# Just planted Trophy Radishes



## Realtree Ga (Sep 19, 2015)

I've read all kinds of research on this plant, but can't really find many pictures or videos of actual food plots.   I can find plenty on the Daikon radish, but not as a food plot necessarily.  I decided to give it a go on a small tenth of an acre plot.  I fertilized, limed, planted 1 lb. trophy radish, drug with a chain link fence, planted 1 lb. Ladino clover, and drug again.  I'm filming the process and will do updates every 7 days for a month to watch the progress and how well they perform.  I should be getting rain on Monday so they should begin germination this week.  I'll be sure to post the video when it's completed and I'll also try to give some periodic picture updates on this thread.  I'm excited to see the results and see if my deer will be attracted to these radishes.


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## Hilsman (Sep 19, 2015)

I will be planting some diakon radish tomorrow along with some buck forage oats. This year will be my first year planting radish. Looking forward to seeing your progress.


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## Buckfever (Sep 19, 2015)

If you put 1lb on a 10th acre, they should be good and thick. Good luck and waiting to see the updates.


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## QuackAddict (Sep 19, 2015)

We are planting tomorrow as well. Wheat, oats, clover, purple top turnips and radishes.  Looking forward to your pics.


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## 95g atl (Sep 20, 2015)

I could not find trophy radishes at the local seed store in Lawrenceville, so I picked up Daikon radishes.  Planted them a few weeks ago and they are about 4 inches tall now.

Planted some more mixed with oats, wheat, rape, etc., and they sprouted within 5 days and NO rain.  Hope to get rain next week so the rest of seed will sprout.

love to see the updated pics.


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## deers2ward (Sep 20, 2015)

"Trophy radishes" is a trademarked name. They are sold by Pennington as part of their "Rackmaster" line of seeds and seed blends.

Here are trophy radishes for sale online: 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pennington-Rackmaster-Trophy-Radish-5-Lb-/400993995928?hash=item5d5d1acc98


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## livetohunt (Sep 20, 2015)

You may not get a good plot if you used a drag twice over the radishes..Best to use a cultipacker, or if you don't have a cultipacker just spread them on top and do not drag. Also, that is too much seed for 1/10 acre..I'll be curious to see how it does, keep us updated.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 20, 2015)

Well the 60% chance of rain for Monday and Tuesday has now turned to 20%.    Looks like no rain until next weekend.  I'm thinking about taking an ATV sprayer or my backpack sprayer and simply wetting the ground to try to get some germination before the rain hits.  That would at least get me a little bit of head start.  Would wetting the ground be enough to begin the germination process?  I'm not trying to put an inch worth of rain on the ground.  That would be impossible.  I just want to begin germination.  It's only a tenth of an acre so it shouldn't be that much work and time.  Besides, that isn't work to me anyway.


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## deers2ward (Sep 20, 2015)

On a plot that small, don't drag. After u spread your seed, just lift your attachment and drive up and down it and pack with your tires. Will be money


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## 2 UP (Sep 20, 2015)

95g atl said:


> I could not find trophy radishes at the local seed store in Lawrenceville, so I picked up Daikon radishes.  Planted them a few weeks ago and they are about 4 inches tall now.
> 
> Planted some more mixed with oats, wheat, rape, etc., and they sprouted within 5 days and NO rain.  Hope to get rain next week so the rest of seed will sprout.
> 
> love to see the updated pics.


What seed store in Lawrenceville? I used to use Coopers, but cant find their website anymore.


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## 95g atl (Sep 20, 2015)

2 UP said:


> What seed store in Lawrenceville? I used to use Coopers, but cant find their website anymore.



I searched for Coopers.  All different numbers and addresses.  All numbers disconnected.  Heck w/em.

Brownlee's General Store
219 Hurricane Shoals Rd NE
Lawrenceville, GA 30046
(770) 963-9784


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## doomtrpr_z71 (Sep 20, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Well the 60% chance of rain for Monday and Tuesday has now turned to 20%.    Looks like no rain until next weekend.  I'm thinking about taking an ATV sprayer or my backpack sprayer and simply wetting the ground to try to get some germination before the rain hits.  That would at least get me a little bit of head start.  Would wetting the ground be enough to begin the germination process?  I'm not trying to put an inch worth of rain on the ground.  That would be impossible.  I just want to begin germination.  It's only a tenth of an acre so it shouldn't be that much work and time.  Besides, that isn't work to me anyway.


Don't waste your time


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## 95g atl (Sep 20, 2015)

WE haven't had rain and mine germinated just from morning dew.


