Brassicas...

[mattb78]

What kind of brassicas are you planting and what luck are you having with them. Earlier in my food plotting career we tried purple tops.. grew some great turnips but deer use was minimal.

I got discouraged after that and haven't planted them in a decade. But for the sake of giving the deer some variety I am thinking about planting a little bit next season. I don't plan on using them in a mix with clover or grains.. just a small portion of plots in straight brassicas.

Your experiences with brassicas would be appreciated and honestly with the season winding down what else are we going to talk about.

 

[tmiller]

I counted 19 deer at one time in a 2 acre plot with them last night and then in another 3 acre plot, had one of our 4 year old bucks feeding in them last night on camera and he hasn't been to that part of the property all year. They are fantastic this time of year when we get a cold snap.

 

[Gbr5pb]

Rape

 

[Gut_Pile]

Daikon Radishes

 

[tmiller]

Oh yeah I plant Athens Seed Company's brassica blend.

 

[Triple C]

Daikon Radishes

x2 on the daikon radishes. Purple tops eventually get eaten down to the turnip and then the turnip itself before green up but first to get mowed down are the daikon radishes in my experience.

 

[mattb78]

Thanks guys going to definitely try them next season. I have heard good things about Daikon's. I will go with a nice blend. Do you put those in a little earlier than you cool seasons grains or the same time?

 

[Gut_Pile]

I have done it both ways. The best stand of daikon's I ever had I planted them in August relatively thin. Then came back in late september before a rain and broadcast wheat/rye/clover over the top

 

[Triple C]

The best stand of daikon's I ever had I planted them in August relatively thin. Then came back in late september before a rain and broadcast wheat/rye/clover over the top

Spot on.

 

[Ihunt]

Radish.
Do not plant them too thick and give them some nitrogen. If you really want them to grow, give them some at planting time then again about 45 days later.

 

[Triple C]

Some of my best brassica plots over the years. Best that ever produced were Pennington Trophy Radish in these pics.

Have yet to reproduce the same results with regular daikon radish. Prolly the planter n not the seed but for whatever reason the Trophy Radish from Pennington was like a magazine cover. Few PT turnips in these as well.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Some of my best brassica plots over the years. Best that ever produced were Pennington Trophy Radish in these pics.

Have yet to reproduce the same results with regular daikon radish. Prolly the planter n not the seed but for whatever reason the Trophy Radish from Pennington was like a magazine cover. Few PT turnips in these as well.
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Very nice!!!

 

[F.A.R.R.]

Nice plots and deer Triple C. I have that same model Widow mine’s 55 #.

With the brassica plots is it true that the deer hit them later in the season or do they pretty much hit them as soon as they sprout ?

 

[curtisj]

Good looking plots & nice buck as well

 

[Triple C]

Nice plots and deer Triple C. I have that same model Widow mine’s 55 #.

With the brassica plots is it true that the deer hit them later in the season or do they pretty much hit them as soon as they sprout ?

My experience is that brassicas really shine in late November thru the end of season and that radishes are preferred over turnip greens, although both will be eaten down to the ground before green up.

December and January are the months that food plots do their heavy lifting. Love hunting the edge of a food plot in the afternoon during December.

We've killed a lot of our bucks either in, or coming in to a food plot over the years.

I do love my Black Widow. Sad to report that I'm 0 for 3 on bucks this season. My last kill was a small 7 pt on last day of season back in Jan.

 

[Canuck5]

They go after the brassica's .... because all the other "good stuff" like acorns are gone?

 

[Canuck5]

It was December before there was any serious activity on our radish and turnips .... like Triple C says. Some nibbling on the radish leaves before they went for the bulbs.

 

[Triple C]

They go after the brassica's .... because all the other "good stuff" like acorns are gone?

My observation for all food plot plantings. When acorns are full on the ground the food plots get a lil browsing while the deer are walking thru to get to the acorns.

 

[Canuck5]

Yep! They love their acorns!!

 

[NMH5050]

That looks great! Do the hogs get into them hard? I have a 2 acre plot that I want to change up.

Thanks!