Brassica Blend
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Planting Instructions
Planting instructions as noted are for zone 3 Southern Lower Peninsular Michigan.For zone 2 (Northern Lower) add 1 week to start of spring seeding (April 22nd). For zone 1 (Upper Peninsular) add 2 weeks to start of spring seeding (May 1st).

Spring Seeding, broadcast or drill
Plant after April 15th through June 30th (First week of May preferred).

Summer Seeding, broadcast or drill
Plant the month of August (August 1st preferred).

FOOD PLOT PREPARATION PRIOR TO SPRING SEEDING

Early Spring (May 1st) minimum tillage method (recommended).
Spray a contact herbicide (Round Up) the previous year at least twice with the last spraying around September 15th. See Follow Up.

Early Spring Tillage Method.
Till 3 inches deep (disk). See Follow up.

Late Spring (June 1st) spray and tillage method (recommended).
Spray a contact herbicide two weeks prior to the first tillage operation(disk). See Follow Up.
FOOD PLOT PREPARATION PRIOR TO SUMMER SEEDING

Early summer (August 1st) minimum tillage method (recommended).
Spray a contact herbicide around June 1st and again two weeks prior to the broadcasting of fertilizer. Do not till prior to broadcasting fertilizer. See Follow Up.

Early Summer tillage method
Shallow till 3-4 inches deep prior to broadcasting fertilizer. See Follow Up.

Follow up for 1 acre spring or summer minimum tillage, or tillage method
Broadcast 200 lbs. 19-19-19
Broadcast 100 lbs. Urea, disk 3-4 inches deep.
Broadcast or drill 6lbs. Special Brassica Blend.

When broadcasting seed in light soil, disk (rototill etc.) lightly but thoroughly (cross disk) seed into soil 1 inch then, cultipack. For medium to heavy loam follow the broadcasting of seed with a cultipacking. When drilling follow with cultipacking.

Note: When broadcasting fertilizer or seed it is very easy to over broadcast. We recommend you set the opening lower than the manufacturers suggestion. Calculate the plot size and broadcast a measured amount of seed. If there is any seed left you have succeeded. Cut the rate with a good guess and rebroadcast. Fertilizer and seed is expensive and you gain nothing by over broadcasting except an excessive number of plants that are not allowed to fully grow.
Brassicas prefer medium (loam) soils but will grow with reduced productivity in lighter (loamy sand) soils. Brassicas will grow in heavier (loamy clay) soils providing there is adequate drainage, example, a sloping clay hill with southern exposure. Brassicas prefer soil with a PH above 6.0, but will grow with reduced productivity in more acid soils as low as 5.5 PH.
Plant both the spring and summer seeding, with the summer seeding being about half or more of your total planting.

Plant in separate plots with May 1st and August 1st being prime target dates.

Option: No-Till
The above planting methods use a least minimum tillage to work the seeds into the soil to insure plant germination and emergence. If the food plot site was sprayed at least twice the previous year with around September 15th being the last application you will have more than a good chance of success with early Spring no-till broadcasting of basics (frost seeding) with around April 15th begin the planting date. Brassicas germinate easily. I personally have never had a failure broadcasting any brassica during this time. I also have had good success broadcasting brassicas in early August providing there is adequate moisture and seed soil contact. Note: my soil type is mostly medium to heavy loam. Also, when just broadcasting the brassica on untilled soil germination and emergence improves with a cultipacking after broadcasting. You will need to find out the performance of your soil type. As I have repeated many times, "experiment with many plant types and planting methods on your property to determine what works".

Keep the Fun in Hunting. Ed Spinazzola.

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