Rutabagas

[Brian662]

Has anyone tried these for deer? Was given some seed and told they are a great late season attractant and figured I'd try mixing them in with my brassicas this fall.

Looking for experience or advice on planting rates mixed with other brassicas/turnips.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

From my experience you need to plant them in the spring. They are similar to sugar beets in that they grow super slow.

 

[ruskbucks]

I tried them a couple years ago after I read a article from a guy in Michigan who said they are his favorite food plot planting. They are a long season plant. I planted in late spring. I don't know what happened but I never saw one ruttabaga that grew in a 1 acre plot. It was just weeds. I've been doing plots for 20 years and this is the worst fail I've ever had. I won't even give them another try.

 

[Hideaway Acres]

Here in NW Fla they're more a fall/winter item. A friend normally planted them in Oct and he always gave us some in Jan/Feb along with mustard and collard greens. Would take a really hard freeze to damage them. They were sweet and crunchy and he fought off the deer in his garden every winter. Sadly, COVID took him last year.