planting my RR Sugar Beets

[foggy]

Deer really don't seem to bother beets until Sept no matter how thin. You will lose more to Pocket Gophers than you will to deer this summer. I wish I would have taken a pic of my earliest plot because they have just exploded with growth. Most are pushing 18inches tall and full canopy is only another 2 weeks away at the most. I last sprayed them 3 weeks ago and they were so clean that I passed on spraying them one last time. Will spot spray if I have to. You population is just a tad thin, but I would rather have them thin than over crowded. Commercial beets barely average 2 pounds. Yours should average 3 to up to 8 if things keep going good. They just need lots of sun from now on. I would hit them with more Nitrogen when it rains next which looks like possibly Sunday. They are right on the edge of taking off. I would not over seed them yet with brassicas. Wait 2 more weeks and maybe spray one last time and then broadcast some brassicas in the thin spots. Sometimes I just walk the plot and toss a few seeds here and there were they are thin. They also like lots of Potash.

^ Thanks. This is along the lines of my thoughts for the plots right now. One plot was not doing too well......so I laid down a light mix of brassica seeds. I will see how the beets compete with the brassica to come soon.

We will (finally) be getting some warmer temps here this week. Been like spring most days.....when it doesn't rain. 2014 - the summer that never was. :(

 

[bueller]

I would wait before overseeding with brassicas. Overcrowding the beets and/or brassicas will have a negative impact. If the plot still looks thin in a month overseed with rye/clover and that plot will carry into next summer.

 

[NYPLOTTER]

A couple updated pictures of my Sugar Beets. Starting to put on some bulbs but they have a ways to go. I added a strip of brassicas to the right of these ones. The left side will be a strip of LC Mix. Currently that strip has some Soybeans and AWP growing...plan to no-till right over them. To the left and right the 1st year planted switchgrass is finally starting to grow. Overall plan is three 6' strips (rotate crops yearly) cut thru a few acres of switchgrass but it's going to take a few years for things to fill in.

 

[sandbur]

I've two 6 foot rows of sugar beets in the garden and next to my rutabagas. The s. beets in the garden look far better than those in the field that has been flooded.

Anybody got a recipe for sugar beets?

 

[sandbur]

A couple updated pictures of my Sugar Beets. Starting to put on some bulbs but they have a ways to go. I added a strip of brassicas to the right of these ones. The left side will be a strip of LC Mix. Currently that strip has some Soybeans and AWP growing...plan to no-till right over them. To the left and right the 1st year planted switchgrass is finally starting to grow. Overall plan is three 6' strips (rotate crops yearly) cut thru a few acres of switchgrass but it's going to take a few years for things to fill in.

TE]

I can see some thought went into that planting.

You must be trying to lead the deer from one location to another location? Has it worked well, or does the switchgrass need to get taller first?

 

[NYPLOTTER]

That's the million dollar question that I will not truly know for a couple years. The switchgrass in these areas was frost seeded this year so it's short and spotty. It will take three years but it will provide a ton of security, cover and edge with high quality forage working its way thru. I have about 25ac planted in switchgrass with the oldest piece being 3 years old. It runs across the front of my property. It was planted as a test area to see if/how the mix of Kanlow, Forestburg and Cave In Rock would grow...grows thick. I have two more spots currently in RR corn or soybeans that I will frost seed this winter. Planting the RR crops the year before seems to work best. I actually have 3 acres that I frost seeded and then no-tilled corn into it...looks good. Other than my large feeding plot my other plots will all be 3 or 4 rotated strips planted thru the switchgrass with strategically placed stand/blinds.

After owning the farm for 4 years I have learned a ton and have created a three year game plan. Property lacked food when I purchased it and specifically fall/winter food. So I did what was easy and cleaned up some of the older AG fields and spread out some 3ac+/- plots. It worked for the purpose of holding the deer and growing the number of deer calling the property home. However, it was random and didn't really take key factors into consideration. Where the best bedding areas already sits, where can I create more bedding, how the deer travel across the property naturally, how can I manipulate their movement, undetected stand entry/exit, large high quality destination plot located in a secure area that's not hunted, good bow stands....things like that.

I believe I have a solid game plane that will need a few tweaks here and there but should make the property more huntable while holding lots of deer and older age class bucks. At least older for NY. Cover is key along with fall/winter food sources to carry them thru. Plenty of summer AG but all the winter stuff is combined down.

