Radishes and turnips

rageslinger

Four Pointer
Talk to a lot of people that never really had luck with them. I've planted them here and Kentucky and came up great but deer aren't big fans. Just wondering why so many food plot blends with them?
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
It all depends on area. Once deer figure them out they will pound them. But could take a couple seasons. I got one farm that they stay in them and one of our best killing plots. Got another the deer hardly touch. So really hit and miss.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Radish is my go to greens for winter plots, turnips are ok too but typically get hit later.
I've done plots in several southern states and have never had deer not eat them, just some get eaten later in the season than others.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I think many of the national food plot blends are geared toward the midwest, or areas north of here. With our summer-like fall and mild winter, our plots and our deer behave differently. The bitter cold of late season draws deer into these plots in areas farther north. The greens go first, then they start on the bulbs, which last longer under the soil. Around here, they don't mess with the bulbs, and don't hit the forage hard until after the season.

If you're looking for greens, the dwarf essex rape works better for me, although I have heard good things about the daikon radish.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The deer tear my radishes and turnips every year up in Rockingham county but here in Harnett they have never touched them and this is my 3rd year trying them. I have no idea what makes some deer eat turnips and others do not.
 

Weekender

Twelve Pointer
The greens turn sweet after a good hard frost, which isnt always during deer season on the coast. Until that frost, the greens arent high on a deer's preferred list.

We hammered some deer over Wannamaker's deer radishes a few years back, when we actually had a late october frost.
 

hrcarver

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Radishes typically don't need a frost and will get eaten right away. Turnips have been hit or miss for me, radishes are always a hit though.
 

Pirate Hunter

Guest
I think many of the national food plot blends are geared toward the midwest, or areas north of here. With our summer-like fall and mild winter, our plots and our deer behave differently. The bitter cold of late season draws deer into these plots in areas farther north. The greens go first, then they start on the bulbs, which last longer under the soil. Around here, they don't mess with the bulbs, and don't hit the forage hard until after the season.

If you're looking for greens, the dwarf essex rape works better for me, although I have heard good things about the daikon radish.

I agree for this area of the country. That's not to say the deer won't eat the radishes and turnips, but our deer don't care about or need the tubers to get them through the winter. I prefer a brassica that does have to put a lot of energy into forming a tuber. I'd rather have more leaf tonnage than a giant tuber. In my experience those without a tuber tend to get hit earlier while hunting season is still in.
 

Gilly

Ten Pointer
I planted Trophy radish along with two types of clover, winter rye, and PPT back in August and the deer will not touch the radish. I have some nice growth on them and the deer eat right around them. Probably wont plant them next year.
 

Deerherder

Ten Pointer
The deer eat them after the first frost. Later in the winter, they will eat the bulbs too. I've noticed in my plots the deer eat the wheat or rye as it's coming up & then move to the turnips after the first frost. The winter peas get eaten right as they come out of the ground too. I have a groundhog that eats a few turnip leaves every afternoon I'm in the stand too, they seem to be his or her preferred food.
 

bigbkhnter

Guest
I planted about an acre and half of dacon radish and the deer have absolutely murdered them. Looks like you took a lawnmower and dropped the deck and mowed over them. The plot is also mixed with winter peas(which they never stand a chance of survival) and buck forage oats
 

nchunt101

Ten Pointer
I love turnip greens and have had many a meal consisting of a deer that was shot out of my turnip patch and greens from the same patch. That said turnips have been planted in the same place for years .
 

25contender

Twelve Pointer
Put in some winter wheat they will tear it up. I went to ladino clover in a few of my plots and the deer are flat mowing it down right now. I will probably plant all the plots with decent soil in colver this year. So much easier to maintain. I am watching 3 does right now on a ladino plot.
 
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Gilly

Ten Pointer
Im finally getting some love for my radishes . The deer havent hit them hard but they are being browsed.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Mine have been hit pretty good. The cold temperatures have killed some of them, but I was up there Saturday and they have some pretty good sized bulbs over a foot long.
 

KTMan

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Mine have been hit pretty good. The cold temperatures have killed some of them, but I was up there Saturday and they have some pretty good sized bulbs over a foot long.

Same here the greens are laying flat but the deer are still pounded them. Had 12 in them Friday afternoon for almost two hours.
 
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