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## 2 UP (Sep 20, 2015)

I always forget about them . Do they have plain bags of wheat/oats or just the mixes? Thanks


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## Killdee (Sep 20, 2015)

u are better off with the seed sitting in dry dirt to you get a substantial rain, if they germinate and no rain for a n extended period they will likely dry up.


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 20, 2015)

Mines up and growing from just the morning dews. Been planted since labor day. May have had a sprinkle a day or 2 after enough to say it sprinkled but that's it.


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## TurkeyDreamer (Sep 20, 2015)

livetohunt said:


> Also, that is too much seed for 1/10 acre..I'll be curious to see how it does, keep us updated.



Looks like the recommended spread rate is 10-15 lbs per acre so 1 lb per 1/10 acre should be right on.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 20, 2015)

TurkeyDreamer said:


> Looks like the recommended spread rate is 10-15 lbs per acre so 1 lb per 1/10 acre should be right on.



This^ If you plan on mixing other seed in as a filler then it's recommended to drop down to 5lbs per acre. If you plant only radishes then 10-15lbs per acre is fine. 

Also, I think you would do more harm then good by spraying them with very little water. I would think that with putting such little water in the ground you would probably get the seeds to germinate, but the sun may dry it out pretty fast. If you don't get any rain in the near future your little sprouts could dry up and your whole plot could die. Just be patient and let mother nature do her thing. It's hard but worth it.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 20, 2015)

Here's a picture of one of our 1/2 acre plots from last year. Sorry I don't have a close up of it. But this plot got about 2ft tall and the deer mowed it down to nothing by late Nov, early December I believe. We literally only had dirt left in the plot. The deer were also eating the radishes out of the ground. Every single time we hunted this stand, we had 3-6 deer feeding in it everyday and I passed on a pretty nice 8 point out of this stand. We had tons of activity around this plot last year. Just rotate the plot with another type of seed every 2-3 years so you don't end up with fungle problems in the future.


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## longbranch gamegetr (Sep 21, 2015)

I just planted 1lb of these myself in a small plot along with Turnip, rape, and kale. Hoping to get a little rain this week. What county are you in?


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 21, 2015)

I'm in Towns County up in the Mountains.  I've decided to hold off for the rain.


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## 167WhiteTAIL (Sep 21, 2015)

Anyone plant who has hogs in the area?  I'm afraid the hogs will tear up the ground to get to turnip or radish??

If we have hogs, should we just forget about it??


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## Hilsman (Sep 21, 2015)

167WhiteTAIL said:


> Anyone plant who has hogs in the area?  I'm afraid the hogs will tear up the ground to get to turnip or radish??
> 
> If we have hogs, should we just forget about it??



I have hogs in the area.  Don't know why that never crossed my mind.  Got a good feeling they will be tearing up the food plot 

Ill keep yall updated on what happens.


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## mose (Sep 21, 2015)

mikec84 said:


> here's a picture of one of our 1/2 acre plots from last year. Sorry i don't have a close up of it. But this plot got about 2ft tall and the deer mowed it down to nothing by late nov, early december i believe. We literally only had dirt left in the plot. The deer were also eating the radishes out of the ground. Every single time we hunted this stand, we had 3-6 deer feeding in it everyday and i passed on a pretty nice 8 point out of this stand. We had tons of activity around this plot last year. Just rotate the plot with another type of seed every 2-3 years so you don't end up with fungle problems in the future.


how tall is that stand????


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## Mikec84 (Sep 21, 2015)

mose said:


> how tall is that stand????



About 50ft. I don't normally go that high but it was really the only spot to go up without messing up the deer. And we didn't want to cut too much stuff around the plot so we climbed until we could see the plot. A lot of White knuckle sits last year.

This year we built a tower stand 16 ft to the base


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 22, 2015)

The Heavens just opened up liquid sunshine came falling out of the sky soaking the dirt my Radishes are planted in for about 10 min.  I checked the seed this morning (Day #3) and some seed were just beginning to germinate and emerge from the seed shell.  I can't wait to see how they do in a few days after this nice drink of water tonight.


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## Gadestroyer74 (Sep 22, 2015)

That's a really nice stand and sweet food plot . Just my two cents here if I was going that high I would box the bottom around the legs about 3 foot up and X brace the center . That's a heap of a lot of distance at the bottom . Just an observation wasn't meaning it defensive or anything really,like,that stand


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## 95g atl (Sep 23, 2015)

I already have deer tearing up my radishes in Suwanee. 
I doubt these are going to make it to maturity.

