When To Plant Turnips For Deer In Missouri? 2023

When To Plant Turnips For Deer In Missouri?

When To Plant Turnips For Deer In Missouri
COLUMBIA, Missouri – According to David Trinklein, a horticulture at the University of Missouri Extension, an old Missouri proverb recommends, “On the 25th of July, seed your turnips, wet or dry.” This proverb was passed down from generation to generation in the state.

During Harry S.
Truman’s tenure as president, this proverb came to the attention of people all around the country.
According to Trinklein, “apparently, the congressional session of 1948 was an especially contentious one, with the GOP-dominated Congress refusing to adopt any of President Truman’s plans.” This strategy was unsuccessful for Truman since Congress declined to enact any of Truman’s measures when they were debating them during the “Turnip Day Session,” which began on July 25.

“What we in Missouri call Turnip Day” is the 25th of July (which actually began July 26). On the other hand, it served to remind people that the end of July is an ideal time to grow turnips in the state of Missouri. Since prehistoric times, people have been cultivating turnips.

During the times of the Greeks and Romans, it was a typical crop.
The Roman scientist and philosopher Pliny the Elder referred to it as “animal fodder.” People in higher social classes looked down their noses at the food that was consumed by animals and by those in lower socioeconomic classes.
By the 18th century, turnips had become an essential component of both the European food chain and its cultural identity throughout the continent’s milder climates.

It was in 1541 that the French adventurer Jacques Cartier is credited with introducing the turnip to America. As early as 1609, European settlers established farms to produce it in Virginia. It was commonly cultivated by Native Americans. Horticulturists cultivate it for the edible storage root as well as the foliage.

The first year of the biennial plant’s life is spent developing and expanding its root.
The next year, it will bloom, produce seed pods, and then pass away.
According to Trinklein, turnip thrives in more chilly climates.
The turnip roots become fibrous and aromatic when heated.
Turnips are a popular choice for succession crops among gardeners.

Corn is another food that pairs well with this herb. Turnip, like many other root crops, grows well in light soils. Root development is stunted in heavy clay soils, and the resulting roots are poorly formed. Turnip should be fertilized when it is in its early stages.

According to Trinklein, one pound of garden fertilizer with a 5-10-5 ratio should be applied to every one hundred square feet of soil. If the turnip is planted in the garden after a harvest that was successful, it is possible that additional fertilizer will not be required. According to Trinklein, “in this respect, turnips are a suitable ‘cleanup’ crop to make full use of fertilizer that has been provided to the garden during the growth season.” Plant turnip seeds in rows that are 12 to 15 inches apart and broadcast the seeds over the soil.

Simply cover the seeds with a thin layer of dirt. “If seeds are distributed over the surface of the soil, a gentle rake after planting is typically adequate to cover them,” he added. “If seeds are broadcast over the surface of the soil.” Maintain a modest watering schedule until the seeds germinate.

Crop rotation is an effective method for warding off common pests and diseases.
There are a few different ways to harvest and store turnips.
When the roots reach approximately 2 inches in diameter, some gardeners may pluck the leaves and roots and then knot them together in a bundle.
Wait until the roots have a diameter of at least three inches before collecting them if you are only interested in the roots.

The turnip is hardy enough to survive in frigid weather. Trinklein recommended that harvesting take place before the soil freezes to prevent fractures and degradation. If there is enough room, keep the turnip roots in the refrigerator at temperatures that are just above freezing (32-35 degrees Fahrenheit).

When dealing with huge quantities, a basement that is not heated or an outside pit are also viable options. When you want to bury turnips in the ground outside, place them in a container that is watertight and tilt it at an angle. Put the cover on the container only loosely so that air may flow through it.

Cover with a thin layer of soil and then cover with straw. Several types of turnips are successful crops in the state of Missouri. The Purple Top White Globe plant grows a root that is shaped like a flattened globe with a purple top and a creamy-white interior.

