I had good luck with dwarf Essex rape seed on some smaller food plots last season in Portage county, Central Wisconsin. The deer absolutely loved it in late November into December after the first hard frost. I am going to plant some more of the rape seed this year. I was wondering if I could plant anything in mid May and then terminate it in mid July when I want to plant the rape seed. Last year I just left the field for rape fallow until planting time.
I had two thoughts. First is to just get some 50 pound bags of black oil or striped sunflower seed and broadcast that in with no expectations of any crop. Second was to plant sunn hemp and let it grow for 60 days. Then brush hog either planted seed and disc it under before the rape is planted. Anyone do anything like this when they plant rape in the late summer? Most of the rape plots have decent soil at the present. No reason to not build it up if possible and keep the weeds down also. Can sunn hemp be no till drilled into plots? I don't know the relative expensive involved for either seed.
I had two thoughts. First is to just get some 50 pound bags of black oil or striped sunflower seed and broadcast that in with no expectations of any crop. Second was to plant sunn hemp and let it grow for 60 days. Then brush hog either planted seed and disc it under before the rape is planted. Anyone do anything like this when they plant rape in the late summer? Most of the rape plots have decent soil at the present. No reason to not build it up if possible and keep the weeds down also. Can sunn hemp be no till drilled into plots? I don't know the relative expensive involved for either seed.