LC's mix

[bueller]

I have always used LCs fertilizer recommendation for the brassica mix but went a little light on N to save a few bucks....regretted it and could tell the brassicas lacked N. I disc the fertilizer in before seeding and packing. My coop is telling me I would be better off to disc in 12-12-12 then let plants get germinated then cast 36-0-0 just before a rain. He says I am wasting N by putting it in the ground initially with the seed. Any thoughts on this....better to disc in the N with seed or wait then fertilize young plants just before rain? Thanks.

I will say that if you have the opportunity to broadcast some N onto them 3-6 weeks after planting do so. They will explode with growth afterwards. Works with most everything, not just brassicas.

 

[scott44]

Brassicas are coming along good.

 

[scott44]

Earlier this spring I planted crimson clover and oats, this was the brassica plot last year. I clipped the crimson and oats today with the brush hog. Somewhere around Labor Day I'll knock the clover down and plant the cereal grain mix in this plot. Since going to LC's rotation I have not added any fertilizer to these plots for the last 2yrs. A field of crimson clover looks pretty cool when flowering.







After clipping.

 

[scott44]

I planted my LC cereal grain mix today. This is the plot that I clipped the crimson clover and oats. I disced the clover down, broadcast the cereal grains and peas, disced them in and cultipacked. I then broadcast a clover mixture of red, crimson, hairy vetch, radishes and cultipacked again.

Cereal grain mix, rye, oats, wheat, peas and soys.



Clover mix, red, crimson, hairy vetch and radishes.



After everthing was planted



I left a strip of oats and clover, wanted to see if they will eat this later in the year when the snow is on the ground.



Another plot I have planted in strips, clover on the right, cereal grains in the middle and brassicas on the left.



Clover is Durana, KopuII and Ladino



A little more than brassicas



This is how I disc and cultipack in one pass.

 

[tooln]

Good looking plot there. How big is it?

 

[scott44]

Good looking plot there. How big is it?

It's about 3/4 acre, probably the best soil on my place OM wise.

 

[scott44]

Cereal grains are coming up ok, these were planted last weekend.

 

[scott44]

Here's the cereal grain plot after 2 wks



They haven't found the peas yet but usually when they do it doesn't take long for them to wipe them out

 

[Bowman]

How did the vetch do?

 

[scott44]

How did the vetch do?

The vetch does real well when planted with the clover and cereal grains, I see it climbing up the rye when I roll it down.

 

[Bowman]

Thanks. I have been researching some not some common plants. I have been looking at bicolor lespedeza, but I guess that nobody has grown it yet.

 

[Someday isle]

If I recall there were some old threads on bicolor lespeedeza on the old Q forums. I think a lot of the time it can be used as a fast growing screen. While maybe not a primary deer food I think they'll use it but quail and song birds love it. I also think there is some concern with it becoming slightly invasive if not kept in check. Maybe some of the old time Q guys will jump in and add to and clarify this. I'm only posting from memory of things I've read and have no firsthand experience.

 

[Bowman]

Thanks. I was think of using it for cover, a screen, maybe planting inside of it. I planted miscanthus grass and it has not done much. Tried switchgrass a couple of times with very little growth. I hope that you remind some guys.