This plant gets its name from its distinctive appearance.
After around 60 days from sowing, it yields edible roots of about 4 inches in length.
A faster-maturing type, Tokyo Cross may develop roots that are 2 inches in diameter in just 30 days.
Another one of Missouri’s most popular roots, the Golden Ball takes around 70 days to mature into golden-yellow tubers that are exceptionally tasty.

Writer: Linda Geist

When should turnips be planted for deer?

1. Plant turnips in the late summer if you live in a northern region and in the early fall if you live in a southern location if you want deer to eat the turnips you grow for fodder. You may plant turnips in the spring, summer, or fall. Having stated that, apart from these two seasons, there is also the possibility of spring. If you want to cultivate turnips in the spring, the earliest you can start planting the seeds is three weeks before the final chance of frost. Planting in the fall should also take place before the ground becomes too frosty. Find out when the first day it frosts in your region and then subtract the amount of time it takes for your turnips to mature from that date.

After that, you’ll be able to determine the optimal time to develop them.
Although the typical time needed for turnips to reach maturity is 55 days, it is wise to verify the seed packaging just to be sure.
In the meanwhile, the following table presents, according to hardiness zone, the typical date of the first spring frost and the first fall frost for various areas across the United States.

Visit almanac.com to get exact estimates pertaining to your region. Also, keep in mind that the USDA zones for growing turnips range from 2 to 9. Entering your address on the website planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ will provide you with information on the hardiness zone that corresponds to your location.

Zone	Examples of places in each zone	Last frost	First frost
2	Northwest Arctic, Yukon-Koyukuk, and Bettles in Alaska	mid-May to May 22	First week of September
3	Bagley, Bigfork, and Grand Falls in Minnesota	Within the first half of May	September 8 – September 15
4	McLean, Dunn, and most places in North Dakota	April 24 – May 12	September 21 – October 7
5	Clare, Isabella, and Montcalm in Michigan	From April 7 to the end of the same month	October 13 – 21
6	Taylorville, Mount Vernon, and Charleston in Illinois	April 1 – April 21	October 17 to end of October
7	Stoddard, Scott, and New Madrid in Missouri	March 22 – April 3	October 29 to November 15
8	College Park, Athens, and Macon in Georgia	March 13 – March 28	November 7 – November 28
9	Zavala, Dimmit, and Webb in Texas	February 6 – end of February	November 25 to December 13

What is the best month to plant turnips?

Turnip greens are simple to cultivate and can be grown in almost any type of soil as long as it drains adequately. In most regions, turnip green plants should be planted outside two to four weeks before the last frost in the spring, then between late August and October for a yield in the autumn.

In zones 9 and 10, you can plant them at any time during the fall and winter months. Turnip greens, much like collards, kale, and other types of greens, require a rapid growth rate in order to yield lovely, soft leaves. They are not overly picky about the environment in which they grow, since they thrive in a pH range of 5.5 to 6.8 and are able to thrive even in poor sandy soil.

To achieve the best results, however, you should first enhance the soil’s texture and nutrition by amending it with compost or an aged compost-enriched product like Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics®All Purpose In-Ground Soil before planting any seeds or seedlings.

Place plants at a distance of 6 inches apart, and if there are numerous seedlings in the pot, do not attempt to thin or divide them.
As long as each cluster of turnip greens has sufficient space to spread out, the turnip greens will happily develop in little groups.
Even if they are a kind that can produce turnips, you shouldn’t expect excellent roots from plants that are too close together.

Only the leaves are taken into consideration while sowing them. Turnip greens require consistent watering in order to thrive, so make sure to water them even when the weather is typically dry in the fall. Additionally, make sure to pull any weeds that appear in your turnip patch, and for the best results, feed them with a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition.

How do you plant turnips for deer plots?

When it comes to constructing feeding plots, it is usually a lot of fun to try out different types of crops to discover which ones the local deer population like the best. Turnips are one type of crop that I have had a lot of fun experimenting with. Even though I have had success cultivating turnips in my personal garden on several occasions, I did not start planting them in my food plots as a crop for deer until around two years ago.

