Deer not eating brassicas?! Maybe this is why??

#agronomy #farming #deerhunting #soil #foodplots #garden #hunting #soilmanagement #bucks #bigbuck

[@vodekz1534]

If you plant them too crowded, deer might not like it

[@VitalizeSeed]

@@vodekz1534 that’s a great point. That would really impact the plants nutrients and health as well, this of course is variable depending on the quality of the soil in which it’s grown. In general, less is more with brassicas per acre. Also stressed plants don’t do a great job of full proteins conversion- resulting in further less attractiveness to those concentrated selectors.

[@jasonbroom7147]

That's a very interesting take, Al. You may remember I did an informal survey on the old QDMA forums page, where I asked people to state their location, what type of ground they were working with (ag or "other") and what their observations were with regard to deer eating brassicas on their property. The response was varied, as all observational data will be, but a fairly clear trend emerged, where those planting brassicas on ag fields, or in areas surrounded by ag, saw less browse activity than those in areas without as much ag. Perhaps you have found a causal link between increased synthetic nitrogen inputs and lower palatability in brassicas? It would be VERY interesting, (to nerds like us?) if someone managed one half of an existing 2 acres of ag field with traditional methods (deep tillage and lots of synthetic N) and the other half with a no-till, organic process of nutrient cycling. Wouldn't it be something if exclusion cages on those two plots demonstrated a strong preference for the brassicas on the field with no synthetic nitrogen being applied? It would be ground-breaking...no pun intended. :)

[@VitalizeSeed]

Oh if time wasnt limited!! Haha! thanks for watching and comment! I do recall that survey!!!

[@troybrake5686]

Good info

[@troybrake5686]

How old is the brassica? They say if they are planted to early and become less pallitable the deer won't hit em very hard especially if there's decent forage or other AG around, everyone is gonna have different results depending there location, soil, herd...etc and brassica needs alot of N, especially uria

[@brendanomeally8070]

Honestly, i dont get excited over huge bulbs. The way i see it, top growth feeds the deer, bulbs feed the soil. I actually hope to have bulbs rotting in the ground come the following spring. If my bulbs get hammered by the deer in my eyes that means i didnt have other forages.

[@VitalizeSeed]

@@brendanomeally8070 I love this!! I absolutely can relate and appreciate that! If I don’t have forage left over. I better manage deer populations or plant more food.

[@butleroutdoors2188]

Great topic! Ive seen the “learning curve” first hand, but once they figured it out, they hammered the brassicas.

[@VitalizeSeed]

I’ve also noticed this phenomenon in buckwheat. When planted by itself - often folks will claim it won’t get consumed. We put some in carbon load and it almost always acts as a nurse crop - allowing the deer to browse then allowing the brassicas and grains to get started. Something biological is occurring (in my mind) I’m just am not sure exactly what.

[@butleroutdoors2188]

@@VitalizeSeed I to have noticed that with buckwheat. I planted a blend containing some several years ago, and they didn’t start browsing on it until it was nearly waste high and starting to flower. I know the general rule is that the younger plants are the most attractive, but some seem more attractive than others at different stages of growth.

[@jasonrogers8641]

Al, I planted carbon load last fall and the deer have ate the greens off the top but have not touched the bulbs whatsoever. I have not added any fertilizer.

[@VitalizeSeed]

Bulbs are typically the last thing ate - unless you have a very high dpsm. They are really there for a late season food source. They also help tremendously in nutrient scavenging for the next crop. As they rot on the surface that is a ball of fertilizer waiting it be taken up!! Well before I started the company - I’d see a lot of bulbs left over. Now as the deer density has increased and soil fertility has got better - it’s hard to find a single bulb!! I would suspect next year it’ll be hit even harder and then year after and so on.

[@sandych33ks1]

I planted Beets n Greens 2 years now and the deer dont touch them. Now a friend of mine that lives 12 miles north of me plants the same thing and the deer absolutely destroy them. I'm sticking with clover as it's easy to grow and the deer hit it hard.

[@VitalizeSeed]

Heck ya buddy! Clovers great! We use clover in all our mixes. Absolutely a work horse for both soils and deer. Thanks for watching and the comment.

[@georgehelzer7569]

I always found it odd when it comes to turnips specifically that one area deer will eat every one of them and another not hardly touch them. I’ve lived on both properties. I definitely prefer the one where they get eaten so you don’t get that big rotten stinky mess.

[@VitalizeSeed]

I should have noted that we also see this phenomenon with buckwheat and other species. I don’t believe it’s solely the plant as much as the medium in which is grown. Again just my theory and how the plants amino acids converting to plant proteins. Also how when in diverse mixes- the biological system communications helps aid in far more stress mitigation, which could further drive this phenomenon. Certainly a lot of variables but makes a guy wonder!!! Thanks for commenting and following along, sir!!

[@justinkelley4984]

It’s the setting your property is around from what I’ve found. If your in AG area they prefer soybeans because they are 34% protein versus brassicas are 24% or less. No AG around the deer aren’t as picky.

[@VitalizeSeed]

Good points Justin! I’m sure that makes a difference. Once the AG is off - you’d think the draw to that protein would be significant. However, that response does seem variable regardless of the area. I personally believe that’s where it becomes a microbial piece and association with below ground fungi and nutrient uptake but that’s just a theory of mine. Thanks for the watch and comment.

[@justinkelley4984]

Also I think a lot of food plotters disregard the micronutrients of all plants. So I will be experimenting of increasing the boron copper manganese and other micronutrient levels in my brassicas this fall.

[@VitalizeSeed]

@@justinkelley4984 I agree!! Keep us updated on results!! Good luck this fall!

[@brushcrawler8612]

How many herbicides ya got coating those leaves?

[@VitalizeSeed]

None - this is a diverse mix of this was a fescue pasture so we burned it down once and no tilled into it with our 16 way mix. We use diverse mixes to outcompete weeds. We don’t have time to use selective herbicides nor would it work with our system. Thanks for comment.

[@brushcrawler8612]

@@VitalizeSeed It was meant as more of a response to whomever isn't attracting deer to their brassica plot

[@VitalizeSeed]

@@brushcrawler8612 ah! Yea - I can’t speak to that but I’d say just from speaking to a lot of foodplotters - they have issues with it (depending on the area). I’ve planted them all over and never had an issue. Although I haven’t planted them in monocultures in many many years. Thanks again for comment. Have a blessed day!