Food Plots I would like to plant brassicas

[JCDEERMAN]

.....doing the larger plots in cereal rye and may mix in some clover.

I would. Not only is it beautiful, you're pumping nitrogen back into the soil.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I would. Not only is it beautiful, you're pumping nitrogen back into the soil.

View attachment 146702

What a cool picture!...that looks fantastic! You have motivated me to add crimson clover to the larger plots.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

What a cool picture!...that looks fantastic! You have motivated me to add crimson clover to the larger plots.

I plant crimson every year. Mainly because rye and wheat depletes nitrogen. If your have some crimson with it, you'll at least come out even.
Plus have pollinators and turkeys in abundance.

 

[poorhunter]

Numerous sources say the same thing....in particular cereal rye is better to be planted separate from barrasica....or at least plant your barasicas several weeks ahead of the cereal grains to give them a head start and too prevent them from being smothered out by the rye.....this is the first year that we've planted our smaller plots in all barrasica...turnip, radish and rape.... anxious to see how they do...we're going to wait several weeks and if there are any thin areas we'll fill in with winter wheat.....doing the larger plots in cereal rye and may mix in some clover.

Is it realistically too late to plant brassicas? I can probably plant this coming Monday at the earliest.

 

[BSK]

My fall mix has always had Crimson Clover and Wheat as the two primary components. They complement each other well.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Is it realistically too late to plant brassicas? I can probably plant this coming Monday at the earliest.

I don't believe so....I still have one portion of a plot that I plan to put in barasica this weekend.....we are 50 to 55 days from our average first frost....so plenty of time for barasicas to get some leafy forage material....and some turnips are listed as 50 days to maturity....some are even less days to maturity....I wouldn't hesitate to plant Monday if I was wanting to try some barasica....chance of rain too.

 

[tellico4x4]

I'm not planting them for 2-3 weeks. Usually at least Nov 1 before a killing frost. Small ones won't hurt it imo.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Is it realistically too late to plant brassicas? I can probably plant this coming Monday at the earliest.

Like DR said, I wouldn't hesitate. For years we planted Labor Day weekend with great brassica success.

 

[RobDooley]

Good thread. So, you should not plant brassicas with cereal rye or wheat? I have never tried the latter and thought I would this year. However, if the cereal rye and wheat prevents the brassicas from growing, I will pass. Thanks.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Good thread. So, you should not plant brassicas with cereal rye or wheat? I have never tried the latter and thought I would this year. However, if the cereal rye and wheat prevents the brassicas from growing, I will pass. Thanks.

I wouldn't say you can't plant barasicas with wheat or cereal rye....many people do and many brand name blends have this combination.....my understanding is that it's just better to give the barrasica a head start...get some growth going for a few weeks...then top sow winter wheat or cereal rye...this way there is less competition and the barasicas have a chance to get larger and leafy....cereal rye for example is very competitive and grows fast....so again...it's not to say you can't sow them together....it's just your barasicas may get bigger with less competition at germination.

 

[RobDooley]

I wouldn't say you can't plant barasicas with wheat or cereal rye....many people do and many brand name blends have this combination.....my understanding is that it's just better to give the barrasica a head start...get some growth going for a few weeks...then top sow winter wheat or cereal rye...this way there is less competition and the barasicas have a chance to get larger and leafy....cereal rye for example is very competitive and grows fast....so again...it's not to say you can't sow them together....it's just your barasicas may get bigger with less competition at germination.

I appreciate the info. so, the cereal rye and wheat will germinate without being covered? thanks again.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I appreciate the info. so, the cereal rye and wheat will germinate without being covered? thanks again.

Yes...I've done wheat and cereal rye with throw and mow....or spray and sow methods and had success.....attached pic is a section of a plot where I sprayed, sowed cereal rye and mowed....no tilling or disking.....not as thick as I like so ill come back soon with winter wheat (cheaper) and top sow it before a rain...to thicken it some.....just go heavy on your seed rates when doing sow and mow.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Also have experimented with sow, spray and mow barasicas with some success....not perfect.....not magazine glamor plots....but also no plowing, disking or tilling....also thatch layer holds moisture better than exposed soil...plus we have less erosion issues...but our experience with throw and mow has been patchy looking plots in certain areas to good coverage in others....not perfect by any stretch but we are growing some food for wildlife. Attached picture is of sow, spray and mow barasicas....1/4 acre strip down center of a larger plot....turnip, radish and rape....and like everyone in middle and west TN....we need rain.

 

[BSK]

Pics from my throw and mow days. No tilling. Just broadcast wheat and crimson clover and mow (a week after spraying):

 

[RobDooley]

not sure I understand the process. Broadcast, spray & mow. If I add them to my brassicas as suggested by "DoubleRidge" I can't mow.

 

[RobDooley]

and specific type/brand of cereal rye or winter wheat? thanks.

 

[BSK]

not sure I understand the process. Broadcast, spray & mow. If I add them to my brassicas as suggested by "DoubleRidge" I can't mow.

I have planted brassicas with cereal grains many times, with good results. However, you don't want to seed the cereal grains at very high densities (to prevent overcrowding).

I have broadcast seed, mowed and sprayed all on the same day. However, for best results, spray existing plants in plots a week before broadcasting seed and then mowing dead plant material down on top of the seed.

 

[BSK]

and specific type/brand of cereal rye or winter wheat? thanks.

Personally, I like VNS (Variety Not Specified) Wheat. It's cheap and free of weed seed. And I think it does better in poorer soils than other cereal grains.

 

[DoubleRidge]

not sure I understand the process. Broadcast, spray & mow. If I add them to my brassicas as suggested by "DoubleRidge" I can't mow.

Yeah I can see where my earlier comments could be confusing...sorry about that...but this year I wanted to give the barasicas a head start. I wanted them to germinate and get up 4 to 6 inches tall before top sowing any cereal grain.... hoping that they will get bigger and leafier before being crowded by the cereal grains.....and I'm not worried too much about winter wheat or cereal rye being covered perfectly....sowing it and mowing over it is great ...and sowing it into dead thatch before a good rain also will do fine.
But again....we've done co-op blends in years past that had winter wheat, turnips, radish and rape and they did great...but the barasicas just didn't get real big.....so to simplify things you could just spray ..wait a week...sow wheat and barasicas...then mow....just before a rain....we go heavy on seed rates when doing spray, sow and mow...good luck with your plots!

 

[DoubleRidge]

and specific type/brand of cereal rye or winter wheat? thanks.

No particular brand name...we normally buy winter wheat and cereal rye through Co-op...last time I checked winter wheat was $15 and cereal rye was $20 per 50lb.