Brassicas

[dbltree]

Is it to late to plant Ground hog radish also?

Nope! That's a good thing about GHFR...it's fast growing and is most commonly planted about Sept 1st or even later as a cover crop.

In 30 days it can provide a huge amount of feed...that's of course assuming deer actually allow it to grow...

Go ahead and add it to your rye planting and let us know how it does for you :way:

 

[waylonb19]

I am guessing a light frost wont hurt them then. I need to replant but I am not sure if I can get my radishes before Thurs. which is when they are calling for rain. With the short week Welters prob can't get it here before then. So it's going to be at least a week before I can plant and that depends on how much rain we get. Farming sure is tough.

 

[davidoswalt054]

Should I fertilize after the brassicas have been growing 4 weeks, I did fertilize when I planted them.

 

[dbltree]

Should I fertilize after the brassicas have been growing 4 weeks, I did fertilize when I planted them.

It won't hurt anything but it really depends on how much you put down at planting?

The only thing brassicas are really going to need at this point it nitrogen so if you put down 60-90#'s of actual N at planting, that's probably enough.

Any less then that and they could stand being sidedressed but remember urea needs to be applied just before a minimum 1/2" of rain or you'll lose most of it within 24-48 hours...

 

[waylonb19]

What is the latest a guy could get away with planting ground hog radish in Central IA?

 

[MK M GOBL]

Thursday we had 2" of rain in 30 minutes. My turnip plot looked awesome up until that. It was 12-18" tall. On Friday it looked like someone ran over it with a lawn roller. I've never seen turnips do this, but they got flattened. I'm hoping they pop back up, but some of the stems were even broken. I've been growing turnips for years and never had this happen. Anyone else have this happen during a heavy rain?

 

[dbltree]

What is the latest a guy could get away with planting ground hog radish in Central IA?

I think I would want them in by this coming weekend to get any substantial growth but if we have late frosts perhaps even a week later might still work?

I've never seen turnips do this, but they got flattened.

I can't say that I have witnessed that problem? Let us know if they stand back up and recover or not?

Mikes GroundHog forage radish and Purple Top Turnip plot is doing great up in WI! :way:

The GroundHog forage radishes have put some meat on!

and the Purple Top turnips aren't to shabby either!

Since the deer are all in his sugarbeet plot....there ought to be plenty of late winter feed left in his brassica plot...

 

[risto2351]

Paul,

I put down 150#'s of Urea down twice this year. As you know the first time it got crusted over and the second time we went 2 weeks before a rain. I did work it into the soil with the rake and did not just topdress it.

Should I add more with the long stint of no rain or just wait it out?

It won't hurt anything but it really depends on how much you put down at planting?

The only thing brassicas are really going to need at this point it nitrogen so if you put down 60-90#'s of actual N at planting, that's probably enough.

Any less then that and they could stand being sidedressed but remember urea needs to be applied just before a minimum 1/2" of rain or you'll lose most of it within 24-48 hours...

 

[dbltree]

Are the brassicas up and growing or are these just planted? Once brassicas begin to grow it's easy to monitor growth and decided if more N is needed or not.

Lush green leaves indicate they are probably getting enough nitrogen but pale, yellow stunted plants are probably starving for N.

Keep and eye on them and see how they do with what you have already applied...

 

[dtr]

How do you post attachments on this site? I'm not the greatest with computers. I'd like to post a picture of a weed that's in some of my brassica plots to see if anyone knows what it is.

 

[Tracker15]

DTR See below

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[dtr]

Thanks Tracker 15. I must be blind because I can't find any button labeled "Manage Attachments". I wanted to post a pictures of a "weed" that is thriving in my foodplots to see if anyone knew what it was.

I sent the picture to a friend and his wife identified it as "purslane". The reason I was curious is that the deer are hammering it. I've got pics of deer eating it constantly. They are keeping it mowed down and aren't bothering the brassicas too much. Turns out it's some type of herb that is edible for humans and is actually served in some restaraunts. As much as my deer seem to like it, I wonder if a person could plant it?

 

[dtr]

Paul,

I have one brassica plot that has turnips with leaves that are turning yellow. In all my other plots they are dark green and thriving. I'm assuming it's from a lack of nitrogen but I can't understand why because all of them were fertilized and limed the same.

Is it too late to put down some more nitrogen?

 

[Sligh1]

DTR- area get too wet? I think I have some of the same issues as you with a few areas on my plot that should be fine according to fertilizer input. Too much rain is my guess (talked with Dbltree earlier on that one) as that would really be the only other reason. And I guess one other reason could be that area was planted too thick - planted thicker than the area that looks good. Either too wet or too thick of seeding.

 

[dbltree]

Paul,

I have one brassica plot that has turnips with leaves that are turning yellow. In all my other plots they are dark green and thriving. I'm assuming it's from a lack of nitrogen but I can't understand why because all of them were fertilized and limed the same.

Is it too late to put down some more nitrogen?

It's not to late to add nitrogen (today or Friday would be good days because we have rain coming in) but as Skip mentions a lot of brassicas are stunted because of heavy rains on already saturated soils.

If you look closely you may find that the healthy brassicas are on slightly higher soils, sometimes only a slight 1 to 2" rise. There the roots are getting air and not drowning in water.

Of course you maybe also be suffering from dry soils depending on where you live and they will suffer from lack of water.

At this point urea, ammonium nitrate or sulfate would provide brassicas with an extra boost although they may never fully catch up.

