Brassicas in Spring

[surmn8er]

Has anyone here planted Swede or Kale in the spring/early summer? With the length of time it takes to reach maturity it should fall at just the right time. Just wondering how it may have worked out for anyone else?

[growalot]

Not specifically ,though right now I have a small turnip plot that the critters are loving...It is the late over seeding of turnips I did last fall they grew this spring and are surprisingly tasty, Yes I have actually picked the the tiny leafs and eaten them. but they go to seed very fast. That said they do say that with some of the newer varieties of swede and kale the sweetness in the foliage is there from the onset of growth and not only after a frost...If your deer have become accustom to these plants in the past...they may work in the spring. If they do not they will go to seed and you will have a natural fall seeding and also bugging for your birds. If you have concerns about them hitting it, plant with buckwheat...Plant the buckwheat first then over seed the brassica...The buck wheat will bring the deer in to feed and they will test out the brassica...one way or another...your feeding them.  both are short season crops and will also help with weed control if you plan on a fall winter plot.

[surmn8er]

The Swede and Kale both say 150 - 180 days to maturity so that would put them into Oct./ Nov. at maturity. The deer already love the other brassicas( turnips, radishes and rape) so was looking to plant a spring crop to keep weed growth down and also not have to reseed in late summer.

[growalot]

http://www.outreachoutdoors.com/foodplots/brassicas/long-season-brassicas/

Quote

• Clover
  • Clover Quick Plant Guide
  • How to Plant Clover
  • Frost Seeding Clover
  • Fall Planting Clover
  • Clover Weed Control
  • Clover Varieties
  • Clover as a Cover Crop
• Switchgrass
  • Switchgrass
  • Benefits of Switchgrass
  • Frost Seeding Switchgrass
  • Choosing A Switchgrass Seed
  • Switchgrass Weed Control
  • Switchgrass Seed Dormancy
  • Switchgrass Controlled Burns
• Brassicas
  • Brassicas Quick Plant Guide
  • Planting Brassicas
  • Fertilizers for Brassicas
  • Growing Rape and Turnips
  • Growing Radishes
  • Long Season Brassicas
  • Growing Sugar Beets
• Hinge Cutting
  • Hinge Cutting for Deer
  • How to Hinge Cut
  • When to Hinge Cut
  • What Trees to Hinge Cut
  • Hinge Cutting for Deer Bedding
  • Hinge Cutting to Create Browse
  • Hinge Cutting to Create Funnels
  • Edge Feathering
  • Hinge Cutting for Oak Regeneration
• Cereal Grains and Cover Crops
  • Cereal Grains
  • Cereal Grains Varieties
  • Oats
  • Winter Wheat
  • Winter Rye
  • Cereal Grains as Nutrient Scavengers
  • Winter Rye and Allelopathy

As always, detailed information on brassicas can be found at this link: Brassicas.

 

Long season brassicas consists of Kale and Swede and they can produce more tonnage than short seasons but require more time and nutrients to do so. These aren’t near as common as short season brassicas in the food plotting world. Long season brassicas are more susceptible to grass problems but that can be controlled with clethodim (Select or Arrow) at 6-8 ounces per acre along with crop oil and Dual II Magnum is supposed to be safe for pre-emergence weed control in brassicas as well.

Kale

Varieties of kale differ markedly in rate of establishment, stem development, time required to reach maturity, and in winter hardiness. The stem-less type kale (e.g. Premier) has a faster rate of establishment than varieties which produce stems. Crop height of the stem-less type is approximately 25 inches, whereas that of marrow stem kale is 60 inches with primary stems often 2 inches in diameter. Stem-less kale attains maturity in approximately 90 days, allowing two crops/year,