Radishes vs Turnips...

I have planted both and my observations were they hammer the brassicas early and devour the turnips late. Almost to late if your hunting over them but they won’t last long. It seems like when they start on them they eat them until there gone.

Here is a tip I heard on here and I’m sure it works. For you guys that have deer that won’t eat turnips. Every time your around the turnip field this time of year is pick several turnips and cut them in half and leave them lay through out your field and that will get the deer started on them. For me turnips are a cheap late winter food plot for guy that cannot plant corn or protect soybeans long enough to last until late winter.
 
In our area, if I had to choose, it’s PTT for the late winter feed the tubers provide. Sure, the radish tops get devoured, but the bulbs turn to mush way early. I plant mixes for the variety but will probably plant more turnip mono cultures just for the late season food source. Chainsaw and I have discussed fencing them in to ensure they aren’t touched till late season. I continue to be impressed with a mix of rutabagas and Winfred brassicas for late season forage. Winters are tough in the north country.
 
In our area, if I had to choose, it’s PTT for the late winter feed the tubers provide. Sure, the radish tops get devoured, but the bulbs turn to mush way early. I plant mixes for the variety but will probably plant more turnip mono cultures just for the late season food source. Chainsaw and I have discussed fencing them in to ensure they aren’t touched till late season. I continue to be impressed with a mix of rutabagas and Winfred brassicas for late season forage. Winters are tough in the north country.
Do you ever feed the deer at a feeder in the winter?
 
Not sure Id feed in NY if I could. Might if I didn't have to feed so many other animals at the same time -
Agree with Elk on the Radish - by the time deer care about the tubers the radish are froze out and mush. The turnips when they freeze are good into March even April if not too many thaws.

I made a note that I do not have enough turnips this year - they last a long time - and the turkeys don't really care for the bulbs too much. When the corn and soybeans are gone in January - my little turnip strips wont last 2 weeks.
 
My radishes as of today...lots of use per the trail cams right now...

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I have grown both and I get very little use out of turnips so now I mostly just grow radishes...


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Definitely the deer are eating my radishes first. Maybe with this cold snap we've had the turnips will be next.
 
My experience and observation match TripleC as well. Radish is a major fall attraction
 
Every time I plant turnips they end up rotting in the ground. Unfortunate because I can grow awesome turnips!

Yr after yr, radishes are by far the more preferred brassica on my place.
 
Possibly...it was mid afternoon and 14 degrees when I took those photos...
do you get much snow Okie? I think a lot of snow changes everything. Sometimes we'll have a winter with under 100" of snow and I've really noticed how differently the deer feed in winter - one year we only had 50" of snow -and it was like fall all winter long.
 
I have planted turnip-radish mix for the last 5 yrs. The 1st year the tops were eaten, the 2nd year the tops and few bulbs eaten, 3rd yr come spring it looked like a 1 ac vacant plot.
I planted grandparays mix this year and it was waist high before 1st frost. I'll be planting it again in 2018.
 
I have planted turnip-radish mix for the last 5 yrs. The 1st year the tops were eaten, the 2nd year the tops and few bulbs eaten, 3rd yr come spring it looked like a 1 ac vacant plot.
I planted grandparays mix this year and it was waist high before 1st frost. I'll be planting it again in 2018.
Which mix did you use? They have a few. I'm considering half "Fall Draw" and half "Grains & Greens". Or maybe just one or the other.
 
Radish here befor turnip also. But in that cold snap we just endured they seemed to prefer turnip bulbs. My plots are already decimated.
 
Just got home from farm. What a difference 2 weeks makes! Tops on both turnips and radishes are being hammered. Radishes down to the radish and turnip bulbs are starting to get eaten now as well. Grains still pumping out green forage and being utilized daily.
 
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