dbltree
Super Moderator
You can plant them all the way to the fist of September but that's like planting corn in June instead of April...growth and yield will be dramatically lowered the later you plant.
Ideally mid July is best but we are fixin' to plant some more this week and they will still put on some great growth!:way:
KSQ2
PMA Member
I'll be planting brassicas here in Southern Kansas in about two weeks or so. it's pretty dry down here right now, and HOT! What do I need to do to "work the seed in"? Last year I disked, fertilized, broadcast and then dragged (chainlink fence with cinder blocks on it). The dragging buried the seed too deep, the only places it came up was where the drag missed. Will a cultipacker sufficiently bury the seed in case it takes a while to rain?
Also, I'll be planting into a 1/2 acre disked soybean plot, with the nitrogen from the beans can I go a little lighter on the fertilizer?
Also, I'll be planting into a 1/2 acre disked soybean plot, with the nitrogen from the beans can I go a little lighter on the fertilizer?
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dbltree
Super Moderator
All I use is a cultipacker or for very small plots you can run an ATV over the seedbed (back n forth) to cover the seedbed. Very easy to bury the tiny seeds!
Soybeans usually give you about 30 N credits the following year although the season is 1/2 over compared to following with corn...
Soybeans usually give you about 30 N credits the following year although the season is 1/2 over compared to following with corn...
dbltree
Super Moderator
We put 400#'s of triple 19 per acre (which is nearly 80#'s each of NPK) on my friend Walt's brassicas at planting time.
Lot's of rain and hot humid weather have them growing like crazy now!
This pic shows the broad leaves of the rape and turnips and how quickly they canopy and why other crops would quickly be smothered.
Here you can see a few GroundHog forage radish plants
The feathery leaf of the forage radish still forms a dense canopy but allows more light then the large soild leaf of the rape and turnip plants.
I noticed the tiny seeds didn't go quite as far as I though leaving a small area along the edge with fewer plants
If one has the time you can close down the gate on the seeder and travel both ways for better coverage but on long strips it's not really practical so just be aware that the small seeds don't "fly" very far when using a hand or bag seeder...
Lot's of rain and hot humid weather have them growing like crazy now!
This pic shows the broad leaves of the rape and turnips and how quickly they canopy and why other crops would quickly be smothered.
Here you can see a few GroundHog forage radish plants
The feathery leaf of the forage radish still forms a dense canopy but allows more light then the large soild leaf of the rape and turnip plants.
I noticed the tiny seeds didn't go quite as far as I though leaving a small area along the edge with fewer plants
If one has the time you can close down the gate on the seeder and travel both ways for better coverage but on long strips it's not really practical so just be aware that the small seeds don't "fly" very far when using a hand or bag seeder...
Last weekend i tilled up my plots and was going to go borrow a cultipacker but it looked like heavy rains were coming so I didn't have time to cultipack. The seedbeds were really fluffy. I broadcast a mixture of turnips, sugar beets, radishes, and wintergreens and unfortunately we only got about 1/4" of rain. We just missed all the heavier rains. I checked the plots yesterday and am seeing some germination but am worried about whether or not they will make it with all the hot dry weather that's now in the forecast. The dirt is powder dry on top now. Is it possible that the newly germinated brassicas coud die if there isn't any rain for a while? How long can they survive waiting on the next rain?
dbltree
Super Moderator
August 7 2010 planted July 17th, 22 days now
Not bad for the "cheap seeds"
It's easy to see the folly in trying to plant other crops with brassicas that are sown at normal planting rates!
At only 3 weeks old they are already canopied and dominating even the weeds!
A whole bunch of winter feed right there! :way:
Not bad for the "cheap seeds"
It's easy to see the folly in trying to plant other crops with brassicas that are sown at normal planting rates!
At only 3 weeks old they are already canopied and dominating even the weeds!
A whole bunch of winter feed right there! :way:
Awesome looking plots doubletree! Looks like rain is on the horizon for tonight. I checked my plots today and the new brassicas are hanging in there so far. It's amazing they are still alive when the soil is so dry and it's been so hot. If we get this rain tonight, I'll be home free.
Do you ever broadcast fertilizer after germination? Chem gro spread my fertilizer and only put about 20 pounds of nitrogen on my plots. Lots of P and K, but not much nitrogen. Just wondering if I should broadcast more nitrogen at some point? If so, how long should I wait?
Do you ever broadcast fertilizer after germination? Chem gro spread my fertilizer and only put about 20 pounds of nitrogen on my plots. Lots of P and K, but not much nitrogen. Just wondering if I should broadcast more nitrogen at some point? If so, how long should I wait?
NWBuck
PMA Member
We planted our plot about 10 days after yours, and the combination of rain and heat we've been getting has them off to an excellent start.
