Earliest date to plan brassicas in Zone 6B

[Native Hunter]

If you weren't worried about drought, what is the earliest you would consider planting a brassica (turnips, radishes, kale, rape, etc.) mix in Zone 6B?

The past two years I have done radishes on August 15 and got good browsing before frost into late fall. Unlike most of you guys, my browsing on brassicas seems to be before frost with not much happening later on in the winter.

The reason I'm asking is because I have a new spot that could be planted any time. I have the vegetation killed and its screaming for a throw and mow brassica plot.

I know that planting grains too early can be an issues with them getting too big before hunting season, but wondered what your thought would be on brassicas. I could always throw in some grains later on.

 

[Buckeye]

Last year I planted my Turnips/radishes on August 6 they did really good had softball size turnips

 

[Chainsaw]

The sweet spot planting date for brassica on this property in tilled ground is July 15. Aug. 1 is the outside window for good growth and after August 15 don't bother. Zone 4b/5a.

I'm planting throw and mow within the next couple of days. i figure Throw-n-Mow to need extra germination time as comparedto tilling.

 

[Jason Broom]

Being 2-4 weeks behind us northern food plotters, I would look for a good rain event chance between 8/1 and 8/15.

 

[Bullwinkle]

I planted 5 acres of Winfred and ptt last week just cause I didn't have a choice. About 2-3 weeks early.

I'll report my success or failure in this decision

 

[dogghr]

I've planted last weekend of July to second week of Aug. But far the best success for whatever reason is the first 2 weekends of Aug. Good growth, good bulb formation softball size and larger. I think key is hit good Urea at planting then again 30 days later. Brassica do well even with limited rain as long as not a true drought. Like last year.
The other factor that may differ from others, is when I have included a Daikon radish, the plot attracts deer too soon and they browse the leaves before bulbs have chance to grow good. I don't want deer feeding on the leaves until first freeze which for me is mid Oct. They then browse the leaves thru Nov, then bulbs rest of winter. Daikon is off the list for me for this reason, especially for its price.
Here is mid Sept of early Aug planted plot. Adequate rain. Followed clover plot.

 

[bigbluetruck]

Why not try collards? They won't go to seed until after they've went through a major cold snap

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[Buckeye]

Why not try collards? They won't go to seed until after they've went through a major cold snap

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Where can you get collards seeds I can't seem to find any

 

[bigbluetruck]

Green cover seed has them

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[Native Hunter]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I guess I will just watch the rain forecast and make a decision based on that. We seem to be more inclined to fall droughts than summer droughts the last couple of years. Last year I got a wild hair and planted a clover plot in July and had a nice stand of clover for fall, because early rains were great. However, the clover I planted in the fall didn't germinate until this spring because of a drought.

I may do some clover early again this year with just a few brassicas mixed in for a test. Sometimes when the weather is crazy you just have to hope for the best.

 

[Native Hunter]

Why not try collards? They won't go to seed until after they've went through a major cold snap

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I hadn't considered that but will do a little research.

Thanks.

 

[bigbluetruck]

https://www.greencoverseed.com/product/1063/

The more I learn about them the better they seem, I'm gonna throw some into my fall plot

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[Buckeye]

https://www.greencoverseed.com/product/1063/

The more I learn about them the better they seem, I'm gonna throw some into my fall plot

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk[/QUOTEcan you plant them in the spring to

 

[George]

I always tried to get them started in July so they had a start before August heat and drought.

G

 

[Native Hunter]

https://www.greencoverseed.com/product/1063/

The more I learn about them the better they seem, I'm gonna throw some into my fall plot

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Thanks for the link. Price looks good but the shipping eats me alive. I think I remember being able to buy them by the scoop at a local feed store. I will check that out next week.

 

[OkieKubota]

Grasshopper population lets us know when we can plant brassicas...

 

[Kabic]

Thanks for the link. Price looks good but the shipping eats me alive. I think I remember being able to buy them by the scoop at a local feed store. I will check that out next week.

Something is a little strange with their shipping, 1 lb versus 20 lbs have almost the same shipping $21 versus $22

 

[bigbluetruck]

I hadn't looked at their shipping because I'm not all that far from them so I'd just pick it up

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[j-bird]

I shoot for mid august. Typically here it's still real hot and dry in august. No point in having young plants germinate just to shrivel and die. September seems to bring better growing conditions here and as such I use Labor day as the last day to get them out. My deer barley use them any ways so it's not a big deal but I do get softball size bulbs most of the time. I also tend to be broadcasting into a standing crop so that can impact things some as well as far as the available light and how quickly the standing crop dries down.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Thanks for the responses guys.

I guess I will just watch the rain forecast and make a decision based on that. We seem to be more inclined to fall droughts than summer droughts the last couple of years. Last year I got a wild hair and planted a clover plot in July and had a nice stand of clover for fall, because early rains were great. However, the clover I planted in the fall didn't germinate until this spring because of a drought.

I may do some clover early again this year with just a few brassicas mixed in for a test. Sometimes when the weather is crazy you just have to hope for the best.

Zone 6a, I'll put out an early acre of brassica in mid-July. I get the seed in 50# bags, LC mix 3# ptt, 2# der, 5# diakon per acre costs $14, not much lost if it doesn't rain I'll just replant in August.