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Whitetail Institute Oats Plus and Winter-Greens are cold-tolerant annual seed food plots designed to last even during the coldest season. However, when talking about versatility, Whitetail Institute Oats Plus offers a better advantage against Winter-Greens because they can act as a nurse crop and adapt to various climates.
Most hunters plant fall food plots to attract deer in the upcoming hunting season but deciding which food plot can take a lot of work.
Referring to Amazon reviews and ratings alone isn’t enough. For instance, Whitetail Institute Oats Plus and Winter-Greens share the same 4.6-star rating on Amazon.
As a result, it is only feasible to compare and contrast both products in detail to make better decisions based on the necessary factors to consider, which you can refer to below.
A. Whitetail Institute Oats Plus – Features and Specs
Whitetail Institute Oats Plus is the brand’s most attractive oat variety ever tested. Thanks to one of the brand’s worldwide agricultural contacts, they discovered a specific oat variety wherein the grazing pressure by deer was so heavy.
Whitetail Institute took an interest in this particular oat variety and found that it contains high sugar and is winter-hardy, making it irresistible to deer resulting in heavy grazing.
Due to such discovery, Whitetail Institute produced a highly irresistible oat forage with unmatched versatility, now the Whitetail Institute Oats Plus. Additionally, it is only exclusive to Whitetail Institute products since the brand bought its patent.
Aside from oats as the primary forage component, Oats Plus also includes a fair amount of triticale and winter wheat, contributing to higher levels of attractiveness and winter hardiness on the deer food plot.
Furthermore, the planting season for Whitetail Institute Oats Plus is in the early fall. It is available in 45 lbs, suitable for a 0.5-acre plot.
Another feature you can look forward to when choosing Oats Plus as a deer food plot is that it can also be a “nurse crop.” It means it can act as a secondary crop planted alongside a primary crop, including Whitetail Institute FUSION, Vision, Clover, and Alfa-Rack Plus.
Therefore, it can be a nurse crop for fall-planted annual and perennial food plots. Besides being a nurse crop, you can create a soft edge of Oats Plus around perennial food plots, making it an excellent nesting habitat for upland birds and turkeys.
- Premium oat product designed for early Fall planting
- Highly attractive to Deer with a high Sugar content
- Includes whitetail oats - an oat variety so attractive it was removed from university grain-production trials and shelved due to heavy grazing by Deer
- Very cold tolerant and winter hardy
- Includes small amounts of a specially selected Winter wheat and triticale to boost cold-tolerance even further
B. Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens – Features and Specs
Like Whitetail Institute Oats Plus, the Winter-Greens is an annual food plot perfect for planting in the fall. Besides the lettuce-type brassicas as the food plot’s main forage component, deer can also find Tall Tine Turnip as part of its food options.
Compared to other standard brassicas, the Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens has repeatedly proven that it can attract deer in the area at least once a week because of the nutrients it provides to help them survive the frigid months.
There are three various sizes and coverage you can choose from when buying Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens:
- 3 lbs. (0.5 acres)
- 12 lbs. (2 acres)
- 24 lbs. (4 acres/2-12 lb bags)
It also gets sweeter and holds deer into winter, unlike other standard brassicas when the weather turns colder. In addition, Winter-Greens is the brand’s most attractive forage brassicas that they have ever tested.
- More attractive to Deer than any other brassicas tested by the whitetail institute
- Fortified with a small amount of whitetail institute's tall tine turnip
- Highly nutritious late Season food source
- Extremely drought and cold tolerant - establishes and grows rapidly
- Provides abundant tonnage, attraction and energy in the early and late seasons
Whitetail Institute Oats Plus vs. Winter-Greens Planting Dates
Whitetail Insititute Oats Plus and Winter-Greens differ significantly in planting dates, even though they are both annual seed food plots. For clearer understanding, separate tables for each product and the corresponding dates based on location are below.
It would be best to avoid planting the Oats Plus and Winter-Greens while it’s hot and dry outside. Also, sticking to the recommended planting dates for each product can help achieve the best results for your food plot.
| Location | Planting Dates |
| Whitetail Institute Oats Plus | |
| Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Northern Nevada, Northern Utah, Northwest Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Northern Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Northern Indiana, Northern Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont | Aug 15 – Sept 15 |
| Central California, Southern Nevada, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, the rest of Colorado, Northern New Mexico, the Northernmost part of Texas, Northern Oklahoma, Northern Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, Southern Ohio, Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, Southern Iowa, Southern Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri | Sept 1 – Oct 1 |
| Southern California, Southern Arizona, Southern New Mexico, The rest of Texas (majority), Southern Oklahoma, Southern Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina | Sept 15 – Nov 15 |
| Location | Planting Dates |
| Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens | |
| Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado | Call 800-688-3030×2 for dates |
| Michigan, Wisconsin | July 1 – Sept 1 |
| Virginia | Coastal: Aug 15 – Sept 30
Southern Piedmont: Aug 1 – Sept 15 Mountain Valleys: July 15 – Sept 15 |
| Delaware, Maryland, Washington, D.C. | July 15 – Sept 15 |
| Kansas, Oklahoma | Aug 15 – Oct 1 |
| Missouri | North: July 15 – Sept 15
South: Aug 1 – Oct 1 |
| North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota | July 5 – Aug 20 |
| Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut | July 5 – Aug 15 |
| New Jersey, Pennsyl, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois | July 5 – Aug 15 |
| Louisiana | |
| Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia | North: Sept 5 – Nov 1
Central: Sept 15 – Nov 15 South: Sept 25 – Nov 15 |
| Arkansas | North: Aug 15 – Oct 1
South: Sept 5 – Oct 15 |
| Texas | North: Sept 5 – Oct 30
Central: Sept 15 – Nov 15 South: Sept 25 – Nov 15 |
| North Carolina, South Carolina | Coastal: Sept 1 – Oct 1
Piedmont: Aug 15 – Sept 20 Mountain Valleys: Aug 5 – Sept 15 |
| Florida | North: Sept 15 – Nov 15
Central: Sept 25 – Nov 15 South: Oct 5 – Nov 30 |
| Nebraska, Iowa | July 15 – Sept 1 |
| Kentucky, Tennessee | Aug 1 – Sept 30 |
| The southern half of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba | July 1 – Aug 15 |
| Northern half and beyond of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba | June 15 – July 15 |
| The southern half of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island | July 15 – Aug 31 |
| Northern half and beyond of Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador | July 1 – Aug 15 |
Contents
Is Whitetail Institute Oats Plus better than Winter-Greens?
