planting my RR Sugar Beets
- Thread starter foggy
- Start date
N
NYPLOTTER
Guest
Sugar Beets are doing great I'm really happy with the outcome. If deer hit them as hard as they did last year I might stop planting brassicas all together. Bulbs are huge. Left side of the photo is Sugar Beets and the right side is brassicas. 3rd strip over is a rye/AWP/soybeans/crimson clover/radish mix. 1st year switchgrass left and right.
foggy
5 year old buck +
Took another pic of my sugar beets the other day. Many of the leaves are regularly being eaten.....but I have not seen any of the bulbs eaten-on yet. Most of the bulbs are about softball size. Kinda neat the way the bulbs are not eaten yet.....and I hope after it freezes they get on them. My turnips and radish bulbs are similar sized and are being eaten.
D
dipper
Guest
With all that extra work, herbicide, exposed soil, pricey seed, etc this is a great reminder sugar beats just aren't worth it.
You have heavy and relatively flat soil. With the July drought and the August monsoon I would of had a guaranteed failed plot in my sandy/ hilly plots.
I could see sugar beets being a possibile candidate to no till into suppressed alfalfa/ clover like I have talked about. you are walking on thin ice with conventional management, with little to gain.
You have heavy and relatively flat soil. With the July drought and the August monsoon I would of had a guaranteed failed plot in my sandy/ hilly plots.
I could see sugar beets being a possibile candidate to no till into suppressed alfalfa/ clover like I have talked about. you are walking on thin ice with conventional management, with little to gain.
foggy
5 year old buck +
I believe you could be right Dipper. I really didnt know I was going to plant beets this year.....until I stumbled into some affordable seed in May. But, I'm gonna withhold judgment on my results untill after the rifle season. I highly doubt I will plant sugar beets in this manner again. I may try a small plot but not the way I did it this year. I did get very lucky on weather / rains.....and have a fair result to show for the effort.
At the same time, my land IS flat and I planted mostly in low-lands with the water table only a few feet away and some areas have pretty good soils. Still, fertilizer and weed control is an issue. I'm not much of a farmer.....but I learn something from these experiments. I do get some deer hanging about as a result of my efforts......and my land is improved with the work I've done.
S Beets are not for everybody.
Freeborn
5 year old buck +
Diversity is a good thing and helps bring and hold deer to your property. Take a look at your neighbors and if sugar beets are not being planted in your area and they get used at your place I would keep them.
I added non-roundup ready sugar beets from RH hunt in my brassica mix. To date I have seen more use of the radishes and LC mix but now with the freezing temps I am expecting to see my brassica and sugar beets start getting used.
There is allot of corn and soybeans in my area so diversity like sugar beets can help me get an edge on the competition.
I added non-roundup ready sugar beets from RH hunt in my brassica mix. To date I have seen more use of the radishes and LC mix but now with the freezing temps I am expecting to see my brassica and sugar beets start getting used.
There is allot of corn and soybeans in my area so diversity like sugar beets can help me get an edge on the competition.
D
dipper
Guest
Try broadcasting into suppressed clover.
D
dipper
Guest
Come on live a little haha, it's just seed
foggy
5 year old buck +
If you get a chance....take a couple of pics of those sugar beets. I'm curious how they do when put into a mix like that. Bulb size?
Freeborn
5 year old buck +
I'll be at my place Sunday and will get pictures then. I sent you an email at your other address.
*Hawaii5joe*
5 year old buck +
I was hoping to break this sucker open for a bit. Might have some questions for you guys. Were the deer able to completely dig out those Beets Foggy? The tonnage looks fabulous. Tossing around the idea of getting some next spring.
Steve Oehlenschlager
5 year old buck +
They can get about 85% out of the ground. They kick and dig and do what ever and they kind of pop out of the ground. The field can literally look like it was roto tilled come spring. My beets are the best ever this spring. Will have to post some pictures soon. They will walk by standing corn and beans to eat beets. They do this all the time. It saves my corn and beans for the turkeys and until the beats are gone.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
Last year the deer ate my beans and corn. The beets were barely touched all winter.The turnips had about the same amount of use as the beets. I am speaking of area 221. They go for turnips in 172.
It is a hard one to figure out. Joe-I suspect your area would be somewhat like Steve's.
It is a hard one to figure out. Joe-I suspect your area would be somewhat like Steve's.
*Hawaii5joe*
5 year old buck +
They will eat turnip bulbs in the beginning of October even when there is still green tops. They really love turnips so I'm thinking they would like something sweeter yet. I also like the idea of a bigger bulb. Do the tops produce more than a turnip too?
*Hawaii5joe*
5 year old buck +
Is your property in MN Steve?
*Hawaii5joe*
5 year old buck +
Would planting non RR beets around July 4 with timely rains work? I've had great luck lately with turnips because of good rains. Very little weeds because they grow so fast.
Steve Oehlenschlager
5 year old buck +
My land is in east central Wadena county. Beets are a full season crop. Must plant early like corn or you will not get much of a beet.
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