Planting Brassicas early for an earlier season plot and drought resiliance?

[DRG3]

I recently heard on a podcast, folks talking about planting Brassicas early- like in June, in order to have a longer growing season. I believe this was in a northern area.

I am in Kentucky- Zone 7a and am wondering if I can pull something like this off, in order to allow for more growing time. Lately it’s been getting so dry in August and September here in Western KY that my plots have struggled.

I’m wondering if getting these established earlier will help them if it gets dry again in August September, or if it will be a waste. I’m also concerned about weeds.

I’m curious as to any thoughts on this- specifically in my area. I’ve read some posts on here, but not specifically to my area as far as I can tell.

My ultimate goal is to have a food source sooner- and the brassicas more well developed.

 

[Mortenson]

I think the general thought is that's too early for the more popular brassicas. It would be a good summer food source however, no doubt. You could look into the longer maturing types including but not limited to sugar beets and rutabaga.

 

[FarmerDan]

It's an interesting question to unpack. We are chained to generalizations about "best times" to plant. It's said generalizations are rarely true. But they are useful for avoiding utter failure, I guess. The more we learn about the individual operations and microclimate the more we begin to realize there are many situations where there are exceptions to widely used generalizations.

So, maybe yes, it could be possible to beat the odds if you know your soils and microclimate situation. Some soils are capable of holding moisture while others remain too well drained. Rainfall? It has taken me a long time to understand how variable it can be over a small area. A given point might get 2-inches and another not a mile away less than half an inch. Some of it is random but there are some spots were differences are natural creations. Air and soil temperatures can be critical. Growing degree days are highly correlated with production. Too hot and vegetative growth stops and waits.

For the longest time I subscribed to fall planting for cool season grasses and clovers. The generalization is there's more soil moisture as temperatures decline and two cool season growing periods before hot summers hammer young crops. But, again, too late, I have learned here in Virginia September and October GENERALLY tend to be the two driest months of the year unless hurricanes-turned-tropical-storms head into my area.

Then there is this. If you can be successful growing 'summer' planted brassicas how useful will they be to your ultimate goals? Are there better suitable crops than brassicas? I don't know. Most brassicas are short season crops. From germination to mature takes only 60-90 days. They are finished before fall even begins. I might be missing something.

In another thread I provided a chart of soil moisture content over time and got no response from it. Fair enough. I will try it again. This one is for Owensboro, KY. It is a generalization and not a microclimate picture. I consider it evidence for conjecture, not proof. It may be useful or not. What I see is higher soil moisture levels declining into prime fall planting season. It is followd by soil temperatures which generally follow air temperatures closely. This one declines nicely as fall approaches. Summer heat may be the limiting factor. I have seen several for other areas where it doesn't change much from June-September.

In the end you will probably want to follow conventional thinking unless. But the idea of summer brassicas is not out of question.

 

[Mike O]

Wont the Brassicas bolt, produce seed heads? Not good right?

 

[SD51555]

The biggest issue I've seen with going early is the bugs will defoliate your brassicas.

 

[jsasker007]

I usually plant radish and turnips right about now here in Minnesota. Radishes start getting eaten as soon as they pop up but the turnips are left untouched until we get a couple of frosts. Have had some leaf damage by the hoppers but not too bad. If I wait to plant later it's usually too hot and dry and I wind up with poor growth. I don't plant them so thick that they smother out everything else that;s there. Try to have multiple things growing together for more of a buffet.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I’m in southern Minnesota and don’t plant mine until mid August. With that said we have pretty consistent rain and my soil has a high amount of organic matter and holds moisture well.

I don’t think it would hurt you to try some early but I wouldn’t plant all of it now. You could plant some in strips at different times now through the rest of your growing season.

Another idea would be to plant a cover crop of tillage radish and buckwheat now ( the radish matures in about 45-55 days). Seed into it later and mow it off.

You may just need to work on your soil so you aren’t held hostage by environmental conditions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[swat1018]

In plotting you can afford to experiment, your livelihood doesn't depend on them. Plant them now, if you can. Then go back in and overseed more at the recommended time, and more later if they are defoliated or don't thrive due to drought, etc. Plenty of times I've drilled rye right over my July planted brassica because they didn't make anything. Plotters have plenty of flexibility. Fall plots have saved many a failed summer plot.