Unfortunately, it has also given new life to the button weeds, and it looks like I better find some time for another round of spraying this week.
Unfortunately, it has also given new life to the button weeds, and it looks like I better find some time for another round of spraying this week.
dbltree
Super Moderator
Yes...brassicas need 60-80#'s actual N for best results so if one isn't able to till it at planting (best method) then broadcast urea at 30 days (roughly) just before a big rain (like the rain we just had)
You need a minimum 1/2 rain to incorporate the urea withion 24 hours or it will be lost to the atmosphere.
Watch the weather and when a good storm is imminent, broadcast the urea...pain in the butt sometimes so I find it much easier and safer to till it in at planting time...
I had an outbreak of velvertleaf in some of mine too....probably allow it to get above the brassicas and clip them off.
Your brassicas look great! :way:
dbltree
Super Moderator
I was really gettin' tired of Deerwatcher kickin' my butt with his beautiful food plots all the time but I think maybe I got a leg up on him this time!
Brassicas at 3 weeks up WI way...:way:
Just don't pay any attention to the other awesome crops in the background...
Mike mentioned they had a good rain up his way so I expect he'll have some rapid growth now. No chance of deer going hungry around his place!
Brassicas at 3 weeks up WI way...:way:
Just don't pay any attention to the other awesome crops in the background...
Mike mentioned they had a good rain up his way so I expect he'll have some rapid growth now. No chance of deer going hungry around his place!
dbltree
Super Moderator
A friend of mine asked me earlier this summer if he couldn't just let his brassicas that had survived the winter, go to seed and then just disc them in and re-seed? I suggested against it but didn't have hard facts as to why...just a gut feeling that it could turn into a mess.
Recently another gentleman called me with questions and noted that he had done just that....disced his brassicas in after they went to seed, only to be dismayed when he ended up with a carpet of brassicas thicker then hair on a dogs back! You might liken it to dumping a bag of seed corn on the ground and kicking it around a bit...folks it just isn't going to work.
He ended up re-discing the sprouted brassicas under and sowing new seed at a low rate and is hoping that more of the volunteer seed won't come up with it. Others have fought re-seeded brassicas that came back for years like weeds, haunting them as they try to kill it off so I advise against allowing your brassicas to go to seed. If at all possible till them under in the spring and plant annual clovers or buckwheat for the summer or if all else fails get out the Roundup and kill the plot after it's greened up in May.
Couple pics of different brassica species and varieties as of early August
Barnopoli Rape
Appin Turnip
GroundHog Forage Radish
Each slightly different but all very attractive to whitetails...
Recently another gentleman called me with questions and noted that he had done just that....disced his brassicas in after they went to seed, only to be dismayed when he ended up with a carpet of brassicas thicker then hair on a dogs back! You might liken it to dumping a bag of seed corn on the ground and kicking it around a bit...folks it just isn't going to work.
He ended up re-discing the sprouted brassicas under and sowing new seed at a low rate and is hoping that more of the volunteer seed won't come up with it. Others have fought re-seeded brassicas that came back for years like weeds, haunting them as they try to kill it off so I advise against allowing your brassicas to go to seed. If at all possible till them under in the spring and plant annual clovers or buckwheat for the summer or if all else fails get out the Roundup and kill the plot after it's greened up in May.
Couple pics of different brassica species and varieties as of early August
Barnopoli Rape
Appin Turnip
GroundHog Forage Radish
Each slightly different but all very attractive to whitetails...
tommyls1313
Member
I planted 5 plots last weekend with some Biologic brassicas, Whitetail Institute Tall Tine Tubers, and purple top turnips. The next day we got rains on each farm ranging from 1" to 2.5". Should I be worried about getting to much rain to start on my plots and be prepared to reseed?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
dbltree
Super Moderator
The ones you see posted we had 2 1/2" 3 days later and 5" more in the next few days...so you should be fine unless it's extremely hilly soil.
They should be up and growing by now! :way:
tommyls1313
Member
Sweeew Thanks dbltree. That makes me feel much better
Thanks dbltree. That makes me feel much better
buckhunter31
buckhunter31
grass problem
I am wondering what i can spray on my brassica plot i am having a grass issue? Can I spray post on it?
I am wondering what i can spray on my brassica plot i am having a grass issue? Can I spray post on it?
Do you already have the poast herbicide? If so that will kill the grasses and will not hurt your brassicas. Any grass specific herbicides will be safe on brassicas. Have you considered using a generic clethodim such as Arrow for grass control? It is usually lower priced than Poast or Select.
buckhunter31
buckhunter31
yes i already have the poast. I live on a cranberry marsh so we have all kinds of chemicals. Thanks for the help.