What rate do you seed brassicas?

[WTNUT]

I am going to plant a mixture of Barkant, Bonar, T-Raptor, Pasja, Groundhog Radish and Purple Top Turnips on about 20 acres. The percentages will be about the same percentage of each in the mix. For 100 pounds of seed it will be 20 pounds each of Barkant and T-Raptor, and 15 pounds each of Bonar, Pasja, GHR and Purple Top Turnips.

With that mixture how many pounds per acre would you drill? In the past I have went as night as 8 pounds per acre, but I would like to cut it down some this year. I want to maximize bulb production on this tract.


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[mikmaze]

do a test plot, now... go for a spacing of about a foot between seedlings, kowing that 75% should grow to maturity, and give big bulbs. thinking 5 lb since you are using a drill should do. I forgot I Had 10 lbs left from last year when I ordered, looks like I will be deep in brasicas this winter. I have about 40 lbs on hand.

 

[SD51555]

I'd cut it back to 7 lbs/ac and throw in some oats in case it's too light.

 

[WTNUT]

Thanks guys. Test plot is a good idea, but may not have a chance to do that. I was thinking 5-6 pounds as well. I will not throw in any cereal grain initially, but I had thought that if I end up light I would throw in rye, oats or wheat. I don't want the N to be wasted so to speak.


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[S.T.Fanatic]

I go 4-5# per acre. The PTT get bigger than softballs on well fertilized tilled ground. I am doing mine throw and mow style this year so i'm guessing i'll up the rate a bit but might just stick to what has worked for me in the past havent decided yet.

 

[Mortenson]

I throw and grow too. Usually I'll wait for the the first slam dunk rain after the 10th or so of July and spread about a half rate (5-6#), assuming that the rain will peter out like usual and I'll have a pretty thin stand germinated. Then a couple weeks go by and can assess the plot and go in with another 5#. That also gives some variety to age/taste of the plants in the field come hunting season. Brassicas are nice because it's easy to spin on some more, but not quite as practical to reduce a heavy stand.

 

[Tree Spud]

I don't get to worried about exact lbs/acre. I use a chest mount spreader that can hold about 25 lbs of seed. I mix PPT, appin forage turnips, rape, white & red clover all in about even amounts, but go a bit heavier on the clovers.

I then walk at a good pace spreading what I think is a good rate. The mix of clovers/rape, help to balance out too much bulb like plant such as turnips. I will then add GHR on a 2nd seeding at about 3-4 lbs per acre.

 

[mikmaze]

spud, I use a chest spreader also, but I do not mix the seeds, too many varied sizes, ghr being large, ptt, rape, collars tiny....... I walk the extra miles one seed type at a time, this summers plots are a 4 seed mix.

 

[swat1018]

I would go 8-10 / ac. I would rather have more tennis ball size brassica than fewer giant ones. Deer always eat the medium size ones best, it seems. I would think overall tonage, rather than individual weight. Plus, with a thicker, quicker, canopy comes less weeds.

 

[Tree Spud]

spud, I use a chest spreader also, but I do not mix the seeds, too many varied sizes, ghr being large, ptt, rape, collars tiny....... I walk the extra miles one seed type at a time, this summers plots are a 4 seed mix.

Mikmaze ... your new Tau Kappa name is kamikaze ... sorry I digress ...

Sorry, but you just repeated what I said above ... I think ...

Put the clover, brassica, & turnip seed in you spreader for your first walk through ... all pretty much the same size seed and you can keep your spreader gate open equal for all seed.

Then do your 2nd walk through with the GHR. As you are adding GHR to the above, propably want to cut the seeding rate in half.

Hope I was better less mis-understood ... then :emoji_pray:

 

[Ben Glantz]

When you are planting brassicas, do you put urea down at planting and then again when after germination/3-4 weeks later?

 

[Mortenson]

Unless you're working it in, I wouldn't put any down 'til they have a little growth on. As seedlings their N requirement would be pretty low.

 

[mikmaze]

I let crimson clover add my N for me, seeded at the same time as the brassica, I let it green up, bloom, and go to seed, then it gets flipped under and the mix goes in again. I get up to tennis ball sized turnips, which is good enough for me, I'm too cheap to buy fert for turnips.