The fact that the deer like eating both the green tops and the taproots of turnips is a wonderful benefit of include turnips in your food plot (or the turnip). And in the event that the deer aren’t interested in the buried turnips for whatever reason, you can always dig them out and have them for dinner on your own.

Brassicas are a group of plants that include radishes, turnips, cauliflower, rape, and kale. Turnips are a member of the brassica plant family. Turnips are annuals that grow throughout the chilly season. They have a very high percentage of protein and are very easy for deer to digest.

Both the leaves and the roots have a potential protein content ranging from 15 to 20 percent of the total. Turnips grown in a food plot that is properly managed have the potential to provide more than 8 tons of feed per acre. Because they have such a large yield, turnips are a good choice for growing in smaller food plots.

Brassica plants do not accumulate more fiber as they age, in contrast to cereal grains and other fodder crops. Throughout the whole growing season, this ensures that they continue to be very easily digested for deer. Having said that, I’ve seen that deer don’t often consume the tops of plants until either they have gotten more mature or they have been subjected to a significant amount of cold.

This is partly due to the fact that younger leaves have a tendency to be bitter, but older leaves have turned more starch into sugars, which makes them sweeter and more appealing to deer.
Younger leaves also tend to be more abundant.
Because of this, turnip leaves are frequently still available during the winter months, which allows whitetail deer to potentially cover a potential nutrient deficiency during that season.

Turnips may be grown in a broad variety of soils, but they thrive in those that have good drainage, are fertile, and have a pH ranging from 6.5 to 6.8. Turnips have a rather rapid growth rate and can reach full maturity in 75 to 90 days. They are successful in growing in conditions of both the south and the north.

Planting time for turnips varies depending on whether they are going to be grown in a climate that experiences late summer or early fall. Turnips come in a wide range of kinds, each of which produces a unique combination of roots and leaves. It is best to avoid garden kinds because they have a tendency to establish huge roots.

When selecting plant kinds for use in food plots, give preference to those that result in the production of more “greens” than roots. A number of different seed firms sell turnip and brassica combinations that are more appropriate for use in feeding plots and for deer.

Turnips may be grown successfully as a standalone crop at a rate of five pounds per acre. Additionally, they can be planted with other types of fodder crops, such as chicory, clovers, or even cereal grains of some kind. Because turnips and other brassicas have a propensity to develop into enormous, broad, leafy plants that can crowd and shade out other plants, the turnip seeding rate should be reduced to 2 pounds per acre if they are planted in a blend such as this one.

A disk or chain harrow can be used to softly incorporate seed after it has been scattered across an area. Because turnip seed is so little, it shouldn’t be buried any deeper than roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch. After dragging the seed into the food plot, I will often run my cultipacker over the area to ensure that the seed makes excellent contact with the soil.

At the time of planting, use around 300 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre of fertilizer to get the seedlings off to a good start.
Testing the soil will provide you with a more precise formula for the amount of lime and fertilizer that is required.
Turnips are an intriguing plant to include in your food plots since they produce tops in addition to their taproots, which can be visually observed.

They are not difficult to plant and might be the ideal food source for parcels of land that are limited in size or located in isolated areas. In the comprehensive profile that will be published in a forthcoming issue of QDMA’s Quality Whitetails magazine, I will go over specific types, mixes, and other facts pertaining to the planting of turnips.

How many pounds of turnips do you plant per acre?

The best time to sow turnips into wheat or oat stubble is right now, on July 27, 2007. This will allow for more grazing and a longer growing season. Beginning in October, turnips make for excellent grazing and frequently continue to offer it far into the new year.

Turnips have several benefits, one of which is that they are quite inexpensive to plant, with seed often costing less than $5 per acre.
There are a few distinct approaches to use while planting seeds and preparing seedbeds.
Some turnip farmers prepare the soil in the same manner as they would an alfalfa seedbed.

