No till drill brassicas

[bornagain62511]

I was wondering if anyone has used a no till drill to seed brassicas in a hay or clover field after the 2nd crop of hay was harvested, or the clover was mowed short in mid summer? If so how did it work? We have some alfalfa, alfalfa perennial ryegrass mix, and clover fields. We cut 2 crops of hay off them each year. The second crop is usually cut mid July and I was thinking of no till drilling brassicas into these fields at that time. This past summer we had probably the worst drought in the past 100 years here in Wisconsin driftless area and I broadcasted Winfred forage brassica and purple top turnips in these fields after 2nd crop was harvested. We got a rare half inch rain the next day and the brassicas were germinated all over 2 or 3 days later I saw little green brassica plants popping up. Then we didn't get rain for another 3 weeks and all the brassicas died except in one small area that is low and stays more moist than anywhere else in these 6 acres that I broadcasted the brassicas in. Considering how extremely dry it was, they grew pretty well and added some extra forage to that corner of the field. I would think in a normal year with more moisture and no till drilling the seed instead of broadcasting, it might work pretty good. Anyone who's done this I'd like to hear how much growth did you get on the brassicas compared to either tilling or killing everything with gly before planting. The plan would be to leave the hay untouched so it grows back after 2nd crop and allow the brassicas to grow up with it. thanks

 

[swat1018]

I do it. Pretty much same results you have. I'd watch the weather and give it a chance. Seedlings in the July / August heat require rain, without it, no dice. If it rains, all is well.

 

[bornagain62511]

I do it. Pretty much same results you have. I'd watch the weather and give it a chance. Seedlings in the July / August heat require rain, without it, no dice. If it rains, all is well.

Thanks for sharing! Can you please comment on the growth you've seen when drilling brassicas into living hay fields? And just to double check to make sure we are talking about the same thing, you are talking about drilling the brassica seed into living hay fields, and allowing the hay to continue growing with the brassicas, and NOT spraying the hay with roundup or anything, correct? Have you done it in to pure alfalfa stands? Pure white clover stands? or both? What brassicas did you plant? Purple top turnips? Radishes? Rapeseed? If you planted purple top turnips, or radishes, how big and tall did the bulbs and the leafy growth get when you no till drilled the brassicas in living alfalfa and/or white clover fields as compared to when you would plant brassicas in freshly tilled fields or plant the seed into a field that had been killed by roundup? If you get normal rainfall, do the brassicas get nearly as tall and big of bulbs as compared to planting in a tilled or roundup killed field?
thanks

 

[swat1018]

Thanks for sharing! Can you please comment on the growth you've seen when drilling brassicas into living hay fields? And just to double check to make sure we are talking about the same thing, you are talking about drilling the brassica seed into living hay fields, and allowing the hay to continue growing with the brassicas, and NOT spraying the hay with roundup or anything, correct? Have you done it in to pure alfalfa stands? Pure white clover stands? or both? What brassicas did you plant? Purple top turnips? Radishes? Rapeseed? If you planted purple top turnips, or radishes, how big and tall did the bulbs and the leafy growth get when you no till drilled the brassicas in living alfalfa and/or white clover fields as compared to when you would plant brassicas in freshly tilled fields or plant the seed into a field that had been killed by roundup? If you get normal rainfall, do the brassicas get nearly as tall and big of bulbs as compared to planting in a tilled or roundup killed field?
thanks

I've done it in clover plots. Mowed and drilled. Clover is usually pretty dormant at that time. Radish seem to do best, for me.

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

In my limited experience (once) brassica no tilled with a drill into hay field don’t make much for bulbs. I didn’t have much for bulb production. Northern NY. Zone 3-4. Heavy Clay. Full burn down with Gly. Planted 1st week of August. Kasco Eco-Drill. 8-10lbs Mix of kale, Daikon and PTT. Then drilled 10-12 lbs of clover same day. Fertilized with 100lbs/acre of 20-20-20.

The grass didn’t die, but it gave the brassica some time to put on leaf growth.

I should have planted 2-3 weeks earlier and came back in September with a grass specific herbicide and gave it a shot of urea.

But!!! The deer still loved the leaves. The deer my kid shot came right out and started munching and when we opened up his mouth we found Kale.

 

[bigboreblr]

You don't need to kill with Gly. you can put like 3/4's of quart of 41% per acre. That will stunt perennial's and give a chance for the brassicas to go.

I don't own a drill, but it's a coin toss on how well it works. How much rain you get, how fertile your soil is. Could see radish doing better, think they grow a touch better in the cold than other brassicas. They seem to push open a hole for themsevles a bit better too, far as sun cempetition goes.

