months. Double-Cross is
designed to be planted in the fall. The brassicas establish and grow rapidly to
complement the perennial clovers, providing higher early tonnage that is high
in protein and in the carbohydrates so critical for deer during the fall and
winter.
As
the perennial clovers continue to provide nutrition and attraction through the
fall and into the winter, the brassicas sweeten with the first hard frost of
fall, further boosting the plots attractiveness. When winter arrives, the brassicas
can stand tall over the snow, providing deer with highly nutritious forage
during one of the most stressful times of the year. As spring arrives, the
perennial clovers are ready to help deer recover from winter losses, and also
later to provide them with abundant protein for antler development, doe
pregnancy and overall herd health. And like Imperial Whitetail Clover, the
perennial clovers in Double-Cross are designed to last for 3-5 years or even
longer with proper planting, maintenance and Mother Nature’s cooperation. Double-Cross
should be planted in soils that are loam, light clay or heavier. One 4-pound
bag of Double-Cross will plant up to one-half acre. Like other Imperial blends,
new Double-Cross is available in several sizes to meet your needs.
These
include a one-half acre bag and a three-acre bag. Larger quantities are also
available. Like Imperial Whitetail Clover, Double-Cross is specifically
designed for deer. If you have wished for a perennial blend with added benefits
of a highly productive fall/winter annual all in the same blend, Double-Cross
is your answer. Full planting instructions are available on the Institute’s
website, www.whitetailinstitute.com, and on the back of each Double-Cross product
bag. Additional information is also available toll-free by calling the
Institute’s in-house consultants at (800) 688-3030.