While some people thoroughly till their land, others choose to keep it in a more natural state before sowing seed. Following the application of Roundup® or Gramoxone® to wheat or oat stubble to eliminate weeds, some producers plant their crops without tilling the soil.

No matter what approach you use, effective early weed management is very necessary. Once established, turnips are highly successful competitors, but if weeds have the upper hand, turnips will not fare well. Before planting turnips, weeds need to be managed either by tilling the soil or by applying contact herbicides such as Roundup or Gramoxone.

This is because turnips are not compatible with any herbicides. Then, plant the turnips as soon as possible to get them up and going. Just two to three pounds of turnip seed should be planted per acre. Because the seed is so little, you should only just cover it.

It works effectively for many producers to simply scatter seed onto tilled soils, particularly on rough seedbeds where rainfall or irrigation washes dirt over the seeds for soil coverage.
This is especially true on rocky seedbeds.
When drilling seed, the openers should only be used to lightly scrape the surface.

You may have outstanding green feed for the months of late October, November, and December with only a few well-timed rainfall. Forage Specialist at the Extension Service Bruce Anderson

What kind of fertilizer do turnips need?

Fish emulsion – Turnip has a favorable reaction to organic fertilizers including compost tea, blood and bone meal, and fish emulsion. Other organic fertilizers include blood and bone meal. When producing greens, using fertilizer with a high nitrogen content will assist develop a rich and vibrant green.

What is the best turnip to plant for deer?

The Purple Top Turnip is a member of the brassica family of plants, which deer adore eating. Because this nutrient-dense turnip grows with the globe exposed, it allows for easy access to the entire plant in feeding plots, which is important because deer eat the entire plant.

Deer will readily ingest the plant and its roots because of its high nutrient and protein content. Grows quickly, has a large yield, and is ideally suited for sowing into established food plots with minimal tilling or planting into a seedbed that has been previously prepared. Turnips are a crop that thrives in cool weather and are perfectly suited for the temperature of the north.

The periods of low temperatures encourage the most robust root growth, and it will take around 55 days for the roots to develop into their mature state. Germination requires temperatures of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the soil. Seeding Rate: 8-10 pounds per acre Medium-to-moderately deep loam soil types Planting Date: Spring and Fall Amount Planted Per Acre Planting Depth: 14 Inch Get the Turnip Specifications Here.

How deep should you plant turnip seeds?

Directly sow the seeds into the soil a quarter to half an inch deep, spacing them an inch apart in rows that are 12 to 18 inches apart. In addition to this, you may distribute turnip seed and then thin it down afterwards. Seeds should have no more than a half an inch of dirt covering them.

Do deer like radishes or turnips better?

Radishes: Radishes have a wide variety of uses in agriculture, including breaking up hard pans with their extensive tap roots, enhancing the general health of the soil by adding more organic matter, and enhancing drainage. Radishes are a cool-season crop.

There is a wide variety available, but white radishes such as Daikon, Trophy, and Tillage are the most popular choices for planting for deer. Brassicas, which include radishes, are plants that produce both leafy fodder and a big taproot, like the kind of daikon that is seen here. Both fodder and bulbs may be harvested from turnips.

Only leafy forage can be produced by rape and kale. The fact that radishes are often more appealing to deer before a frost than other brassicas is something that can work to a hunter’s benefit at the beginning of the season. Even while deer may easily devour the top growth, it is not normally one of their top choices when compared to the other forages available throughout the winter months.

Can you broadcast turnip seed?

Species Report Conducted By: Deer Creek Seed Purple Top Turnips are one of the most popularly planted and extremely nutritious food plot species that may be cultivated. Brassicas, which include turnips, are a big plant family. Turnips are a member of this family.

This group of plants is well-known for their large yields and their ability to develop quickly during chilly seasons. Plants belonging to the brassica family include radishes, kale, rutabaga, rapeseed, and broccoli, amongst others. Turnips, like many other members of this large family, are annuals that thrive during the cooler months of the year and are classified as belonging to the cool season family.

