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brassica
- Thread starter Powder
- Start date
Powder
5 year old buck +
That's what I thought. What confuses me is when I go on DeerCreekseed.com and they have a separate title for "brassica" but have other things like turnips, rutabaga and rapeseed listed individually. Is there 'brassica' just a variety that is good for forage and not for bulb production?
D
dipper
Guest
There is a ton of different types, forage/ bulp. I stick with purple top turnip and daikon radish. Daikon radish has numerous brand names
I think they make it confusing so a newbie falls for marketing
I think they make it confusing so a newbie falls for marketing
bueller
Moderator
rape or forage turnip varieties fit that description. but why limit yourself to no bulb production. planting PTT's (purple top turnips) is like planting two crops at once. the deer feed on the greens first and then later in the fall and winter the bulbs. although in some areas they don't eat the bulbs. by me, they eat everything.
scott44
5 year old buck +
Like the others guys have said I would plant a mix of both the purple top turnips, radishes and rape. The tops will get eaten fall and first part of the winter and winter they will dig through the snow for the bulbs.
aerospacefarmer
5 year old buck +
I get a brassica mix from my local feed store here in PA and it includes turnips, rape, kale and some other brassicas (broad category) and they grow great and the deer eat the leafy plants first then leave the turnips for late fall and winter.
j-bird
Moderator
I have planted radish and turnips for several years without much interest at all from the deer. This year was the first year I have seen any real sign of the deer eating any of it and it's the radish not the turnips. I overseeded them into my failed corn plots. I typically end up with a plot full of stinking rotting bulbs come spring time - but it's good for the soil. I think - at least in my area - those foods are on the lower end of the preference list. Way more interested in any left over corn and beans in my area. They are however a cheap form of insurance for the deer and good for the soil and why I still plant them.
St. Croix
A good 3 year old buck
I would recommend staying away from ptt (I am sure that I will get some flack for this). I went away from ptt about 4 years ago and have never looked back. based on my direct observations there is more palatable brassicas available, offering higher nutritional value while producing more tonnage. I have deer bustin the brassicas in august all the way through this week. Plant gfr/barkant/pasja/der/trr and you will b very happy!
For the tonnage, soybeans cannot compete as they are candy and with the high deer densities we have an acre of sb can be decimated within 2 weeks. While the brassicas can feed for months
For the tonnage, soybeans cannot compete as they are candy and with the high deer densities we have an acre of sb can be decimated within 2 weeks. While the brassicas can feed for months
John-W-WI
Administrator
You won't get any flack from me... I'm always willing to learn a new trick.
Can you translate "gfr/barkant/pasja/der/trr" for me?
Thanks,
-John
Bluecollaroutdoors
5 year old buck +
Ground hog forage radish/barkant forage turnip/pasja forage turnip/dwarf essex rape/tall tine radish?
There are alt of varieties of turnips and radish to plant. I have 7 in my current mix that I wip up for friends. I dont have a spot on my land where they grow well. Not enough sunlight anywhere.
I stick with the Lick creek fundamentals of Purple top turnips/rape/daikon radish. I leave about 25 percent of the seed total open and throw in some Pasja/Kale/hunter forage brassica and bonar rape. I think the point of his post is dont get stuck in a rut just purple top turnips. Deer like variety. 2 years in a row they have mauled my 7 seed mix. It was he first year the field was a plot and the first plot on the property. They ate the daikon radish first and after that I am not exactly sure do to having 6 other plants. I dont really care because it worked so well. They ate it all.
Much like a nice clover mix having a few different seeds should ensure tbat you never have total failure. The condiions should wok that year for one or more seed type.
There are alt of varieties of turnips and radish to plant. I have 7 in my current mix that I wip up for friends. I dont have a spot on my land where they grow well. Not enough sunlight anywhere.
I stick with the Lick creek fundamentals of Purple top turnips/rape/daikon radish. I leave about 25 percent of the seed total open and throw in some Pasja/Kale/hunter forage brassica and bonar rape. I think the point of his post is dont get stuck in a rut just purple top turnips. Deer like variety. 2 years in a row they have mauled my 7 seed mix. It was he first year the field was a plot and the first plot on the property. They ate the daikon radish first and after that I am not exactly sure do to having 6 other plants. I dont really care because it worked so well. They ate it all.
