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Post by Dutch on Sept 14, 2012 5:30:04 GMT -5
Here is a pic of my brassica plot from last year. Pic was taken 8 weeks after planting. Why are brassicas an important fall/winter plot? As you can see, in a very short time, they provide large quantities of food. Mostly, they are ignored into October, unless there is a high deer population, with limited food. So, as food sources dry up, a field like this will provide tonnage at a time when deer are going into winter and need to fatten up. In my area, we have no oak trees for mast, so, brassicas fill a need for us by providing a late fall food source. I've read that they can provide 5 tons of food per acre planted. That's a heck of a lot. The bulbs are also consumed by various critters, including bears. The bulbs also help keep the soil loose. The mix I am now using is from Wildlife Perfect. www.wildlifeperfect.com/wildlife-brassica-mixture.htmI also apply plenty of Urea, disced in, at planting. The extra nitrogen really gives the brassicas a huge push. I did not plant brassicas this year as the soil needs a rest where I had been planting them. It is best to rotate crops, for the good of your soil and plants. Planting the same thing over and over also allows diseases to take over and get a toehold in your plots. This year, where I had been planting brassicas, I planted winter wheat, which will provide food thru the winter and green up early in the spring.
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