The turnip is a particularly remarkable plant for use in food plots. In addition to having a high accessible protein content and a high degree of digestibility, they have the potential to yield between 6 and 8 tons of feed per acre. Turnips with purple tops are immune to mild frosts, just as their near relative radishes used in animal feed.

In point of fact, the turnip’s palatability improves with the arrival of colder weather. This is due to the fact that immature turnip leaves taste slightly harsh when they are first developed, but they become increasingly sweet as they mature in environments with lower temperatures. In comparison to the surrounding browse, deer will choose to consume both the leafy green tips and the large spherical roots of the plant.

There are certain types of turnips that produce more leaves than roots, but Purple Top Turnips are the ones that are most well-known for their roots. The name “Purple Top” derives from the way the shoulders of the spherical roots stand out above the soil line and turn purple, while the root that is below the ground remains white.

The ‘Purple Tops’ that stand out above the ground are a boon for deer because they provide easier access for the deer to graze not only on the tops of the plants, but also on the roots of the plants. This is a boon for the deer. When all other food sources have been exhausted by the onset of winter, deer will continue to return to the area for the turnip roots.

Turnips with a Purple Top can be grown alone or in a combination; either way, they are easy to cultivate and produce good results with very little work. They are able to thrive in a broad variety of soil types and climates, but they do best in rich, loamy soils with a pH that falls anywhere between 6.0 and 7.5.

Be aware that they do not thrive in heavy clay soils, areas that are moist or poorly drained, especially when they are just being established. It is necessary for the soil to achieve a temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit before turnip seeds will germinate. They have the potential to achieve maturity in as little as 50–80 days when grown in settings that promote rapid growth.

Planting should take place in the late summer in the north and early October in the south in preparation for hunting season. The amount of broadcast seeding that is advised is 10 pounds per acre, although the rate can be reduced if you seed it in a combination with other species.

Plants have the potential to outcompete other species in a mixture if they are sown correctly and allowed to reach their full size. When turnips are combined with other seeds, the sowing rate should be reduced to between two and five pounds per acre. It is important to keep in mind that turnip seed is relatively tiny, and therefore only a very small amount is needed.

It is always recommended to not over seed, even when planting alone, since the plants may crowd one other, causing stunted development. Even if you are planting alone, it is best to avoid over seeding. Turnip seed may be planted at a shallow depth, and the seed can even be distributed into an existing plot with little or no plowing at all.

This is due to the turnip seed’s tiny size.
It is usually important to drag and or cultipack after planting if it was spread seeded.
This will guarantee that the seed makes excellent contact with the soil and will germinate.
The feeding requirements for turnips range from moderate to heavy.
If your food plot has not been fertilized in some time, it is in your best interest to speak with the agricultural extension office in your area to make arrangements for a soil test.

Alternatively, you may view our Soil Test Kit here. At the time of planting, you may use an all-purpose fertilizer such as 12-12-12, but for the best results, you should perform a soil test before applying any type of fertilizer to determine the optimal rate at which to apply it.

Your food plots will not be lacking in flavor thanks to the addition of Purple Top Turnips.
They are simple to cultivate and manage, and they produce a wonderful crop for deer to munch on all through the fall and winter months, when hunting season is in full swing.
When beginning to experiment with food plots, they make a perfect choice for a starter crop, and they also make an excellent addition to established plots that are in the process of being thinned out.

Purple Top Turnips are an excellent choice if you are pressed for time or if you are looking for a plant that may serve several purposes.

What is the best food plot for whitetail deer?

Corn, the second major grain grown in the Midwest, is an excellent choice for feeding plots designed for deer. If you have the space available, you should absolutely leave some corn standing throughout the deer hunting season. If you are not going to argue that soybeans are the most important plant species for food plots, then you are probably going to vote for corn.

Do turnips need lime?

The taking of soil samples before planting is an essential step. When growing turnips, a soil pH of over 6.0 is ideal. When necessary, apply lime and fertilizer. Spray. Wait. After that, a disk should be used to work the dirt. There is no room for “throw and grow” here.

