Late Season Brassicas
Our top 5 brassicas — unmatched cold-hardiness and graze tolerance for a killer plot
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Our top 5 brassicas come together to create a mix with unmatched cold hardiness and graze tolerance. Deer hit this blend all season long but once the temps start dropping it really comes into its own producing high quality forage all winter long
Brassicas are one of the most attractive plots you can plant and this mix contains some of the very best brassicas on the market that excel in areas where others fall flat. Many are species you won't see elsewhere in food plot mixes. If you've tried brassica plots before and didn't have the type of results you were expecting this is the mix for you. Give them another shot, you won't be disappointed.
Most brassicas don’t last long once deer start grazing them but the species in this mix were selected to withstand grazing pressure and regrow top growth multiple times. We also selected some of the hardiest species so you can expect them to stay green and continue growing even under extreme cold that stops many other species in their tracks. The bulbs and tubers produced by some species in this mix will outlast even the hardy top growth and be dug up through late winter into early spring.
Deer refusing to eat brassicas is also a problem in many areas especially in the South so we specifically chose species that have the shortest learning curve and are most readily accepted by deer in areas where they haven't seen them before. If you've been let down by others in the past, try out this mix of some of the very best brassicas on the market.
Ingredients:
Rutabaga
Radishes
New Zealand Forage Brassicas
Sugar Beets
Rape
How we formulated this mix:
What’s not in this mix may be as important as what is. Kale is notably omitted as it is generally one of the least preferred brassicas by deer and if conditions aren’t harsh enough (deer not desperate enough) it may not get eaten at all. It is seen in many brassica mixes as a filler to make a nice looking plot but it doesn’t do a lot for deer. Turnips are also omitted in favor of rutabagas (a relatively overlooked species). They are a similar but much better alternative. Graze tolerance, more top growth, and a much more palatable bulb and top growth make them an easy choice. Rutabagas regularly get mowed down in areas where deer won’t touch turnips. Radishes and sugar beets are typically eaten earlier in the year and more readily accepted then most other brassicas avoiding the common scenario of deer not touching a brassica plot without enough cold weather. Also perform much better with deer in the south where other brassicas may not get eaten at all. New Zealand (Winfred) Forage Brassicas bring in exceptional graze tolerance and cold hardiness. They can be grazed up to 4 times and will stay green down to 10 degrees. Trophy rape rounds out the mix. Adaptable to a wide range of adverse soil conditions, high protein, and palatability earn it a spot here. Overall, this blend of brassicas performs where a lot of others do not. Designed to avoid the downfalls of many other brassica mixes including difficulty getting deer to eat them, being difficult to establish, and persisting through adverse conditions.
WHERE TO PLANT: Areas with full sun to moderate shade. Can be grown in small plots or large fields. Avoid planting brassicas in the same location more than 2 years in a row.
pH: 5.5-7.0
MINIMUM SOIL FERTILITY NEEDED: Moderate - High
WHEN TO PLANT:
NORTH: July-Aug
CENTRAL: Aug-Sep
SOUTH: Sep-Oct
Can be frost seeded in winter 3-5 weeks before the last frost. If frost seeding be aware that brassicas don’t typically last through summer so it will be a spring only plot. For a full season plot consider Whitetail Hill Clover or Multi-Year Mix instead. Both will feed your deer all year long for 3-5yrs!
SOIL PREP: Disc, tiller, or plow, or can be used as a no-till planting just use landscape or hand rake or expose/lightly work soil. Culti-pack or drive over with an ATV before and after planting for best results.
PLANTING DEPTH: 1/8in or less
FERTILIZER: For best results use the Whitetail Hill Soil Test and apply fertilizer as recommended by the test - Order at WhitetailHill.com