Honestly, for me half the fun is creating the game plan and building it. I love this stuff and get tons of enjoyment from seeing my projects come to life. It's a challenge. Like most on these forums I'm sure.

 

[NYPLOTTER]

Very nice Beets. Good addition of the other Brassicas. I like to have as much diversity as well. Do you have any corn, beans, rye, clovers anything else growing?

Oh yes winter/fall is my primary focus for plots along with cover. Deer in my area don't eat the brassicas much but man they kill the Sugar Beets come winter. Along with the standards corn and beans.

Rule # 1, 2 and 3 for me is cover and specific fall/winter food. Soybeans, corn, brassicas, sugar beets, fall planted soybeans/AWP/oats(bow stands), overseed soybeans with rye. Everything is being converted to longer strips with tons of edge and crop rotation within strips. I have 65+ acre of farmer managed alfalfa and tons of native browse so planting much of anything for summer isn't really needed. Soybeans are king for me (corn close second) because they cover summer & winter. Any left come spring and turkey hunting is awesome. Not much that will pull deer off the Alfalfa but Soybeans will. I plant them mainly for pod production but they are obviously a big summer hit and benefit. Overseed with rye for a grain on green plot.

I no-tiled this corn into a 1st year frost seeded switchgrass planting and it's doing great...picture couple weeks age. Based on other switchgrass plantings I figured the first year switchgrass wouldn't do much so why not put some corn in. The pre-emergent used works with corn so why not. Mow it down next year and spray before the switchgrass pops and I should have a nice 2nd year switchgrass planting. Maybe just leave the stocks standing...well see.

Strips like this with Oats/Clover/Alfalfa planted along the edge and used for cart paths, brassicas just planted next and soybeans to the right. Soybeans will be overseeded with rye.

Plenty of corn this 8ac block will stand all winter. Farmer friend will run the combine thru it come spring to clean it up. This field will go in RR Soybeans next year to further clean it up and then be frost seeded in switchgrass the following winter...cover is king!

 

[Greta&Gus]

Foggy, this is the first I saw of this thread. Can you please send me a link to where you purchased the RR sugar beets? Wish I would have been on top of this earlier.

 

[foggy]

Foggy, this is the first I saw of this thread. Can you please send me a link to where you purchased the RR sugar beets? Wish I would have been on top of this earlier.

Sorry no can do. But I'm told you can buy some from ed spinnazola in Michigan.

 

[foggy]

My sugar beets are starting to take off. Still remain fairly weed free.....but I may spray them once more in a week or so. I dug one out just to take a look at the bulb growth so far. May have a 3" long root at this point. Not too impressive.....but they are now growing in earnest. Another good rainfall would make my day. :)

 

[NYPLOTTER]

Feed them some N right before that rain. The key to beets seems to be weed free and lots of N. I'm not sure you can give them to much N. Glad they are growing!

 

[foggy]

Beets are progressing nicely with the rains of a week ago. Looks like more rain tonite.....so I put down more urea today.

Sent from my iPhone

Sent from my iPhone

 

[NYPLOTTER]

Nice foggy. Deer are going to destroy them come winter.

 

[foggy]

Learned allot with sugar beets. They are likely seeded about 30 percent light...but put on some good growth recently. Deer have munched some of the greens...but mostly leave em alone so far. The root is really getting big now and most are starting to pop above ground. The plot thickens. :D

 

[scott44]

Good looking beets!

 

[sandbur]

Do deer prefer smaller beets that are more bite sized?

do they begin eating the tops and then eat down into the bulb?

 

[sandbur]

What do I need to do to see the second and third picture?

 

[foggy]

What do I need to do to see the second and third picture?

The rain dance. :D

(Actually there are no other pics...just my feeble attempt to cut and paste on my IPad)

 

[foggy]

Do deer prefer smaller beets that are more bite sized?

do they begin eating the tops and then eat down into the bulb?

I think they will eat the top parts like a big turnip. But it's all new to me.

 

[nitro27]

My experience tells me that deer will consume most of the beets late fall and winter. The foliage (leaves) first and then the beet. The deer will dig and eat the whole beet in the winter, no matter the size. In the next 6 weeks or so the beets will double in size..
Only 2-3 week away from pre-pile, (farmers open fields for harvest and factory gets slowly started). Main harvest usually gets started in early Oct. and lasts about 2 weeks if weather cooperates.