Radishes, turnips, &/or beets

I'd like to try something new for the deer. I'm in the VA mountains w/ crappy soil but would any of these 3 above do OK? If so, when should they be planted in VA (zone 6b) & can I mix them in w/ my clover plots? Main caveat is I can't drill, will have to broadcast but can use a landscape rake behind my tractor to drag prior to broadcasting then lightly cover if that would help & I plant separate from my clover? Final question, any kind in particular?

Plant a mix of those for best results. 5 lbs daikon radish, 3 lbs purple top turnips, 2 lbs rape per acre, on tilled soil, whether it was clover or whatever, you have to have a little loose soil to get the seed some soil contact. A light disking if you don't have a notill drill. Stay away from sugar beets, they need pretty good dirt to do well. I'd mix some oats or rye into the equation too.
You can broadcast the seed first then drag to shake it through the thatch into the dirt.

Sorry, I missed the landscape rake part. Better drag first, then seed. A landscape rake is liable to drag the seed onto piles because it works too much like a blade. Still an ok tool if that's what you've got, it's just that it will drag your thatch on piles that you have to deal with one way or another.

You can get away with doing nothing but spraying and broadcasting. Those seeds are pretty small. Overseed by 20% and pray for rain. I’ve done that for years and had good luck. Rain is key though. Don’t forget to fertilize as well. Brassicas like fertilizer.

Plant them. Mid July to early Aug. throw 19-19-19 and Urea when planting. Hit w Urea 30 days later. Overseed w RC and grain when deer browse off the tops. Hopefully you are not in my current drought pattern. Good luck.


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