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Radish with no-till/groundbreak

phade
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phade Mentor

phade

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Who's done it and had any level of success? One first year plot got boxed in by ag faster than anticipated and no machinery can get in beside what can be carried...not even pushed as the ground around it is marsh on all sides except the ag. So, swinging for the fences. I know radish is prime for first year plots and groundbreaking.

 

Gly has been laid down twice and have a good bit of burndown. I'll attach a pic from today that my cam sent me that has some of the area sprayed in the corner of the pic. Grasses never got beyond ankle high for the most part. It does get decent browse pressure, so the native grass and whatever clover established from a leftover "frost-seeding" I did kept their attention for a while.

 

I plan to weedeat the ground and clear it enough for S2S contact as best as I can and seed it this weekend. Haven't done a poor man's plot in a while.

post-575-0-76551400-1375811509_thumb.jpg

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phade Mentor

phade

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It was definitely once farmed as there are old farm tools leftover. I don't think the soil is hard; I suspect it's probably the fertile loam that surrounds in (the ag fields).

 

I didn't think much about those small cultivators...I think I know someone with one, but just can't remember who it is...lol.

 

Can't even get a push tiller in there at the moment. Everything has to be carried.

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sampotter Newbie

sampotter

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Maybe broadcast it before a forecasted heavy rain. I planted turnips and other brassicas a few years ago and they do a decent job of reseeding themselves. The fact that the grass there never grows very tall is an indicator of poor fertility, pH, or poor drainage. Hopefully it just needs a little fertilizer. Its too bad you can't sneak an ATV in there to do the best job possible. 

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phade Mentor

phade

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Maybe broadcast it before a forecasted heavy rain. I planted turnips and other brassicas a few years ago and they do a decent job of reseeding themselves. The fact that the grass there never grows very tall is an indicator of poor fertility, pH, or poor drainage. Hopefully it just needs a little fertilizer. Its too bad you can't sneak an ATV in there to do the best job possible. 

 

Sam I am pretty sure it's quality fertile soil, although I haven't run a soil test much to my dismay. I may do one just for giggles this weekend.

 

I actually think it's browse pressure. This is a small 1/3 acre secluded area close to bedding in a high DPSM area. You can see no less than 8 trails through the field from bing maps and they are bare dirt. I noticed quite a bit native browse and clover in there naturally. As the summer went on, my visits showed lots of browsing signs on the vegetation.

 

If I can get good germination, I may have more of an issue with them eating the radish up fast early on.

 

Yeah, no ATV now. Crops are preventing it from the sides we could access.

 

Normally I thought of doing nothing as it's used alot as is, but some late season forage is needed.

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sampotter Newbie

sampotter

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I would recommend planting a cereal grain like rye or oats which take off relatively well without incorporation.  Do it before buzzing it with the weed whacker as the cut weeds will help keep moisture on the seeds similar to putting straw down on a new lawn seeding. Try the radishes but I'm thinking the small plot size will make it hard to keep the deer from eating them all up too soon. Next spring get in there and go to town.

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phade Mentor

phade

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Radish are unlike turnips where they'll be eaten before a frost. That's part of the reason why I advocate for a radish turnip mix to introduce brassica as a food source to deer. Sometimes deer will take a year to learn to use brassicas. This shortens that curve.

 

Oats were on my list Sam. I have the center of the field sprayed and planned on spraying and ringing the rest of the plot area first weekend in Sept with the oats.

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NYBowhunter Rising Star

NYBowhunter

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In my experience its hit or miss with deer taking to eating bulbs of various brassicas, however I can tell you with certainty that the tops will get pounded. However the real concern I see with this plot do to its size if you are using it as a hunting spot is that it may get wiped out before the 10/1 opener. If your intention is for deer nutrition then plant away or maybe your intentions are for both reasons. i would plant and just see what happens , this way you can make future adjustments to the plots size or what you plant.

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phade Mentor

phade

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It's 1/3 acre in size.

 

Plenty of ag in the area...very heavy ag. Corn and wheat border it now. Wheat field should be going into clover soon, but hasn't happened yet.

 

Even if the plot is barren, it'll still get heavy deer traffic. It's between the best bedding in the area and large food sources.

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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Me too we need a little rain ...now its just wind and clouds ...but I'm loving it!!! mowing this morning was just as pleasant as last night....by the way...

 

The sainfoil/clover I planted...Ohh boy did I make a rooky mistake!! Never seed plots when too busy and tired to boot...I had watched the seed starting and checked for weeds...noticed a few bare spots so thought I'llj ust top it off....had to do the same with the turnip/HR right next door...I'm seeding away not thinking about it ...Got done went home...today I go out and the clover/sainfoil is full of turnips!! Crud...now I have to hope that it can handle the pressure from the turnips and grow....by the way...

 

I am so very impressed with the sainfoil...it is out growing the clover hands down ...3 inches high already! the clover has barely sprouted....if I haven't killed it ..with turnips I'll see how the deer like it...then I'm thinking there may be a pure stand put in next year...

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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Yes NYBH it is ...every year I try something new...last year was the Hemp and re seeding soybeans..which actually weren't supose to re seed this far north...and some did..the hemp was TOO successful...they never allowed it to get 6ins high before mowing it down...

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sampotter Newbie

sampotter

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Sampotter...I have to laugh we are both wrong...It's Sainfoin...I say sainfoil because while researching it some one was calling it "foil" and it stuck in my head....

 

http://www.plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/pubs/idpmcpg7792.pdf

 

 

Geez- and I thought I had you there. I searched sanfoil and sainfoin came up but I only noticed the "foin" part.

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growalot Newbie

growalot

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I'll post pics...I have mine in now the HR is growing much faster than the turnips for an earlier green...the turnips take some time before a frost to get good bulb size...and the rye is up and growing well...plots were planted a week apart...just got rain last night so they should really "pop" here in the next 24 hrs pics will follow

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