Purple Top Turnips

[Mayfly]

How fast do they germinate? Anyone know off the top of their head?

[Dan R.]

GERMINATION: 10 to 14 days or longer, depending upon soil and weather conditions

[boogityn]

If your planting purple top turnips for a food plot, don't plant them until late july. They need  around three good frost before a deer will tuoch them. the starch will turn to sugar, then and only then will the deer turn on. I grow them every year in my food plots. the later the better.

[Mayfly]

If your planting purple top turnips for a food plot, don't plant them until late july. They need  around three good frost before a deer will tuoch them. the starch will turn to sugar, then and only then will the deer turn on. I grow them every year in my food plots. the later the better.

I think that depends on your specific area and what else the deer have.

[LandDr]

Turnips can come up VERY fast...one of the fastest I have experienced.  I usually see my turnips breaking thru the ground in 5 to 7 days if the soil is warm and has a little moisture.  I had one customer that ordered some turnips and he emailed me back to say that his turnips were up within 24 hours.  He said that he knew it was hard to believe but they were.  I have seen mine up at little as three days but nothing sooner.  If the soil is warm and there is some moisture...it is amazing how fast they come up!

You can plant turnips (Brassicas) in the spring or early fall...depending on what your goals are.

Spring offers more moisture opportunities and the forage and bulb can get a lot bigger....sometimes almost the size of a volleyball.  BUT...if the forage gets to rank and woody, the deer may not like it as much.  Also, be careful not to mow a tall thick stand as the cuttings could form a "mulch" that covers the ground and won't let anything grow back thru it.

Fall is probably the most popular time to plant Brassicas.  It offers great timeing to allow the forage and bulb to develop without haveing to clip it back.  BUT...the forage and bulb won't get as big and there may be some rainfall issues (not enough).

You may want to try a plot of each to see how they turn out and which works better for you and your property.

HabitatNOW.com

[Big E]

I'm in the same boat as the LandDr's customer. 3 days but that was in a moist soil with plenty of sun. I plant mine in the spring and have them into the winter. I had them as big as basketballs last yr. MNO you are right it depends on your area. Every deer herd is different and every area is different. In the places I plant in Central and Northern MN the deer hammer them from the time they come up well into Feb and March.

[LandDr]

Big E...I havbe heard that from my customers as well.  It must be a situation of lack of food sources such as is in Ag Country.  Even though the Brassicas taste bad...it is at least food to them.  We also ship Brassi Buck down to southern states where it doesn't get cold enough to really freeze like it does up here and they also have good results.  Looks like it is ideal to have freezing temps...but they will eat it anyway even if there isn't.

I am going to do some spring Brassi Buck and Fall Brassi Buck this year to see how the dear respond.

[Big E]

I just planted sugar beets this weekend and wanted to put in Rape and Turnips but I couldn't get to the Co-op in time on Saturday so I'll have to make a trip during the week. I couldn't believe it either but I had deer pounding my brassicas all yr. They were digging up the turnips in August too. I took video of it. My plot was just getting hammered. I say try it and see if it works for you. It's packed with protein for them as you know so big healthy deer is always good.