Lablab Food Plot Guide
Tropical legume that thrives in southern heat and provides tons of leafy browse through summer.
Seed Rate
20
lbs/acre
Fertilizer
150
lbs/acre (0-20-20)
Depth
1 to 1
Products
4
available
Overview
Lablab (also called lablab bean or hyacinth bean) is a warm-season tropical legume that absolutely thrives in the heat and humidity of the southern United States. Where soybeans often struggle with deer pressure on small acreage, lablab produces aggressive vine growth that regenerates quickly after browsing, making it viable on plots as small as one acre. The vines can grow 6+ feet and produce enormous amounts of leafy, high-protein forage from June through the first fall frost. Lablab is THE food plot crop for southern hunters in zones 7-10 who need a summer attraction strategy. It fixes nitrogen, improves soil health, and produces more browse per acre than soybeans in hot climates. North of zone 7, lablab may not have a long enough growing season to be worth the seed investment.
New to food plots? Read our beginner's guide for step-by-step planting instructions, or use the Lablab seed calculator to plan your plot.
Why Deer Love Lablab
Lablab produces 20-30% crude protein forage — comparable to soybeans — and deer browse it heavily from the time it starts vining in early summer through frost. Unlike soybeans, lablab continues to produce new growth after browsing, maintaining its attractiveness even under heavy deer pressure. In the South, where summer food plots are critical for keeping deer on your property during the long growing season, lablab is often the most-visited plot on the farm from June through October.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Best Soil Types
Warm, well-drained soils. Performs best in sandy loam and loam common throughout the Southeast. Tolerates moderate clay but needs warmth and drainage.
Soil pH Range
6.0–7.0 (ideal 6.5). Like other legumes, benefits from proper pH for nitrogen fixation.
Planting Depth
1 to 1.5 inches. Large seed that should be drilled or covered well after broadcasting.
Check our planting calendar for the best planting window in your state.
Planting Tips
- 1
Wait until soil temps are 65°F+ before planting. Lablab is tropical and will not germinate in cool soil.
- 2
Inoculate with cowpea/lablab-type inoculant — standard soybean inoculant won't work.
- 3
Plant at 20 lbs/acre drilled, or 25 lbs/acre broadcast. Seeds are large and you need good coverage.
- 4
Lablab is a vining crop — it benefits from a companion like sorghum or sunflowers to climb on, which also adds diversity.
- 5
In the Deep South, lablab can be planted as early as May and will produce forage through November.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Planting north of zone 7 — lablab needs a long, hot growing season. It won't produce in the Upper Midwest or Northeast.
Planting too early in cool soil — lablab seed rots in soil below 60°F. Wait for full summer warmth.
Using soybean inoculant — lablab needs its own specific inoculant type. Wrong bacteria = poor nitrogen fixation = stunted growth.
Not controlling grass weeds — lablab is slow to establish and grasses can overtake it if not managed.
Recommended Lablab Seed Products
Hancock Seed
Iron Clay Cow Pea Seed
Iron Clay Cowpeas are a warm-season legume used as an added ingredient to spring, summer and fall food plots for wildlife. They are excellent for quail, dove and deer. Iron Clay Cowpeas produce forage in 45 days, and mature seed in 100 days.
Find Best Price ↗Hancock Seed
LabLab Seed
Lab Lab is a summer annual legume that produces high-quality forage for livestock and deer. Lab Lab is a tropical plant that is very heat and drought tolerant and adapted to warm regions of the southeast and Texas. Ideal for food plots, pasture, cover crop, and livestock forage.
Find Best Price ↗Hancock Seed
LabLab Seed
Lab Lab is a summer annual legume that produces high-quality forage for livestock and deer. Lab Lab is a tropical plant that is very heat and drought tolerant and adapted to warm regions of the southeast and Texas.
Find Best Price ↗Deer Creek Seed
Lablab
Lablab is a tropical annual legume native to Africa and Asia. This crop thrives in hot, dry conditions and is very drought tolerant. It is an excellent, high protein forage commonly planted for livestock or for food plots. The plant looks like a soybean plant, but grows taller and tends to bind together to form a natural barrier. Lablab prefers warm temperatures and will not tolerate frost.
Find Best Price ↗Best Paired With
These crops complement lablab in a food plot rotation or mix:
Frequently Asked Questions
What soil type is best for lablab food plots?▾
Warm, well-drained soils. Performs best in sandy loam and loam common throughout the Southeast. Tolerates moderate clay but needs warmth and drainage. Ideal soil pH: 6.0–7.0 (ideal 6.5). Like other legumes, benefits from proper pH for nitrogen fixation..
How deep should you plant lablab seed?▾
1 to 1.5 inches. Large seed that should be drilled or covered well after broadcasting.
How much lablab seed do you need per acre?▾
The recommended seeding rate for lablab is 20 lbs per acre. Apply 150 lbs/acre of 0-20-20 fertilizer.
Why do deer like lablab?▾
Lablab produces 20-30% crude protein forage — comparable to soybeans — and deer browse it heavily from the time it starts vining in early summer through frost. Unlike soybeans, lablab continues to produce new growth after browsing, maintaining its attractiveness even under heavy deer pressure. In the South, where summer food plots are critical for keeping deer on your property during the long growing season, lablab is often the most-visited plot on the farm from June through October.
What are common mistakes when planting lablab food plots?▾
Planting north of zone 7 — lablab needs a long, hot growing season. It won't produce in the Upper Midwest or Northeast. Planting too early in cool soil — lablab seed rots in soil below 60°F. Wait for full summer warmth. Using soybean inoculant — lablab needs its own specific inoculant type. Wrong bacteria = poor nitrogen fixation = stunted growth. Not controlling grass weeds — lablab is slow to establish and grasses can overtake it if not managed.
What crops grow well with lablab in a food plot?▾
Lablab pairs well with soybeans, corn in a food plot rotation or mix.
Map Your Lablab Plot
Draw your food plot on satellite imagery, get seed recommendations, and plan your planting.
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