 

[dbltree]

Lot's of stunted or discolored brassicas showing up in areas of the field slightly lower then others where constant heavy fainfall on saturated soils caused some drowning in the same way corn drowned this spring. Bone dry soils may be the problem in other areas of the country where brassica leaves may appear brown and burnt around the edges.

These are discolored and stunted from too much rain...

Drought stricken brassicas probably will not respond to an application of nitrogen unless it's also accomponied by plenty of rain. On the other hand stunted brassicas in wet areas (that have since dried out) may respond to nitrogen simply because heavy rains pushed N beyond the root zones.

Most areas have 3-6 weeks growing time so adding 100#'s or urea within 24 hours of a minimum 1/2" rain could improve both forage and root yields.
Those that have plant a mixed brassica planting that includes rape, turnips and forage radish may be interested in seeing which varieties deer forage first.

Deer seem to attack the GroundHog forage radish first, then rape plants and later the turnip plants but each of you may find some differences.

This is Barnapoli Rape...

Appin turnips...

Turnip roots should be developing rapidly now

Brassicas can be a great element in your habitat program but remember not to "bet the fram" on them or any other single food source! Crops fail or deer may reject them so divide your plots and provide multiple food sources that can be easily rotated each year... :way:

 

[risto2351]

They are just starting to fill in as we speak.

They are green and look to be doing pretty good.

Had .30 of an inch of rain a few days ago.

We do not have a lot of rain coming or forcasted so if I do need anymore I might have to check and see what Wally World has on sale or let the chips fall where they may. :way:

Are the brassicas up and growing or are these just planted? Once brassicas begin to grow it's easy to monitor growth and decided if more N is needed or not.

Lush green leaves indicate they are probably getting enough nitrogen but pale, yellow stunted plants are probably starving for N.

Keep and eye on them and see how they do with what you have already applied...

 

[dbltree]

I planted one test plot in early August that contains individual varieties of turnips, rape and radish plants. Ground was a little to wet, poured rain afterwards and then hot backing sun caused some soil crusting but eventually the seed struggled to life and the plants are looking pretty decent now.

I planted GroundHog, Trophy/Tillage and Oilseed radishes in the strip sandwhiched between multiple rape and turnip varieties in the strip and inbetween clover and now rye/pea strips. The entire thing is only yards away from a large field of soybeans as you can see here in the background and alfalfa behind me.

I just wanted to point out that clearly there is large amount of very desirable food sources yet...they are trashing the radishes!

Both leaves..

and roots

This is the second year in a row they have hammered the radish plants yet in the past never touched a leaf on ordinary brassicas.

No reason that I can see that they would choose the radish plants except that they love the taste of these things!

It's one thing to plant them in an area with no other food sourceds and say "they like them" but when they are wading in high quality feed that they are well adpated to eating...yet choose forage radish, well....that's work shoutin' about... :way:

 

[dbltree]

I planted some GroundHog Forage radish in the garden the first part of June, it got grazed off once but eventually recovered and is still growing!

My hat gives one an idea how big the roots can get!

During the heat of the day they wilt a little but even at that this is an example of height.

Had they not been eaten down perhaps they may have went to seed by now although I have seen no sign of any attempting too. Based on that I would say that GHFR can be planted as early as the first part of July with no worries about them becoming ranks or going to seed in most of the mid west or northern areas.... :way:

 

[dbltree]

If your tired of hearing about forage radish....now would be the time to exit this post...

I use small odd areas in between crop fields at my home farm as "test plots" simply because the ag crops give one a better more truthful test by putting any "test" crops up against what deer are accustomed to eating. In the past I have tested all the major brands and varieties of brassicas side by side in plots such as this one...beautiful brassicas but deer touched nary a one of them.

Not unusual and on other farms deer mowed the same brassicas to the dirt, so in that test I was able to show that deer did not show a preference for expensive "buck on a bag" or "brand" brassicas over commonly available brassicas seed. I also established a simple fact...that deer had not yet developed a taste for brassicas at my home farm where they are literally wading in corn, soybeans and alfalfa.

Only 5 days ago I shared a picture of forage radishes in one of my test plots that were being grazed heavily despite being surrounded by soybeans, alfalfa, clover and corn.

This morning I went down to do some fertilizer testing and was surprised to find this...

EVERY single radish plant devoured while the other brassicas remain untouched!!

The ground is trampled with deer tracks and the forage and roots eaten to the ground

I've never seen anything like it!

Now I have seen deer mow everything to the ground, that is certain but not selectively choose certain plants in a small area such as this with so much other feed available!

The rest of the test strip contains a multitude of other brassica varieties...none of which have been touched as of yet.

The other brassicas have huge, healthy and lush leaves

In another test area I had planted my "mix" of brassicas and GHFR and as you can see it's right smack against some beautiful white clover

Yet deer are selectively picking out the Groundhog forage radish plants

In the first pictures I had planted GroundHog, Oilseed and Tillage/Trophy radish seed and as you can see they at ALL of them plum to the dirt! I've tried to show the still green soybeans (that are still being heavily grazed as well) along with the lush clover to make it clear that these deer simply do not need to eat the radish plants.

They are eating them to the dirt simply because they love the taste of both the forage and the roots...that my friends is a fact!

What you spend spend you seed budget on makes no never mind to me but if you want some great forage that is very inexpensive...consider giving GroundHog forage radish a try.... :way:

GroundHog Forage Radish seed source