Sugar Beets, Radish & Turnip fall plot

[EastBethelBucks]

Starting a Thread on this annual food plot mix in MN. In late may I planted buckwheat.(sprayed Gly,waited 2 weeks, spread fert/lime & disced into top 3 inched, broadcast seed by hand, lightly disced into top inch then cultipacked). This worked great, buckwheat grew thick to over 6 ft tall. Then past wknd planted my mix per acre(6 lbs SB, 6 Lbs R, 2 lbs T). First I broadcast my seed/fert/lime & then I mowed the buckwheat down on top & then cultipacked. Then I hit it with some Gly because I didn't like the amount of grass that I thought might take off & suppress the food plot. I'll post pics every couple weeks to show the growth. I learned a lot from the old QDMA forum, so wanted to start my thread here to help anyone else starting out.

10 days after planting:

20 days after planting:

40 days after planting:

 

[Mennoniteman]

I don't know much about sugar beets. I thought they need to be planted in the spring if you want to get a substantial beet growth from them?

 

[EastBethelBucks]

The root bulb doesn't grow as big as it would planted in spring, but still gets good size. Check out this video to see size difference:

 

[Chad Hauenstein]

Looking forward to seeing the sb grow. How many days to expected frost do you have?

 

[JFK52]

I am trying out some RR sugar beets on my land this year. They have yet to be planted due to my Kubota being out of service for two weeks. Should be in by the end of the week. I have an entry corner to a field of ag soy beans that is getting the test plot. I am hoping to get the deer to stop and browse the beets in this plot. Figuring it to be a very late season plot in Central Wisconsin.

 

[JFH]

Starting a Thread on this annual food plot mix in MN. In late may I planted buckwheat.(sprayed Gly,waited 2 weeks, spread fert/lime & disced into top 3 inched, broadcast seed by hand, lightly disced into top inch then cultipacked). This worked great, buckwheat grew thick to over 6 ft tall. Then past wknd planted my mix per acre(6 lbs SB, 6 Lbs R, 2 lbs T). First I broadcast my seed/fert/lime & then I mowed the buckwheat down on top & then cultipacked. Then I hit it with some Gly because I didn't like the amount of grass that I thought might take off & suppress the food plot. I'll post pics every couple weeks to show the growth. I learned a lot from the old QDMA forum, so wanted to start my thread here to help anyone else starting out.

What is your soil like? I'm impressed you got decent sized tubers. Sugar beets (even RR) need top notch soil.

I haven't been able to grow them at all. Working with sand and browse pressure is immense (especially when the elk are around!)


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[EastBethelBucks]

1st frost here is usually late Sept. I've got sandy loam. My R & T bulbs grow massive; SB will grow about the size of the video. I use 300 lbs of 17-17-17 & 400 lbs of lime per acre & then hit it with 200 lbs per acre of 46-0-0 after 30 days (make sure to apply 46 when leaves are dry within 24 hours of predicted rainfall)

 

[Jason Broom]

I've never thought of SB as suitable for a mix of any kind, plus they're kind of hard on the soil. I think the only way I would plant them in a mid-summer mix would be at a very low ratio with a grain and legume mix. Then again, I'd have to truck in about 20 tri-axle loads of actual DIRT before I could expect good results from sugar beets, anyway!

 

[Vandy]

where did you find rr beets in Wisconsin?

 

[EastBethelBucks]

Updated 1st post w/pics

 

[Mennoniteman]

What is your soil like? I'm impressed you got decent sized tubers. Sugar beets (even RR) need top notch soil.

I haven't been able to grow them at all. Working with sand and browse pressure is immense (especially when the elk are around!)


Sent from my iPad using Deer Hunter Forum

Elk? Where are you located?

 

[Mennoniteman]

Updated 1st post w/pics

Nice pics! I was curious how you could plant (broadcast) this mix in six foot high buckwheat without a helicopter? You said you broadcast first, then mowed.

 

[JFH]

Elk? Where are you located?

Northern Michigan -- Otsego County

 

[EastBethelBucks]

Had to 1st spread the lime/fert w/4wheeler to make lanes for walking. Then broadcast seeds w/solo spreader.