Brasica

[t_barb]

I have had a lot of luck with planting Brasica...  It seems to grow well for me and the deer seem to love it..  I planted about 4 acres this year, as I firmly believe that having a lot of food available during the winter months makes the biggest impact.

 

That said, as I start to think ahead to 2014, I was wondering if everyone plants thier brasica mid to late summer?  What happens if you plant it in the spring?

 

A couple of years ago I planted a seed blend in the spring that included brasica.  It grew to 2 to 3 feet tall.  It seemed like the deer waited until later into the season to start eating it, but I was fine with that, as there are so many ag crops around in October and November.

 

Just wondering what others do and what their experiences have been.

 

The way I look at it is the more tonage you can get out of the acrerage that you plant the better, but not sure if that thought process is flawed.

 

I appreciate the input!

[phade]

If you plant too early, they will bolt. By bolting (going to seed), they lose a lot of the starch that will turn to sugar once the frost hits and it will lose its palatability to a degree to deer.

 

I've seen quite a few people push the envelope on planting date in the summer and turn out OK because NY isn't exactly a heatwave state. The problem with brassica is hunting related. Sometimes deer won't eat it the first year, at all, or only after the season because of food availability and weather temps. I still think they are one of the best out there, but I push for a stronger portion of radish rather than turnip, rape, kale, etc. I'd probably go as far to say 60% daikon radish, 20% PTT, 20% DER.

 

 

[growalot]

If more tonnage is what you want have you considered going with a clover/chicory mix and then a light seeding of Brasica over that in the fall?  Planting your Brasicca plots in spring trictical then mowing in the summer and over seeding with turnips in late summer...the deer/turkey will eat the fast growing grain the turkeys and deer will eat the seeds and it will make good moisture retention for the turnip seeds in the fall...There's a ton of options out there....you could add and annual clover to the grain planting in the spring

[t_barb]

Phade,

 

If you don't mind...  PTT?  DER?

[phade]

purple top turnip

 

dwarf Essex rape

[growalot]

I have to say even though I agree with most of what Phade is saying...I would say a stronger showing on the PT than the radish...only because the radish tend to deteriorate much faster after a heavy freeze than does the turnip...and if you get these very cold temps as we saw here in our area early.......  than the radish will become mush and rot....believe me ...already I have had neighbors call and ask if there's a propane leak here...my fields reek...where  the denser turnip bulbs are still firm and edible and will be available as late as February/March

[phade]

I like the radish more for the draw in hunting season. If your goal isn't to kill the deer or is to provide more off-season food...then yes for darn sure on that Grow. PTT is more durable.

 

The draw of the radish is bigger in my experience though in season.

[bubba]

Sugar beets are my favorite brasicas are grasses. If you plant to early you need to mow them more

Sent from my LGL35G using Tapatalk 2

[growalot]

We can agree on that...I took his post as wanting more over all tonnage through out the growing/winter season...

now as far as hunting attraction...I discovered this year that pumpkins and squash with an over seeding of radish turnips and WW will be happening here....even though the leaves cover the plot once the squash is mature enough I can remove some leaves and over plant...though the planting needs to be a bit later than for sale type pumpkins to keep them well into bow season....They didn't leave a seed left in that plot this year...I planted turnip/radish then the pumpkin squash and our swt corn patch next to each other and late...

 

the pumpkins helped keep the deer of the corn long enough to mature then grow in amongst the rows...same with the squash....the radish helped keep them off the corn as well....but once mature it was me picking during the day them at night...low once a frost hit the pumpkins didn't stand a chance...I planted brassica in the corn and pumpkins as well

[t_barb]

Phade/Grow...  very helpful information..  do you guys buy your seed locally?  I have boght seed at Turners in Hemlock and would guess that he would carry the radish, PTT and DER

[phade]

I think Grow goes there. I do not...I typically buy buck on a bag variety or from Slayer Seed. I rarely plant more than 1/2 acre plots in a given year now. Used to do much more. He's a small time operation, but a very good guy who can customize % easily enough.

[growalot]

turners and welter seed & honey comp....they work with you on shipping hit their web site early...

(sp)

Edited December 5, 2013 by growalot

[SplitG2]

PPT is always the go to turnip. Welters all the way.!