Thoughts on Kale?

[Vandy]

I am looking to add Kale to some custom mixes this year but am just curious if anyone here has used it and what they thought of it? The deer density where this is going is high so I am looking for as much leafy matter as I can get. Back round: plot is 1/4 acre, soil ph is 6.8, loomy, and can get watered when needed.

Mix I am thinking of:
1) 2lbs Ladino clover
2) 0.5 lbs chicory
3) 1lb Rapeseed
4) 1lb Kale
5) 1lb Sugar beets

Thanks guys,gals

 

[LodgeWI]

I've never used kale in food plots, but I grow it in my garden and eat a lot of it in salads. I approve!

 

[Vandy]

Yeah figured my co-op has it that I buy all my seed from and wanted to try a mix with it to see if it does actually work. The true way would be just kale in an area which I could do and might

 

[Elkaddict]

You need to look at maturity dates and consider whether it makes sense. I'd probably substitute Winfred brassicas. If your brassicas and beets canopy well, I think you'll be dissapointed in how your clover does.

 

[THE LLC]

Tried it but the deer never really took to it. Or mustard either.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I am looking to add Kale to some custom mixes this year but am just curious if anyone here has used it and what they thought of it? The deer density where this is going is high so I am looking for as much leafy matter as I can get. Back round: plot is 1/4 acre, soil ph is 6.8, loomy, and can get watered when needed.

Mix I am thinking of:
1) 2lbs Ladino clover
2) 0.5 lbs chicory
3) 1lb Rapeseed
4) 1lb Kale
5) 1lb Sugar beets

Thanks guys,gals

What area are you at? You could put your location on your profile. You have the right idea to do a mix, but you might want to consider some more diversity. Ladino clover is hard to start in the summer heat. Brassicas should be started in midjuly for best results in hunting season. The chicory is a great. You could consider adding pearl millet, sorghum, sunflowers, or buckwheat to the mix, all good for high deer density summer plots.

 

[lakngolf]

Kale is a craze with health eaters, so your deer will be almost paleo diet, well without the hunter part, only the gatherer

 

[Vandy]

I don't really want to give exact location for this customer protection but its in Wisconsin north of hwy 29. Honestly I am disheartened by the whole plot... customer has a massive buck on it and is going to bait (continue too) we will say 200lbs corn a week... which the deer will literally just trample plot to ground. But if I can get some pics without bait showing once it gets a chance to grow I will post a few. The blend ended up being: ladino clover, kale, dwarf rape, Winfred, chicory, some sugar beets. Plot is small but we will see, I know that the clover is going to get smothered probably should have run oats but the customer needed/wanted it planted last weekend... and ground blind hunted so I didn't want the oats to become a sight issue in future.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I don't really want to give exact location for this customer protection but its in Wisconsin north of hwy 29. Honestly I am disheartened by the whole plot... customer has a massive buck on it and is going to bait (continue too) we will say 200lbs corn a week... which the deer will literally just trample plot to ground. But if I can get some pics without bait showing once it gets a chance to grow I will post a few. The blend ended up being: ladino clover, kale, dwarf rape, Winfred, chicory, some sugar beets. Plot is small but we will see, I know that the clover is going to get smothered probably should have run oats but the customer needed/wanted it planted last weekend... and ground blind hunted so I didn't want the oats to become a sight issue in future.

Barley is a lower grain crop than oats as far as the ground blind. But I think you did the right thing considering all of the issues you had to work around. Your customer seems to have more money than deer smarts.

 

[Reagan]

Barley is a lower grain crop than oats as far as the ground blind. But I think you did the right thing considering all of the issues you had to work around. Your customer seems to have more money than deer smarts.

I think he is a member here and has his own fan club.


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[Vandy]

Menno- agreed

 

[Mennoniteman]

I think he is a member here and has his own fan club.


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Sorry, shouldn't be opinionated about someone I never met. He probably knows more about deer than I do

 

[JFH]

I am looking to add Kale to some custom mixes this year but am just curious if anyone here has used it and what they thought of it? The deer density where this is going is high so I am looking for as much leafy matter as I can get. Back round: plot is 1/4 acre, soil ph is 6.8, loomy, and can get watered when needed.

Mix I am thinking of:
1) 2lbs Ladino clover
2) 0.5 lbs chicory
3) 1lb Rapeseed
4) 1lb Kale
5) 1lb Sugar beets

Thanks guys,gals

I just planted two acres of pure Kestral Forage Kale. Was looking for a long season brassica that would offer forage into gun season.

Doesn't produce a tuber but last year DER planted in early summer fed deer into November... leaves were gone but they munched on the stems. Expecting kale to do the same but with bigger plants and longer lasting greens.

Will update as that plot plays out.

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[Vandy]

Thank you, Yeah I will post photos as well. Plot is starting to green up now so in a few weeks I will take some photos

 

[JFH]

Same kale two weeks later (six weeks after planting). There's some lambsquarter and volunteer buckwheat in there, but it is really doing well! Deer laying in it when I drove in. Elk have been at it too.



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[JFH]

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[JFH]

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