I don't worry too much about the spot grasses showing up in my clover plot.... As long as there is a good stand of clover, it doesn't really do much but sit there. I did throw in some cereal rye in the bare places... Everything is looking nice and green, and deer are keeping it trimmed down...

As for the turnip/radish plots... I have only had limited success with those.

 

my 2 cents for what it's worth ..triple 13 fert for the Turnips or higher N if you can afford it. Turnips are pretty much throw and grow so no need to disc as you will just bring up more seed that's been hiding in the ground. What I do is spray in early mid July then prior to seeding mow reeeel short to expose the ground. Also I would do soil tests especially on the sandy dirt..may need to throw some lime down.

Clover yea I have that issue to with the clumps of grass. I tried to spray with Clethodim but stuff sure is pricey and works agonizingly slow and will only kill the grass not the other weeds, so I just let it be and mow it a couple times a year

 

Turnips usually like nitrogen. I would get a soil test though and go from there. Around here everything usually needs lime.

 

Thanks for your replies. I plan to get soil tests for the 2 new areas. The one area where the deer hit it early and ate most of the turnips kinda connects to an older one. (has a dirt path between them). The Clover plot that has grass clumps is doing well. has atleast 8 scrapes along it and a few of the scrapes are only a few feet apart! Put up a new stand there a few weeks ago. We have a few other clover plots that are just terrible (more then likely need to be reseeded). When would be a good time to reseed those older clover plots that aren't producing really anything? I mean there are some spots with clover up its just mostly crap grass or weeds

 

I'd frost seed the clover, early March usually works for me, might hit it with some 6-24-24 as well

 

I would kill the grass before trying to establish clover. If it is cool season grass, like fescue, you can kill it still this year with a warm stretch of weather when it is actively growing. If not I would try to get it killed next summer and plant in the fall or frost seed.
Planting round up ready beans and spraying is a great way to prepare a clover pot imho.

 

This is what I did the first year I got mine going, since then, just frost seed new stuff in late Feb/Early Mar, and mow it. I will occasionally spray the weed patches if they start to get too big in the summer, and then throw down turnip seed, winter wheat or cereal rye in the bare patches then back to frost seeding clover in late winter early spring. Has kept my clover plot in pretty good shape for last 6 years now.

 

Yea the 2 plots that aren't producing clover at this point will need sprayed for sure! wish i could have gotten some of the guys in our hunting club to spray them this fall! they aren't good for anything at this point and it might be to late to spray them. Will definitely be spraying this coming year.

 

Figure out what is in them. You can kill the crap out of fescue this time of year if you pay attention to details.

 

Not sure it would be a good idea to get my four wheeler and spray tank loaded up and do that spraying this time of year as the other members might get pissy with me since rifle season is almost upon us lol

 

I put 46-0-0 on my brassicas this year once they were established and before a well timed rain (kale, radishes, turnips, beets). Really put a great growth spurt on and put on some giant greens.

 

I put 46-0-0 on my brassicas this year once they were established and before a well timed rain (kale, radishes, turnips, beets). Really put a great growth spurt on and put on some giant greens.

View attachment 226542

bet that was pricey

 

Turnips often fail if planted in same spot successive years

 

did not know that.. you talking several successive of just the next year?

 

I've heard leave a given patch a couple years before replanting. Some kind of fungus akin to what happens to tomatoes planted in same spot year after year.

 

if true that presents a special challenge for my next year plans

 

Can I plant turnips in the same food plot several years in a row? - Midwest Whitetail

Ken,Agronomy experts don't recommend planting brassicas in the same plots for more than two years in a row. I am not sure why, but I have been told that several times. Twice in a row is fine (use a lot of fertilizer the second year) but the plant creates some kind of toxicity or something that...

www.midwestwhitetail.com

and a longer read

Rotating Brassicas

I have read some articles and talked to a few people about rotating brassicas to prevent disease and insect infestations and thought I would share what I found. As I checked different websites I found little information specifically to our area so I talked to a few people that have used them on...

iowawhitetail.com

 

since the OP's turnip plot was eaten down by the deer, I would suggest either shoot more deer or fence it off as adding fertilizer is not going to help.

I had a thought, so I used google and here is what she has to say, which is what I thought

"Turnips can be planted in the early spring for a spring crop, and midsummer through early fall for a fall to winter crop. ... Turnips also prefer soils rich in potassium and phosphorus, but not in nitrogen."


Near where I hunt in Kansas, (and yes I know we are not there) there were 2 different farmers, one had a big field of wheat with turnips and the other, which I see more common, is alfalfa with turnips in it. You could drive by in the morning and evenings and deer would be in them, 400 to 500 acres fields
I stole some and the wife cooked them up...

 

I had a thought, so I used google and here is what she has to say, which is what I thought

"Turnips can be planted in the early spring for a spring crop, and midsummer through early fall for a fall to winter crop. ... Turnips also prefer soils rich in potassium and phosphorus, but not in nitrogen."

you have a link to that?

because I see this, granted it's a garden but

How to Fertilize Turnips

Turnips, root vegetables packed with vitamins and nutrients, have many uses in the...

homeguides.sfgate.com

Apply f all-purpose fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, 10-20-10 or 16-16-8, per 100 square feet.


4
Fertilize turnips again six weeks after emergence. Use 1/3 cup of a nitrogen-based fertilizer, such as 34-0-0 or 21-0-0, for every 10-foot row. Mix the fertilizer into the soil next to each plant.

Food Plot Species Profile: Turnips | National Deer Association

www.deerassociation.com

Fertilize at planting with about 300 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre to get the plants up and running.

on and on other sites suggest a triple even # N,P,K seems to be the suggestion built no where had I seen the suggestion that high or equal N is not a vital part of the mixture

 

Im cheap and dont use much fertilizers anymore. Frost seed inoculated red clover into turnips then terminate the day you broadcast next years seed. Soil builder plus puts nitrogen into soil for next years plantings. I like to train the deer to use those food plots year round and that frosts seeded clover will start to excel early spring. Make sure the grass in clover plots is not yellow nutsedg instead.

 

How to Grow Turnips

Learn how to grow turnips and you'll find that these often-overlooked vegetables have a lot to offer.

www.treehugger.com

every article I have brought up says to avoid nitrogen

• Feed turnip plants with natural fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorous, such as compost tea, for good root development. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers.

 

this is all very interesting some say N other say no..sounds like a Covid Jab scenario

I'm all for low N personally cause the fert is cheaper

 

Soil macronutrient availability is highly dependent on pH.

Not an issue if you are in a neutral to slightly acidic situation but sometimes you are throwing good money after bad if your pH is out of range.

Something to consider anyway.

 

Get a soil sample... adjust for the proper ph, macronutrients for the particular seeding. Brassicas always do well in virgin-newly turned soil... ONCE....

 

Ok so been awhile lol, the new food plot turned out pretty good, shot a big 14 pointer in it this bow season!!! Will plant clover in it this year sometime in August as its a shadier spot later in the year, going to be spraying more of the ****ty grass and burning it off like last year and playing turnips in that. We can plant up to 13 acres of the WRP so working slowly up to that. the other area i made last year i planted clover in it 2 weeks ago, used a spiker that we have at our cabin, then used my leaf blower and that bad *** attachment to spread the clover. Also decided to try spreading clover in the adjacent plot that the walk way connects with clover as well. Also reseeded several areas with clover 2 weeks ago as well! The farm decided to bulldoze about 40 yards of tree line in between our field and the neighbors so he can bring in his bigger combine. I planted that in clover as well! I will try to post some pics of it all in a few weeks when i go up for turkey hunting