Alternative Brassica types

[BJE80]

While looking over Welters site I always just went straight to the PTT, DER, GHR seeds from the lC mix. I see there are some alternatives. Those seeds cost more but are they worth it? Anyone try them? Thoughts, comments, suggestions? I see the maturity date is longer on some of them.


Such as:

APPIN FORAGE TURNIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.25
These turnips were bred for fast, vigorous establishment and
quick maturity. Appin has a significantly higher proportion of
leaf yield compared to other turnips and is multi-crowned (plants
have several growth points) for improved regrowth potential.
60-100 day maturity.


BARKANT FORAGE TURNIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.50
An improved variety of turnips that has a distinctive tankard
shaped bulb and high leaf to stem ratio. Barkant turnips are
an early maturing turnip that provide very high concentrations
of protein and yields in the leaf. 60-90 day maturity.

BARSICA FORAGE RAPE SEED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.25
An early maturing forage rape with high yields and excellent
cold tolerance.



T-RAPTOR HYBRID FORAGE BRASSICA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3.50
An early maturing hybrid brassica, a cross betwen a forage turnip
and a forage rape, with a higher leaf-to-bulb ratio. Available for
grazing in 40-55 days. An excellent late summer feed source.

 

[SD51555]

This is the blend we're going to try this year from Milborn. I'm also going to throw a scoop of rye in with it as well (10% ratio or less) just for a little regrowth and to perhaps allow it to go full maturity next year (at least no roundup application). This is a tad pricey at about $50/10lb bag, but I wanted to try a diverse blend this year vs just Daikon Radish. If it doesn't work, I'll go right back to straight Diakon.

 

[MoLandOwner]

My thoughts and comments are.....Hahahahahahahahaha!

Save your money!

 

[West Branch]

I have not tried them, but for a small plot it might be worth an experiment if you are buying ~5-6 lbs for an acre plot it will cost you ~$5 more not including shipping? I would save more money by making turkey and cheese sandwiches for my drive up to the farm instead of stopping at dairy queen for a fast food burger ;)

 

[wiscwhip]

We have tried all but the Barsica Forage Rape either as a stand alone or in a mix.

Appin, pretty much all leaf and no bulb, grew as well as other brassicas in our sandy plots, deer use was excellent(but our deer devoured all brassicas).

Barkant Turnips, I like them better than PPT, a bit faster growth than PPT, lots of leaf but produces an edible sized bulb as well, ours got about the size of our medium sized PPT bulbs, again deer use as good or better than PPT and they did dig snow to eat the bulbs in winter.

T-Raptor, HUGE leaves and a lot of tonnage, deer ate them from the time they came up, had just a small % of this in a mix, so hard to say it was a great trial, but the deer ate all the leaves before they finished any other brassica in that mix and they even pulled some of the small root tubers and ate them as well.

Whether or not they are worth it is up to the individual consumer. More than anything, for us, they were fun additions to the plots that didn't necessarily break the bank above the costs of "normal" brassica seeds, but I cannot say they were worth money above and beyond the price of the DER, PPT, and daikon radishes we planted, as our deer ate them all to the dirt whenever we planted any of them and would leave very few bulbs come spring.

 

[BJE80]

We have tried all but the Barsica Forage Rape either as a stand alone or in a mix.

Appin, pretty much all leaf and no bulb, grew as well as other brassicas in our sandy plots, deer use was excellent(but our deer devoured all brassicas).

Barkant Turnips, I like them better than PPT, a bit faster growth than PPT, lots of leaf but produces an edible sized bulb as well, ours got about the size of our medium sized PPT bulbs, again deer use as good or better than PPT and they did dig snow to eat the bulbs in winter.

T-Raptor, HUGE leaves and a lot of tonnage, deer ate them from the time they came up, had just a small % of this in a mix, so hard to say it was a great trial, but the deer ate all the leaves before they finished any other brassica in that mix and they even pulled some of the small root tubers and ate them as well.

Whether or not they are worth it is up to the individual consumer. More than anything, for us, they were fun additions to the plots that didn't necessarily break the bank above the costs of "normal" brassica seeds, but I cannot say they were worth money above and beyond the price of the DER, PPT, and daikon radishes we planted, as our deer ate them all to the dirt whenever we planted any of them and would leave very few bulbs come spring.

