Broadcasting Turnip Seed in standing beans??

[QDM]

Thinking about broadcasting seed in a standing bean field that WILL get cut this fall. If the "plot" does well is there any chance the green turnip leaves would cause any problems with the farmers combine? This might be a stupid question but I'd hate to cause an issue.

Also, when the tops get clipped will this result in any damage to the actual turnip? Looking forward to any additional input you guys may have that have tried something like this.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bowhunter87]

I wouldnt throw them in there early enough that they get so big that they interfere with a combine. Wait until they are almost ready to be picked before you broadcast them. Two reasons, #1 until the beans start drying up and the leaves falling off the turnip wont do very good and #2 if they did do good I would be pissed as a farmer because you just hurt my yield.

 

[SEIowaDeerslayer]

If you plant them in July and he doesn't harvest the beans until October, then yeah they could affect the combine. I think a better option in your situation would be to wait until September and broadcast some winter rye. We did that last year in one of our bean fields and everything turned out great. Farmer was happy, we were happy, deer were happy, etc....

 

[QDM]

Thanks for the input so far! Now I've never planted rye so what's to be expected of it next spring? I assume there won't be any negative impact to the farmer when he goes to plant again?

 

[Daver]

Thanks for the input so far! Now I've never planted rye so what's to be expected of it next spring? I assume there won't be any negative impact to the farmer when he goes to plant again?

Fall or late summer planted rye will almost for sure grow like crazy the following spring, reaching 4 or 5 foot tall and THICK. BUT, if the farmer is already spraying gly to kill off whatever else is growing prior to spring planting then I don't think you should have a problem. The rye can be successfully killed in the spring by spraying it with gly or by mowing it off early in the spring.

 

[JNRBRONC]

Thanks for the input so far! Now I've never planted rye so what's to be expected of it next spring? I assume there won't be any negative impact to the farmer when he goes to plant again?

Planting winter cover crops is gaining steam with farmers. Added nutrients and preventing soil erosion over the winter.

Unfortunately, clearing timber is becoming popular as well.

 

[SEIowaDeerslayer]

Planting winter cover crops is gaining steam with farmers. Added nutrients and preventing soil erosion over the winter.

Unfortunately, clearing timber is becoming popular as well.

Ditto, I think I saw more winter rye sprout up in harvested fields this year than I ever have. It makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Clearing forest sucks though.

 

[turkeyriver]

I'm a farmer, and will be putting on cover crops for the first time this year. Be very certain that your plans are OK with your landowner/farmer. There are many advantages to rye, turnips, radishes, etc. on the land, but not every farmer wants them in his field. There can be harvest issues with too early planting of cover crops, and definitely issues with killing them in the spring, especially in a wet year like this one. Just be open with your plans, and be prepared to help kill your plot next spring if it goes wild.

 

[turkeyriver]

And mowing winter rye in the spring before it heads out will probably NOT kill it. Roundup will be needed to kill it in time for corn or beans to be planted. There have been cases where turnip seed didn't germinate in the fall due to dry weather, but they sure did the next spring and caused a problem.

 

[Daver]

Ditto, I think I saw more winter rye sprout up in harvested fields this year than I ever have. It makes sense for a lot of reasons.

Clearing forest sucks though.

I think two factors were in play last year in regards to more rye/winter wheat being planted as cover crops. There is a growing number of farmers that are moving towards a consistent cover crop strategy each year AND many farmers planted a cover crop last year following a terrible drought as an insurance policy to have something to harvest/feed to livestock.

Rye was harder to get last fall than previously and at least one seed dealer said he had many farmers buying it and planting it as "insurance" because of lower yields from the drought and/or to have something that cattle could forage on if the drought persisted.