Your drill does ok in hayfields? coulters section doesn't get jammed up with hay?

I think it would be worthwhile to hay, then drill, then do a low cutting right afterwards with a finish mower. How low are you cutting to with your hay mower? Blades/ teeth good?

 

[Spike_Horn_Shooter]

If you look close you might be able to see some brassicas amongst the cool season grass that came back heavy

 

[Foggy47]

We usually have an annual discussion on this topic. Lots of mixed results. Read this thread.

clover-outcompetes-my-efforts-for-diversity.14966

 

[bornagain62511]

You don't need to kill with Gly. you can put like 3/4's of quart of 41% per acre. That will stunt perennial's and give a chance for the brassicas to go.

I don't own a drill, but it's a coin toss on how well it works. How much rain you get, how fertile your soil is. Could see radish doing better, think they grow a touch better in the cold than other brassicas. They seem to push open a hole for themsevles a bit better too, far as sun cempetition goes.

Your drill does ok in hayfields? coulters section doesn't get jammed up with hay?

I think it would be worthwhile to hay, then drill, then do a low cutting right afterwards with a finish mower. How low are you cutting to with your hay mower? Blades/ teeth good?

We take 2 crops of hay off each year. 2nd crop cutting is usually mid July. After the hay is baled, the fields are pretty bare for a week or two. The discbine cuts it really low. After raking and baling the fields are really clean with little to no thatch, so I think a no till drill would work great. We plan to rent a no till Land Pride 606NT at a local farm store. The drill is practically new.

 

[bornagain62511]

We usually have an annual discussion on this topic. Lots of mixed results. Read this thread.

clover-outcompetes-my-efforts-for-diversity.14966

Thanks I will check it out!

 

[bornagain62511]

thanks for all the replies, comments, and advice everyone!

 

[swat1018]

It all comes down to rain...

 

[White Birch Farm]

My fall brassicas drilled in standing clover….

 

[White Birch Farm]

Clover year round for years and drill into it annually in the summer.

The Ethiopian Cabbage alone is 6-8’ and more than enough to make the brassicas an effective screen.

 

[bornagain62511]

Clover year round for years and drill into it annually in the summer.

The Ethiopian Cabbage alone is 6-8’ and more than enough to make the brassicas an effective screen.

View attachment 60814

Awesome, thanks for sharing! Do you spray the clover with a light dose of gly, or no spray at all and just drill the brassica into live healthy clover? I'd like to do it without any spray so the clover and alfalfa stays living but I just wanted to make sure that's what you're doing and sitll getting that much growth. Do the deer feed on the Ethiopian Cabbage a lot? What state are you located in? How would you compare the attractiveness of the Ethiopian Cabbage compared to Winfred forage brassica, or purple top turnips for the deer?

thanks

 

[White Birch Farm]

You can spray the clover with gly, or not. I do and have done it both ways. There are dozens of variables involved. Same with the brassicas. They all get eaten at different times and to different degrees. My property has more food per deer than 99% of most properties, so the results I get would not be the same on most other properties. You just have to do it and learn from your experiences to get excellent results.

 

[omicron1792]

Clover year round for years and drill into it annually in the summer.

The Ethiopian Cabbage alone is 6-8’ and more than enough to make the brassicas an effective screen.

View attachment 60814

@White Birch Farm. You sure that’s a food plot and not a golf course? Using Brassicas for screens? Get out of here!

 

[Westwind]

I planted a “soil builder” mix from Green Cover that had Ethiopian Cabbage in it. It grows! Can’t say I have seen the deer use it much yet.

 

[bigboreblr]

A few years ago the lawn around camp was regraded. I planted some brassicas mixed in with oats and clover in the end of April. I had 3-4ft tall monsters by time august came around, the base stalks looked like broccoli. Not a nibble on them though. probably needed some frost. Adirondacks have had august frosts before.

Any kinds of brassicas handle some occasional ATV traffic? Pretty sure turnips and radish are off the table. Planting mid august with first forst happening 3rd week of september. I have had problems growing brassicas at the snowmobile trail. The grouse love the young sprouts. Soil is sandy, pH is low 5's but turns u easily with about 1/4 ton of lime / acre. Uusally throw n mow, but will be tilling this year. Want a few rough spots leveled and opening up the trail a bit more this year. Almost thinking some sort of kale, but might be better off with something else like adding chicory. Throw in wheat, rye, and clover. Been a cereal grain n clover place since 2020.