Clover to turnips- roundup or not?

[sandbur]

I have two tiny plots in the northwoods that I want to convert to turnips.

Choices are till and plant turnips next week.

Or Spray with roundup, wait two hours, till and plant turnips.

Is the roundup necessary?

I will only be up there for about 4-6 hours total time.

I figure I should get the turnips in after the recent rains.

 

[Deer Kar]

I would not recommend spraying and then planting the same day. It might work but I would spray wait a week then till plant the same day. I have not planted turnips this early. I plant mine 2 or 3 week in July (I'm in west central mn.)

 

[sandbur]

I would not recommend spraying and then planting the same day. It might work but I would spray wait a week then till plant the same day. I have not planted turnips this early. I plant mine 2 or 3 week in July (I'm in west central mn.)

I have had luck with turnips on those spots from July4 seeding and also form an early spring seeding as the frost was going out.

I have also had failures.... They had 3 inches of rain last week and this area is high and dry on gravel.

 

[dipper]

Do you have a grass problem? If you do, you need to spray that grass. Round up won't kill the clover.

I vote, broadcast and spray if you have grass( gonna want to drag it good, to get that seed to the ground). Clover is flowering right now, it is almost done completeing it's lifecycle for the year. After it is done flowering, it withers down, opening up the door for your brassicas.

I would also throw a good amount of rye in there. I'd like to suggest oats too, but it is too early for them.

I'm guessing these are small plots. With your short time window, you'll be able to enjoy yourself, instead of being rushed.

 

[sandbur]

Some grass, but I don't think it is too bad.

these are tiny plots and I usually just rake them to smooth. I use a garden tiller for prep.

I might try your no till on part of the area with grasses.

I like to till and add a few buckets of chicken manure/bedding.

 

[dipper]

gotta kill that grass, and you can't spray it and till right away. The grass will only get thicker if those roots aren't killed completely.

This ew was no tilled into manure/ mulch. No need to till in manure.

 

[sandbur]

dip-I'm still not really convinced on all of this no tilling. I have had some success with no till. Better chances of success with tillage.

Most of my neighbors incorporate manure as soon as possible. To preserve nitrogen, reduce run off issues, and reduce odor.

Our state agencies recommend the same for large livestock operations. I just don't think manure on the surface is good for our environment and for our lakes and streams.

 

[dipper]

The big farmers are putting it on 6"s thick on land that is already tilled. When we put it on alfalfa/ clover/ grass, you aren't going to obviously till it in. The living plant will prevent runoff. How hard is it to wash away manure in your lawn compared to washing it off your driveway? A nearby city dumps their human waste on my fields. The slopes on my fields a 6-12%, it's hilly, obviously runoff is a huge concern. There isn't a chance in hell the DNR would grant approval if I had bare soil exposed. They love my no till operation. Since they are spreading it on living alfalfa and I have additional native grass erosion control, I get the green light. There is no runoff because all the living vegatation is keeping it in place.
I know your DNR is different than ours, maybe they see it differently.

 

[sandbur]

The big farmers are putting it on 6"s thick on land that is already tilled. When we put it on alfalfa/ clover/ grass, you aren't going to obviously till it in. The living plant will prevent runoff. How hard is it to wash away manure in your lawn compared to washing it off your driveway? A nearby city dumps their human waste on my fields. The slopes on my fields a 6-12%, it's hilly, obviously runoff is a huge concern. There isn't a chance in hell the DNR would grant approval if I had bare soil exposed. They love my no till operation. Since they are spreading it on living alfalfa and I have additional native grass erosion control, I get the green light. There is no runoff because all the living vegatation is keeping it in place.
I know your DNR is different than ours, maybe they see it differently.

Many of these are county ordinances. At times manure is also broad cast on hayfields. Good points!

You are correct, I am usually referring to plowed fields and most farmers want the nitrogen and the organic material mainly for corn production.

 

[dipper]

I don't blame you for being apprehensive. If anything, keep an eye on that clover and it's life cycle without cutting it. It's kinda cool. When it finishes it's job, it opens up the door for those brassicas.