Much like a nice clover mix having a few different seeds should ensure tbat you never have total failure. The condiions should wok that year for one or more seed type.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
If you want a true long term winter food source, you MUST plant something with large tubers. Many of the ones listed above are "leaf heavy" forage types with minimal or no bulbs. When a foot of snow crusts over the yellow, wilted leaves of those forage types, the deer will have very little in the way of food even if they dig for them. PPT, GGT, swedes(rutabagas), and some type of daikon radish(GFR, Tillage, Trophy, etc.) will all produce those large bulbs that are needed for long term winter food. You have many choices for diversity, just be careful that you are choosing the right ones for the job. You don't run cheater slicks on your car in a foot of snow, you run something substantial, like snow tires, same idea here. You don't plant thin leaves when you can have softball sized bulbs under that snow cover.
Bluecollaroutdoors
5 year old buck +
Well said whip. Plant to your goals. I barely late season hunt so I personally and not worried about December and January food. I would like them in it earlier when I am actually hunting. Do what works for you.
I agree tubers are key late season with the exception of the radish. My experience is radish tubers turn into a rotting sponge after a couple freeze/thaw cycles and deer will not touch them once that occurs. However, they are the most preferred brassica early in the season IME so it's still a good idea to include them, along with leafy green brassicas (rape, kale, etc) for the same reason.
St. Croix
A good 3 year old buck
ptt seems like a likely option, but when the deer can only get 2" of the tubers how much is really gained? This is why I like the barkant and the gfr as a large portion of the tuber is out of the ground and easily accessible. Regardless of the tuber, if you have greens this time of year you are in the game- welters is now carrying t-raptor rape which is extremely palatable and withstands a great deal of brows pressure. I guess the point I was trying to make is that the ptt I have planted in the past has not been a preferred specie, thus it has been substituted.
scott44
5 year old buck +
What I say is plant what works for you, I plant a mix but it's a little heavier on the ptt and it seems to work good for me.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
X2 on the T-Raptor, one of the better rape hybrids without question.
I do not normally recommend any BOB seeds, but for those of you who are inclined to use them, Frigid Forage Big-N-Beasty Brassicas is a very good option that we have had good success with in the past. I would recommend picking it up when the plot seeds go on sale here soon. It is quite "forage heavy" and one can add in a bit of PPT or GGT(green globe) and GFR(daikon radish) to improve that mix and add a good amount of tubers for later in the season. No matter what brassicas you plant, remember that they absolutely love nitrogen and will reward you with high tonnage when you put on timely applications of fertilizer.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with FF in any way, which is why I recommend buying the stuff in the off season on sale, i.e. don't pay full price. If you are going to do that, save a buck and mix your own.
I do not normally recommend any BOB seeds, but for those of you who are inclined to use them, Frigid Forage Big-N-Beasty Brassicas is a very good option that we have had good success with in the past. I would recommend picking it up when the plot seeds go on sale here soon. It is quite "forage heavy" and one can add in a bit of PPT or GGT(green globe) and GFR(daikon radish) to improve that mix and add a good amount of tubers for later in the season. No matter what brassicas you plant, remember that they absolutely love nitrogen and will reward you with high tonnage when you put on timely applications of fertilizer.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with FF in any way, which is why I recommend buying the stuff in the off season on sale, i.e. don't pay full price. If you are going to do that, save a buck and mix your own.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
I'm drifting off of the topic of this thread, but.. for a long term winter feed source, you need to consider average winter snow depths. Brassica just does not fill the bill when snow reaches much over a foot. Standing corn is king in most of Minnesota for winter feed when snow depths reach 12- 18 inches.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
Why not plant something to help deer through the most stressful time of the year? Do deer migrate out of your area in the winter or do they have a close by winter feed source?
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
True sandbur, but it is also about 5 to 7 times the cost of a brassica plot, which is not feasible for everyone. If deep snows are an issue, and brasscias cannot be reached due to crusting or extreme snow depth, one can produce a good amount of winter food by dropping some trees with a few chainsaws full of gas, which will improve your understory in the spring as well.
