Traditional Farmer

pete black · Jan 30, 2013

read you response concerning rye grass and turnip greens as a cover crop. i typically plant turnip greens on just a portion of the garden. do you just mix the seeds and then broadcast? i suppose the greens outgrow the rye and then the rye comes on later, is this true. thanks.

Harvey 2 · Jan 30, 2013

This past fall I planted what is called forage radishes or winter radishes, they grow to enormous size and loosen the soil and add nutrients. They die out at the first hard frost and rest of winter decompose so one can plow them under in the spring. This is the first time I tried them. Some of the radishes grew to about 18 inches long and 6 inch in diameter, and I don't have very rich soil.

pete black · Jan 30, 2013

i have heard about them. how well have they decomposed? where did you get the seed?

Traditional Farmer · Jan 30, 2013

I just broadcast everything at the same time and some early than other etc also I plant some Giant mustard greens too.This year I spread manure and then tilled it in immediately,then about a week later tilled again and planted.I don't plant the rye real thick so everything has a chance to grow some of the Turnips are around 6" in diameter.Those radishes Harvey mentioned are good to and really just look like a long turnip.The
chickens and Geese are on it every day.After I broadcast I run the cultipacker over it all to press the seed in a little.

Harvey 2 · Jan 30, 2013

I bought the seed at: Uhl's Feed Mill; Corydon, Indiana 812 738 1326
They are just starting to decompose as we haven't had very much real cold weather here. The tops have turned brown and the tubers are getting mushie.
They are thick on the ground and should be good for the soil. I found about them in a issue of Progressive Farmer magazine last year.

Traditional Farmer

pete black

Well-known Member

Harvey 2

Member

pete black

Well-known Member

Traditional Farmer

Well-known Member

Harvey 2

Member

Similar threads