The Question of Keeping Soybeans Green Late Season

[Boll Weevil]

I'm thinking of planting some in August this year.

I know this is an older thread but did you do this and how'd it work out? I'm drilling some leftover Group V tomorrow and figured with the 65-70 frost free days remaining for my area they'd eventually be the only green soybean in the neighborhood for a little while. Will contribute some additional OM and might even provide a little N.

 

[Bill]

I know this is an older thread but did you do this and how'd it work out? I'm drilling some leftover Group V tomorrow and figured with the 65-70 frost free days remaining for my area they'd eventually be the only green soybean in the neighborhood for a little while. Will contribute some additional OM and might even provide a little N.

I never got a chance to do it. It would have to work for a bit. Daylight hours lessened and all. Once they germinate mother natures way is to try and get them to seed. Mow a pig weed tomorrow and it's trying to throw seed in a week.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I like sun flowers planted late August. The frost takes them out but they are candy.

 

[JFK52]

Why not just stick to planting winter rye, dwarf Essex rape seed or other brassicas in late August? If all you want is something green to hunt over, stick with what works. Planting ag soy beans that late in the season seem like a total waste of time and money to me. Your opinion may vary.
I plant Eagle Northern managers mix forage beans in May which stay green until the first hard frost.

 

[Nova]

FWIW, I had a bean plot I had to kill off in late June this year. I replanted early July. The beans got about 12" tall and then started to flower. I asked a farmer buddy about it and he said that beans know when they have to flower by the amount of sunlight, so even if they only got a chance to grow to half their normal size, they will automatically start flowering when the photoperiod is right.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Why not just stick to planting winter rye, dwarf Essex rape seed or other brassicas in late August? If all you want is something green to hunt over, stick with what works. Planting ag soy beans that late in the season seem like a total waste of time and money to me. Your opinion may vary.
I plant Eagle Northern managers mix forage beans in May which stay green until the first hard frost.

If I want something that works to hunt over I cant plant Rye, or brassica. Dont get me wrong I plant them both but neither one is an attraction during hunting season and sometime not at all.

 

[j-bird]

If I want something that works to hunt over I cant plant Rye, or brassica. Dont get me wrong I plant them both but neither one is an attraction during hunting season and sometime not at all.

I think there needs to be a different mindset when looking at a kill plot vs a feeding plot. Your looking for something that will attract the deer when you are ready, by the sounds of it. I agree in that rye and tuber type brassica may not be the best choice. Maybe oats and some winter wheat, with some peas/beans of some sort (go cheap) along with some forage type brassica like DER or appin turnips. You may have to keep the deer out until you are ready.... Some of this will die when the frost comes, some will survive beyond the frost, but most of it isn't meant to last well into the winter. Oats will die with a frost, but wheat will grow beyond a frost until it gets real cold. The beans and peas the deer may hit hard right away, other than a winter pea the frost will kill them as well. DER or appin turnips grow fast and only produce leaves so when the frost comes they should be ready to go, but won't produce the tuber for winter food. You can further refine these options to better target when you plan on hunting if you want. These are just some suggestions.

Lots of folks hunt over their feeding plots and as such the mentality changes somewhat. I think you still need to focus on the primary purpose of the plot and you can add some "extras" along the way, but they are extras, a bonus, house money, so to speak....I add a cereal grain and brassica to my standing corn and beans simply for diversity and some insurance. Do I get much from it? NO, but choices are a good thing. I also try to have these on hand in case my summer planting fails and I can go full bore with a fall/winter plot if I need to.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I only have one "kill plot' the other 5 of my plots are destination plots. I guess I cant even call it a kill plot because I'v never killed anything over it. This fall will be the third year of that plot since I cut it out of the woods.

I try to concentrate my plots for Dec-Apr. food sources.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Got it done. About 4 weeks ago sowed turnips; they're up and growing well so was able to drill wheat and soybeans that were leftover from this spring. It's about 5.5ac so will hopefully be enough to stay ahead of the deer.

 

[gooseslayer]

Sometime look at a soybean field at the edge of town that's mature and ready to harvest. Then look at the plants right under the street light. They'll be green and growing.

I was told about this many years ago from a farmer and thought it sounded strange until I started paying attention.

 

[Gator]

At my old place in Nottoway, I planted group 5 beans and Eagles side by side and if memory serves me correct, the Eagles yellowed at roughly the same time (maybe slightly behind)