How many pounds of brassica seed?

[Prairie Acres]

I'm planting about 1.5 acres of brassica this year. This is the blend I'm considering:

20% Turnip
20% Rape
20% Kale
20% Forage Brassica
20% Radish

The seed company recommends 9lbs per acre. That rate seems a little high. They sell 3,6 & 9 pound bags. 9 pounds is $55. I'm not so concerned about the cost I just know you can plant brassicas too thick and stunt their growth. Could I plant my 1.5 acres with 9 pounds? I'm broadcasting the seed. How many pounds of this seed would you order for 1.5 acres?

Also, I thought about adding clover to this blend. If I did how many pounds should I add?

 

[RGrizzzz]

If you're broadcasting 9lbs/acre seems about right to me.

What kind of clover? Where are you located?

 

[T-Max]

I just planted .75 acres with 2 lbs of turnips, 2 lbs of forage rape and 3 pounds of tillage radish so that’s 9.33 lbs/acre and I think I’ve had good success in the past.


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[Foggy47]

I just did a similar mix on Monday. I put down 7 # / acre with my drill. I think I was pretty light....but I usually over populate brassica.....so....what do I know?

 

[Prairie Acres]

What kind of clover? Where are you located?

The seed company I'm buying from sells the following in 3-5 pounds, so I could choose from these...
Balansa Clover
White Dutch Clover
Ladino White Clover
Alsike Clover
Medium Red Clover
Crimson Clover
Frosty Berseem Clover

Southwest Wisconsin.

 

[swat1018]

I just bought a 50# bag of radish for $60. Your place is high!

 

[Prairie Acres]

I just bought a 50# bag of radish for $60. Your place is high!

Sounds like you got a great deal! But I'm not looking to plant straight radish and I don't need that much seed.

 

[T-Max]

The seed company I'm buying from sells the following in 3-5 pounds, so I could choose from these...
Balansa Clover
White Dutch Clover
Ladino White Clover
Alsike Clover
Medium Red Clover
Crimson Clover
Frosty Berseem Clover

Southwest Wisconsin.

I don’t know all those, but ladino is like 500k seeds per pound while MRC is 150k-ish? Big variability in planting rate to get the populations right. I’ll let the pros chime in, but a few pounds of MRC wouldn’t scare me on a plot like that. I’m not a northern guy though.


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[Jerry-B-WI]

Six pounds per acre is recommended by Northwoodswhitetails. That was the rate I used and it was perfect.

 

[bigboreblr]

While those are cosnidered small seeds. Some of those seeds are like 4 times the volume of another.

I have never done a full rootcrop / brassica plot alone. I always mix with clovers, peas, and grains. However, I an quite surprised 1 lb / acre of those small seeds can do.

Whats the plan for next year? Some clovers run out of the gate fast, others need to establish roots before putting mass on. Red clovers in general grow faster than white clovers. I'd put 4 or 5 lbs of red if wanting a bit of variety to the plot. If hoping clover show us strong in the spring 8-10 lbs of ladino.

Need a spring crop? Broadcasting oats in the spring if the clovers isn't what you expected.

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

When I planted brassicas two years ago and this year I threw in some chicory.

 

[Brian662]

Like most things- it depends.
Depends on planting methods, soil conditions, seed selection, etc.

The best brassica mix for my money is NW Whitetails and they recommend 6#/acre. Jon Komp will also tell you to up that rate a few # for broadcasting or heavy thatch. I think the recommended numbers are for a prepared seed bed or drilled rate.

As for the clovers, I wouldn't go more than half rate for annuals. Me personally, I would not try to establish slower growing perennial clovers in brassicas because the potential for them to be canopied over and killed by shade is too high. You can try frost seeding the perennials in March if you desire.

 

[Stubborn1VT]

I lean toward 5-6lbs an acre for brassicas. At that rate, your 9lbs would plant your 1.5 acres.
I would also put down at least 6lbs an acre for a clover mix.

I'm doing a .50 acre strip of brassicas and adding red, alsike and ladino clovers. I believe the clovers will establish fine. I will frost seed more clover in the early spring and hopefully leave that strip in clover for 3 years.

 

[swat1018]

Sounds like you got a great deal! But I'm not looking to plant straight radish and I don't need that much seed.

I don't either. I also bought 25# of PTT for $30.