Brassica seeding rates

[eclipseman]

Last year I planted brassica according to what the seed company stated which was a mistake (10lbs per acre which was 4lbs PPT, 3lbs DER and 3lbs GHR). They were crowded and stunted and some died early due to this. If you were intending on planting a 1 acre plot which will be a mix of PTT, DER, and GHR...what would your rates be. I will include some crimson clover to aid in nitrogen fixation (or any other recommended clover if this is not right). I want to plant the brassicas in about the same ratio for each and I will likely over seed with cereal rye at a future time to fill in areas which do not come in thick. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[scott44]

I plant them about 8# total brassicas seed.

 

[eclipseman]

I plant them about 8# total brassicas seed.

Thanks. Man that is close to the 10lbs they called for. 10lbs was way too much for my 1 acre. Many of the ppt only grew to golf balls and only ones on the edges or happened to be far apart from others grew to softball size. I almost feel like I need to cut it in half and go with 5lbs per acre.

 

[yoderjac]

Last year I planted brassica according to what the seed company stated which was a mistake (10lbs per acre which was 4lbs PPT, 3lbs DER and 3lbs GHR). They were crowded and stunted and some died early due to this. If you were intending on planting a 1 acre plot which will be a mix of PTT, DER, and GHR...what would your rates be. I will include some crimson clover to aid in nitrogen fixation (or any other recommended clover if this is not right). I want to plant the brassicas in about the same ratio for each and I will likely over seed with cereal rye at a future time to fill in areas which do not come in thick. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

When I plant brassica as part of a fall mix, I don't like to exceed 2 to 3 lbs/ac total brassica. One fall mix I like uses around 100 lbs/ac of WR, 10 lbs/ac CC, and 2 lbs/ac PTT. Sometimes I use GHR instead of PTT.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I wouldn't go over 5# straight brassica. Even less in a mix as jack mentioned.

 

[eclipseman]

When I plant brassica as part of a fall mix, I don't like to exceed 2 to 3 lbs/ac total brassica. One fall mix I like uses around 100 lbs/ac of WR, 10 lbs/ac CC, and 2 lbs/ac PTT. Sometimes I use GHR instead of PTT.

Thanks,

Jack

Your mix is very much what I was thinking of planting. I am in NY so when we plant brassica it is typically the last week of july and then we plant winter rye near labor day. Should I plant the brassica and CC at the same time and then over seed in September with rye? Will the rye even germinate being broadcasted onto the surface of the exposed soil with out being cultipacked in?

 

[scott44]

I just did a quick search and PTT's are 170,000 seeds per pound and most brassicas seeds are close to the same size except radishes. You might want to try cutting back alittle .

 

[yoderjac]

Your mix is very much what I was thinking of planting. I am in NY so when we plant brassica it is typically the last week of july and then we plant winter rye near labor day. Should I plant the brassica and CC at the same time and then over seed in September with rye? Will the rye even germinate being broadcasted onto the surface of the exposed soil with out being cultipacked in?

It can be done either way. Here are the trade-offs. The later you plant winter rye, the longer into the season that it will be young, succulent, and attractive to deer. It is the primary attractant in the first part of the season. The later you plant PTT (or GHR), the smaller the tubers will be. The PTT tops tend to become attractive in the last month or so of our season after we get a hard frost. The PTT tubers don't get used here if we have a heavy mast crop. If we have a mast crop failure, they can be hit mid-season. In normal mast crop years, they are not hit until our season is over.

So, I've planted them all together with in-between dates. That seems to work pretty well but the tubers are not huge. I've planted them all together at the early date. That works pretty well too, but the WR becomes less attractive sooner. That may or may not matter depending on our mast crop. I've also planted them all together after labor day. I typically get pretty small PTT tubers if I do this. Again, the impact largely depends on our mast crop.

I've also tried planting PTT early and then following it in Sept with the WR and CC. This works well. The PTT has not produced tubers when I plant the WR/CC so the cultipacker does not hurt it. The only downside I find with this method is the amount of time it takes to plant twice at a busy time of year.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Tree Spud]

5lbs straight brassica ... if you are mixing 30-30-30 if you are mixing 3 items ... mix % changes with # of items.

 

[Mortenson]

I just did a quick search and PTT's are 170,000 seeds per pound and most brassicas seeds are close to the same size except radishes. You might want to try cutting back alittle .

That's a good point that needs to be emphasized. Most the turnips and rape are way smaller than radish seed. Gotta keep that in mind when you're mixing them up.

 

[Kooch]

Are these rates for broadcast with no tillage or are you tilling and packing, drilling?

I might have some oats for thatch this year. I haven’t been up there in a month so I’m not sure. If I do, I’ll broadcast and mow or drag them down. If I don’t, it’s spray and pray.

Does this affect your planting rate? I went 5LB/acre last year along with an annual clover mix at ~12LB. Finished up with a pile of WR later.

I nuked the WR this Spring because I was loaded with thistle early. I waited a couple weeks and spread lime and gypsum and oats.