Brassicas broadcast into dead grass

[bwoods11]

Some grass came up in my soybean plot this year. A fairly even stand of short grass. We killed it off with R/up.

Now the grass is dead and kind of sitting there like thatch. I'm thinking of spreading some brassica seed into it today (sounds like rain is coming). My thoughts are that this might be a perfect setup as the seed with lay in the sheltered thatch...similar to a lawn seed situation.

Do you think this will work? Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[bwoods11]

Yes, standing beans....but they didn't do all that well. I would say I have 40-50% came up and it was around one acre, so I need some brassicas to fill in.
The beans look nice, sparse in areas. They border a 100 acre bean field so I think they will not be touched until October.

 

[Deer Kar]

I have had luck with cereal grains broadcasted into beans. Have not tried Brassicas in beans only corn which works . All depends on rain timing.

 

[PRK]

I did the exact same thing, broadcast a brassica/rye mix into dead grass and exposed dirt in my soybeans following advice from guys on this forum. It's coming up good but I lucked out and had some good rains.

 

[Daydreamer]

In addition to broadcasting into dead grass would you mow the grass down after planting and then roll with cultipacker?? Then do the rain dance??

 

[phil@thesidehill]

here is a brassica mix seeded into dead grass weeds. mowed, waited 10 days sprayed, waited another 12 days sprayed again, broad cast seed just before a good rain. i went a little too heavy on the seeding rate expecting poor germination because of "poor seed bed prep"....wrong move. should have cut the seeding rate back some.

 

[Daydreamer]

Well I had 1/2 inch of rain in the gauge when I left the house this am after planting, mowing, cultipacking on Wednesday. Let's hope that does the trick. Hope mine looks as good as yours does in a few weeks.

 

[bwoods11]

here is a brassica mix seeded into dead grass weeds. mowed, waited 10 days sprayed, waited another 12 days sprayed again, broad cast seed just before a good rain. i went a little too heavy on the seeding rate expecting poor germination because of "poor seed bed prep"....wrong move. should have cut the seeding rate back some.

Very nice! I think I timed my right, we just had two nice 1/2 inch rains!!

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Very nice! I think I timed my right, we just had two nice 1/2 inch rains!!

Sweeet! I did the exact same method this year and lucked out with timing and rain. It rained about 3 hours after i finished seeding, and then we ended up with about 5" of rain over the next 7 days! things are coming along nicely now!

 

[dipper]

Timing of the rain does nothing more than give you earlier germination and possibly higher yield. It is not critical. The rain is going to come. Some of your seed won't germinate till next year .
You guys worry too much.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Timing of the rain does nothing more than give you earlier germination and possibly higher yield. It is not critical. The rain is going to come. Some of your seed won't germinate till next year .
You guys worry too much.

Understood dip but the intensity of rain certainly helps get those seeds down through the thatch.

 

[dipper]

It takes very little to get small brassica seed to germinate. The damn thing always find a way to germinate in turf adjacent to my driveway. Don't sweat it, your fine.

 

[dipper]

Getting an initial 1/2" a day after planting gave me great germination. It's been two weeks since without rain and now most sprouts are yellowing. I'd say timing has an effect. Nothing much in the forecast either. We had 50-60% today and got zip.

Monocultures all planted at the same time will expose you to this threat.

 

[dipper]

There is little worry with the brassicas I have growing in peas, beans, sunflowers, clover, oats, rye and wheat. You have to plan for drought and not put your eggs into one basket. Some people never learn though, and I'm not going to preach to someone like you in how to food plot. I know you have things figured out.

 

[dipper]

Thanks mo, you're so elegant. Haha

 

[Ogemaone]

Planted my last plot today. The farmer just got the hay cut off and baled. Sprayed, seeded, and cultipacked. Never used the disc. Purple top turnips, groundhog radish, t raptor brassica and top dressed it all with the winter rye. Supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow. Here's a few pics. Also a pic of my brassica plot planted.July 6th.