Creating a plan of attack! Teach me about Brassica mixes

I'll definately be planting Daikon Radishes again. They come up fast and grow faster than turnips in the beginning, but the turnips have caught up. My deer also ate them all fall, even before frosts. They head to them first in my plot. They aren't as cold tolerent as turnips, but most of mine are still green and have solid tubers. Plus our winters aren't what they used to be.I planted them seperate this year, but might try mixing some together next year.

For a mix I like WI Wintergreens. It's kinda expensive, but this stuff puts out the groceries.

PS: They like nitrogen!!

Let me know if you want to come out and look at mine.

 

We have some WI Wintergreen as well out. Pure Attraction is one the deer like in our area too.

 

Thanks John. Do the deer in our area dig up the bulbs? If so how long did it take them to realize they were there? I remember being little and the deer would attack the radishes in my dad's garden, but never touched the bulbs.

I saw some pictures you had in thread of your Daikon's. Impressive indeed!

 

They do dig them up, but they don't go crazy over them like I've seen on TV or heard other people say. I have always planted wheat and clover and they would rather eat those, but some turnips get used too

 

Just whay tmiller said, the diversity. I used to grow purple tops alone, the deer would rarely eat the leaves they have a hair like substance to them. But the bubls being there for them in winter was my objective. then i found if i mixed forage brassica's (forage turnip, and forage rape) in I got a mix they would readdily consume all fall. The secret for me has been lime. Our property was cedar swamp and white pines when the settlers moved in, the soil is naturally acidic. I discovered my plots lacked iron and wherre animic because of a lack of lime when i spilled half a bag in one spot. (It ticked me off when it happened.) Three weeks went by and the plot on that spot was two and a half times taller than the rest of the plot and lush green not yellowish looking. I use a pelletized lime on my plots, can't get a big spreader into most of them so i use the bagged stuff. a little more expensive but it works with my equipment i have. here is a link to it, I buy it at our local tractor supply. It advertizes that it helps the plants absorb fertilizer, I believe that to be true. I put that on a month and a half ahead. right after first burn down with round up around may 15th. let it get rained in. then burn down with round up again forth of july weekend if neccessary. spreader fertilizer and work it in, broadcast with a hand seeder completely closed. (I find that is perfect for small brassica seed, it falls through the small crack at just the right rate for 5 pounds to the acre.) I work, plant and then roll it with a lawn roller same day, ussually shoot for july 20 to august 1st. I watch the ten day forcast and try to do it right before a rain, or when the ten day shows two to three days with rain potential.

another mix i will be putting together to try I read about a week or so ago, it consists of red wheat, oats, crimson clover and chicory planted the first week of august. I have grown all of these but never all together, and never planted first week of august. So I am gonna try this as my rotation off of brassicas on a few plots. I know deer love heavily fertilized wheat and oats. This mix should make for a almost year round plot. There will be oats up in it within a few days after planting, all three will grow in the fall, the winter will kill the oats, then in the spring the wheat chicory, and clover will be there through July when i am readdy to burn it down and go back to brassicas. this plot mix really has me excited. (Burn down means to kill the plants with a chemical like round up that burns the plant causing death . if anybody wondered)
herte is two links that show pictures of the lime and hand sreader

link #1 is lime i use
link # 2 is the spreader i have
http://www.tractorsupply.com/soil-doctor-reg-pelletized-limestone-40-lb--4206593
http://www.tractorsupply.com/groundwork-reg-multi-purpose-hand-spreader-up-to-6-lb-capacity-4207507

 

That second mix you stated is basically the same as one we have and it's an awesome year round plot that some deer truely do desire over other mixes! Great mix there and I bet you'll like it! Pastorandrew where you at in MI?

 

What breakdown of seed in the mix are you guys doing in your clover/oats/wheat/chicory?

I like the sounds of this mix to grow alongside the brassicas.

 

I am in isabella county, northwest of lansing about an hour.

I have not figured the amounts i will use yet, however they recommend oats at around 100 pounds an acre straight (meaning oats alone) wheat at 50 pounds to acre straight, crimson clover at 8 pounds straight, chicory at 5 pounds to the acre. I will probably figure it at a pound of chicory, 2 pounds of clover, 25 pounds red wheat, and 50 pounds oats. will try something in that ball park first year and see how it turns out.

On a side note talked with my dad today, from his office he can see my acre of brassica's. we have about 4-5 inches of snow on ground. he said last night before dark there was 27 deer on the plot diggin up turnip bulbs. which is sweet, I let three differn't 3 1/2 year olds go down there in last week of november as well as multiple 2 1/2 year olds, hope to find their sheds this spring!

 

(surprised no one mentioned this) A good mix to consider is winter rye/peas overseeded with brassicas (rape/turnips/radish).

Early in the growing stages :
I threw a little clover in too. Believe it or not this is a no till plot.

 

While pastor andrew always has sound advice and I really like the diversity of his mix, getting that from Welters is gonna cost you $24 in handling charges before you ever get a seed in your bag. Straight off the catalog "any item under 25 lbs with be charge a $3 handling fee per item".
Then add the price of 8 different types of seed that stuff around $3 to 4 bucks a pound, plus actual shipping and your severely overpaying for seed.

Welters has every product you could want but, I ended up paying way to much for 2 lbs of seed from them. $3 bucks a pound x 2 lbs, then 3 dollars handling for each 1 pound bag I got. Yes, I didn't get a 2 lb bag. I got 2 separate 1 lb bags and was charge to "handle" each. Then whatever shipping was. So $6 for seed, $6 for "handling" and roughly $4 to actually ship it. In the end $8 dollars a pound? No thanks.

 

I have never had Welter seed charge me any kind of handling charge. last year I bought 30 pounds total from them. final price was around 100 bucks shipped. figured out at around 3 bucks a pound and 15 in shipping. 100 bucks for enough seed to plant six acres is dirt cheap. Not sure why they would charge like that. not sure on limited quanities stuff i guess.

 

"Shipping

We ship UPS, SpeeDee, and Freight across the country. We pay ½ shipping on all grass seeds, forbs, and small-seeded legumes on orders of 50 lbs. or more. Any item under 25 lbs. will be subject to a handling charge of $3.00 per item. Mixing fee is $.04 per pound. For shipping charges or any other questions, phone 1-800-470-3325 or 1-800-728-8450.
Prices and availability may change without notice"

Thats right off the website or catalog at http://welterseed.com/HowToOrder.aspx
Not knocking there company, they got everything you need, but its not cost effective for me to order anything there.

 

yeah, thats interesting. must be because i ordered more than 25 pounds i wasn't subject to any of these fee's. Not sure. Oh well thats where I get my seed, but i do order larger quantities than most guys i guess. might not be for everybody, shop around for sure!