If you are planting by broadcasting, use a seeding rate of 10 to 12 pounds per acre.
Instead of drilling, you should plant around 7 to 9 pounds of seed per acre.
Place seeds at a depth of approximately one quarter of an inch.
When conditions are right, planting far deeper than that might reduce the likelihood of germination occurring.

After the seed has been sown, providing adequate seed-to-soil contact can be accomplished by simply driving a car or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) over the area where the seed was planted.

Do deer like radishes or turnips better?

There is a wide variety available, but white radishes such as Daikon, Trophy, and Tillage are the most popular choices for planting for deer. Brassicas, which include radishes, are plants that produce both leafy fodder and a big taproot, like the kind of daikon that is seen here. Both fodder and bulbs may be harvested from turnips.

How long do turnips take to grow?

Turnips are one of the easiest vegetables to produce from seed and may be harvested in as little as six to ten weeks after planting. They thrive in well-drained, cold soil that holds onto moisture and in an exposed, sunny site. You may also grow seeds in huge pots outside, and then harvest them when they are still young to use as baby vegetables.

According to when they are sown and when they are harvested, varieties are broadly classified into two categories: Early turnips should be sown between the months of March and June, and they should be harvested all throughout the summer.
Maincrop turnips should be sown between the months of July and mid-August, and they should be harvested in the fall and winter.

Some early varieties, including ‘Atlantic’ and ‘Milan Purple Top,’ can also be seeded under cloches in the month of February. These varieties include: Plant the seeds very thinly in shallow drills that are only 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) deep. When planting early types, provide space between rows of 23–30 cm (9–12 in), and when planting maincrops, leave space between rows of 30 cm (1 foot).

Are turnips good for deer food plots?

In point of fact, the turnip’s palatability improves with the arrival of colder weather.
This is due to the fact that immature turnip leaves taste slightly harsh when they are first developed, but they become increasingly sweet as they mature in environments with lower temperatures.
In comparison to the surrounding browse, deer will choose to consume both the leafy green tips and the large spherical roots of the plant.

The ‘Purple Tops’ that stand out above the ground are a boon for deer because they provide easier access for the deer to graze not only on the tops of the plants, but also on the roots of the plants.
This is a boon for the deer.
When all other food sources have been exhausted by the onset of winter, deer will continue to return to the area for the turnip roots.

Be aware that they do not thrive in heavy clay soils, areas that are moist or poorly drained, especially when they are just being established.
It is necessary for the soil to achieve a temperature of at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit before turnip seeds will germinate.
They have the potential to achieve maturity in as little as 50–80 days when grown in settings that promote rapid growth.

Plants have the potential to outcompete other species in a mixture if they are sown correctly and allowed to reach their full size.
When turnips are combined with other seeds, the sowing rate should be reduced to between two and five pounds per acre.
It is important to keep in mind that turnip seed is relatively tiny, and therefore only a very small amount is needed.

It is always better to not over seed, even when planting alone, since the plants will crowd one other, causing stunted development. Even when planting alone, it is recommended not to over seed. Turnip seed may be planted at a shallow depth, and the seed can even be distributed into an existing plot with little or no plowing at all.

This is due to the turnip seed’s tiny size.
It is usually important to drag and or cultipack after planting if it was spread seeded.
This will guarantee that the seed makes excellent contact with the soil and will germinate.
The feeding requirements for turnips range from moderate to heavy.
If your food plot has not been fertilized in some time, it is in your best interest to speak with the agricultural extension office in your area to make arrangements for a soil test.

Your food plots will not be lacking in flavor thanks to the addition of Purple Top Turnips.
They are simple to cultivate and manage, and they produce a wonderful crop for deer to munch on all through the fall and winter months, when hunting season is in full swing.
When beginning to experiment with food plots, they make a perfect choice for a starter crop, and they also make an excellent addition to established plots that are in the process of being thinned out.

Purple Top Turnips are an excellent choice if you are pressed for time or if you are looking for a plant that may serve several purposes.