Rape planting times in New England

[Belchertown Bowman]

So I was debating with Mike another plotter,.. neither of us are experts ,.. so we could use some help.

I got these dwarf essex rape seeds and was holding them for a fall planting,.. like about now in Mass. Like a typical brassica fall planting?

He said I should have dumped em into the ground in the spring and they would be giants this fall and provide lots of leafy biomass when they sweeten up in first freezes.

Because these leafy plants,.. do they not go to seed like a spring planted turnip?,.. is he right? Would they just grow into 4 foot monsters by fall?

What are the pros and cons of each plan and why.

Thanks

 

[TenPoint]

I’ve always planted DER in late July early August.
I’ve read about people planting in the spring but fall works just fine.

 

[scott44]

So I was debating with Mike another plotter,.. neither of us are experts ,.. so we could use some help.

I got these dwarf essex rape seeds and was holding them for a fall planting,.. like about now in Mass. Like a typical brassica fall planting?

He said I should have dumped em into the ground in the spring and they would be giants this fall and provide lots of leafy biomass when they sweeten up in first freezes.

Because these leafy plants,.. do they not go to seed like a spring planted turnip?,.. is he right? Would they just grow into 4 foot monsters by fall?

What are the pros and cons of each plan and why.

Thanks

Spring planted it will "bolt"/ go to seed, I've never spring planted it but I know that early July it will still bolt on you. Some people claim the deer din't like the bigger plants, my deer don't care one way or another once it frosts and into winter it's eaten.

 

[Belchertown Bowman]

Thank you,..