Did you use the same seeding rates? I figured out this year how much more it would be if I get Barkant and Barsica and we are talking under $5.00. LOL

 

[j-bird]

I have planted Appin before - they are a forage turnip and produce almost no bulb at all. If that is what you want then go for it. I planted them when I was trying to find something in the brassica family the deer would eat at my place. Best thing I have had luck with so far as far as the deer eating them are GFR - and again they don't produce a large tuber either. I tend to get a pound of this and a pound of that and just toss it all together and let the deer figure it out.

 

[wiscwhip]

Did you use the same seeding rates? I figured out this year how much more it would be if I get Barkant and Barsica and we are talking under $5.00. LOL

We always used the higher end of the recommended seeding rates on all of our brassica plantings, especially the first time we planted them in our sandbox. Appin turnips are recommended at 1-3lbs/ac, which we planted 1 lb on our 1/3rd ac plot, so we went with the highest recommended rate on those. It was a while ago, but as I recall the barkant turnips are recommended at 3-5lbs/ac and we used 2 lbs on our 1/2 acre plot so on those we fell right in the middle. Both of these were planted as a monoculture for trial purposes. As I said the T-Raptor was part of a mix, so I'm not sure on the rates we planted those at? As I said, fun experiment and won't break the bank compared to "normal" brassica seed prices. Not like going from ag soys to Eagle soys, where they are twice the price or anything like that.

 

[BJE80]

It will also be nice to test it now before I get into large(er) scale plotting here in the future. ;)

 

[dipper]

Ocd on the brassicas is what I say, u could always try them and let us know how it goes?
Mo what are ptt, rape and radish going for this year?

 

[MoLandOwner]

Ocd on the brassicas is what I say, u could always try them and let us know how it goes?
Mo what are ptt, rape and radish going for this year?

Wholesale PTT $1.80, DE Rape $.85, Radishes start at $2 up to $2.85 lb

 

[BJE80]

Ocd on the brassicas is what I say, u could always try them and let us know how it goes?
Mo what are ptt, rape and radish going for this year?

I know you asked MO but Welters has PTT at $2.75/lbs GHR $2.75/lbs and DER at $2.00/lbs

 

[dipper]

I know you asked MO but Welters has PTT at $2.75/lbs GHR $2.75/lbs and DER at $2.00/lbs

I can see why ill never order from welters. Plus shipping hahahaha

 

[SD51555]

This is the blend we're going to try this year from Milborn. I'm also going to throw a scoop of rye in with it as well (10% ratio or less) just for a little regrowth and to perhaps allow it to go full maturity next year (at least no roundup application). This is a tad pricey at about $50/10lb bag, but I wanted to try a diverse blend this year vs just Daikon Radish. If it doesn't work, I'll go right back to straight Diakon.
View attachment 5646

Scratch that. Just called them and this is $40/10lbs, and I can pick it up on the way.

 

[BJE80]

I can see why ill never order from welters. Plus shipping hahahaha

Where do you get your stuff from? Local coop for me is much much higher if you break bags.

 

[dipper]

Where do you get your stuff from? Local coop for me is much much higher if you break bags.

Adm, jay mar, fs, partners in production,feed mill, or anyone selling at the right price. Mos prices are more in line to my game

 

[wiscwhip]

Does Jay-Mar charge you to break bags? They never used to, I bought seed from their Plover store all the time when I got up to the Rapids/Point area frequently.

 

[dipper]

Does Jay-Mar charge you to break bags? They never used to, I bought seed from their Plover store all the time when I got up to the Rapids/Point area frequently.

Don't know I don't break bags

 

[bueller]

Jay-Mar sells turnips, clover, and chicory by the pound. You make your own bags just like birdseed from a bin at the local hardware store.

 

[wiscwhip]

In the mix that SD is looking at, I would agree with stu that the Hunter and Winfred brassicas are both good varieties. We planted those on our old place as well, with the same result as all other brassicas we tried. Sometimes I think our deer were just dumb(or greedy) when it came to brassica usage, I wish I could say that they preferred this over that or such and such is a waste of time, but that was never the case in our area. Those deer ate all of the ones we ever planted.