Whitetail Institute Oats Plus is better than Winter-Greens because of its versatility, such as acting as a nurse crop and helping improve the quality and quantity of animals on the site. It can survive with less soil moisture because of its additional drought protection.
Figuring out which deer food plot to plant during fall can be pretty challenging, especially if you are still determining which factors to look for to arrive at the best conclusion.
As a result, it is only feasible to enumerate the factors to compare and contrast both products in a more detailed manner which you can refer to below:
- Digestibility and palatability
- Protein content
- Crop tolerance
- Soil condition
- Desirability
- Seed type and growth
One of the most fantastic things about selecting Whitetail Institute products is that they always consider the deer’s more minor digestive system. You can rest assured that Whitetail Institute Oats Plus and Winter-Greens are easy to digest for deer, making them a palatable food plot.
Since they are both palatable, it adds to why deer return to these food plots now and then.
Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens boasts a high protein content of up to 36%. It is rich in carbohydrates, providing the deer with the needed energy to survive the winter.
Additionally, it aids bucks in maintaining body weight and overall health, resulting in a shorter amount of time to recover as spring approaches.
Another great thing about the protein content that Winter-Greens provide to deer is that it helps them grow their antlers fast.
Compared to Winter-Greens, Oats Plus offer high sugar content instead of protein. It provides high sugar content to maximize deer attraction, making them visit the food plot frequently.
Whitetail Institute Oats Plus and Winter-Greens can survive heavy grazing compared to standard oats and brassicas. Furthermore, they are both extremely cold-tolerant since they are for fall planting.
For instance, Oats Plus’ additional forage components, such as winter wheat and triticale, push the food plot’s cold tolerance to the next level.
Even if weather conditions are arid, planting Oats Plus as a nurse crop with fall-planted perennials will ensure that your food plot will be robust and highly attractive right away.
For planting Winter-Greens, the soil must be at a neutral level of 6.5 to 7.5 to achieve the best results. It also works well with medium to well-drained soil, making it less versatile than Oats Plus.
Whitetail Institute Oats Plus can thrive in various soil types ranging from sandy to heavy bottomland soil. Loamy to rich soils is advisable when planting Oats Plus for best results.
Additionally, it must receive at least three to four hours of filtered or indirect sunlight daily. On the contrary, Whitetail Institute Winter-Greens requires at least four hours of indirect sunlight daily.
Since Oats Plus and Winter-Greens are palatable and digestible to deer, they become desirable and attractive to them. Such food plots invite deer to come back for more. For instance, Winter-Greens get sweeter as the climate gets colder, so you can expect deer to visit the area at least once a week.
On the other hand, Oats plus high sugar levels provide maximum attraction to deer, which makes it a compelling food plot that entices them.
Winter-Greens and Oats Plus are annual seed plots designed to plant in the fall before the coldest months of the year approach. Several days after planting, you can notice that they start to appear above ground. Also, both food plots establish quickly and attracted deer to the site immediately.
Oats Plus, for example, can grow and germinate even in soil with less moisture compared to other forages that need a certain amount of water to produce. As a nurse crop, Oats Plus has fibrous roots that aid in holding the soil in place while the perennials start to establish.
Also, Whitetail Oats Plus provides a microenvironment of higher humidity near the soil surface to reduce soil moisture evaporation.
Aside from the enumerated factors to consider above, another remarkable thing about Oats Plus is that when you plant around perennial food plots in the area, it creates a soft edge that serves as a food source and nesting habitat for various wildlife other than deer.
Therefore, you’ll likely notice that more and more animals have started to visit and benefit from the food plot site where you planted the Oats Plus.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How much protein is in oats for deer?
Oats generally can contain up to 15% to 25% protein which helps them grow and stay strong. Also, they are tasty and nutritious and make the deer feel full, especially during winter when food is scarce.
Deers can find various forages in the wild, and oats are one of the most common ones deer eat. Oats generally have about 15% to 25% protein, making them a tasty food source for deer. However, the protein content may vary from one product to the other.
Some oats may have lesser or higher protein content and sugar levels than others which is apparent with Oat forages produced by Whitetail Institute. Therefore, although oats, in general, are nutritious and digestible for deer, their desirability may vary depending on enhanced variations.
Do deer prefer wheat or oats?
Deer prefers oats over wheat because they are easier to digest and tastier. Moreover, oats are palatable, and deer prefer them most when they emerge to a maximum height of five inches.
Both oat and wheat are cereal grains that deer love to eat. Even though they both likely contain similar protein content of 15% to 25%, deer prefer oats over wheat since they taste better and are easy to digest.
Remember that deer prefer oats at a certain height. Thus, if you have a deer food plot with oats as a forage component, keep them down to three to five inches in height whenever they get too tall.
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