May be planting another few plots of just radishes.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 23, 2015)

95g atl said:


> I already have deer tearing up my radishes in Suwanee.
> I doubt these are going to make it to maturity.
> 
> May be planting another few plots of just radishes.



Can you get us some pix of the plot?


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## Ihunt (Sep 23, 2015)

167WhiteTAIL said:


> Anyone plant who has hogs in the area?  I'm afraid the hogs will tear up the ground to get to turnip or radish??
> 
> If we have hogs, should we just forget about it??



 I am covered up with hogs and they didn't bother mine.


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## Chesapeake Troller (Sep 23, 2015)

You can get them from Hancock Seed:

https://hancockseed.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=239_297_299&products_id=487

1, 5, 10 pound bags with free shipping at the moment. I get the greens mix which has them as well as rape, PTT, and Kale.

Have mine ready to go in the ground, I however have to wait for the ground to dry up. So much rain I cannot turn under the spring plots yet. Might be another month.

CT


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## 95g atl (Sep 23, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Can you get us some pix of the plot?



Disc up the plot:



Boss directing me how to disc up land:





 two deer at the back left of this brand new plot.



My son, for reference on size, is in this pic.  Same plot.  Planted 9 days ago




This is the actual view of the 12' stand I hunt out of.





---That's about 125 yards from my back deck door.

----- I haven't taken a pic of the little plot that just has radishes.  That was planted beginning of Sept and deer are killing it.  
This was my first real food plot attempt on my own property, so it's a learning process with what works and what deer eat.
May have to plant a few lbs of radishes in Oct.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 23, 2015)

What did you plant with the radishes?  Looks like wheat or rye.


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## 95g atl (Sep 23, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> What did you plant with the radishes?  Looks like wheat or rye.



Correct.  WHEAT, OATS, RYE (food plot mix)....along with some Rape.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 24, 2015)

Day #5!  Radishes are around 2" tall and you can see all the little green clovers starting to pop out of the ground.  More rain coming in tomorrow, so I'm hoping we have a carpet of green by mid next week.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 24, 2015)

Gadestroyer74 said:


> That's a really nice stand and sweet food plot . Just my two cents here if I was going that high I would box the bottom around the legs about 3 foot up and X brace the center . That's a heap of a lot of distance at the bottom . Just an observation wasn't meaning it defensive or anything really,like,that stand



Thanks that's not a bad idea.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 24, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Day #5!  Radishes are around 2" tall and you can see all the little green clovers starting to pop out of the ground.  More rain coming in tomorrow, so I'm hoping we have a carpet of green by mid next week.



Looks good man


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## hunterblack09 (Sep 24, 2015)

This is our plot at 10 days


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## Killdee (Sep 24, 2015)

Yeah we used to do double x braces on a 16' box stand. Have 2 still fine nearing 20 years old. Danny used a screw type device that screwed into the ground and attached a cable to it underneith the box. Used to stabilize house trailers.


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## Hilsman (Sep 24, 2015)

Lookin good. I'll be goin to check mine Sunday. I'll post pics when I do


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## Triple C (Sep 25, 2015)

Realtree...You're going to love your radish patch.  We plant them every year.  Just planted about 10 days ago so this year's brassicas are just now coming up.  Here's a couple of pics of 2 different plots in years past.  Deer devour them! By mid December, the ground will be bare.


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## Triple C (Sep 25, 2015)

A pic from one of our plots last year that included both radish and PTT along with winter rye and oats.  Son's best bow kill as buck was coming through the plot in mid November.


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## deers2ward (Sep 25, 2015)

Triple C said:


> A pic from one of our plots last year that included both radish and PTT along with winter rye and oats.  Son's best bow kill as buck was coming through the plot in mid November.
> View attachment 851232



That's great!


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## Canuck5 (Sep 25, 2015)

Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 25, 2015)

Those plots look awesome Triple C.  Our rut doesn't kick in until late November and beginning of December so I'm hoping this plot will attract the Doe's and I'll have bucks cruising this plot during that time.  We will see if my plan comes together.  We got around an inch of rain last night so when that sun comes up I really think my plot is going to explode.  I don't know what it is about planting seed that gets me all fired up when it starts popping out of the ground.


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## Broken Arrow 68 (Sep 25, 2015)

What's odd is the deer have pretty much already mowed my brassica plot to the dirt.  This was the first year planting them and I would've thought they'd kind leave them untouched until acorns are done dropping, but our camera is burnt up with pics of them already pounding this plot to the dirt.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 26, 2015)

Day #7.  Lots of rain and clouds for 3 days.  A little sunshine should do wonders for my plot.


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## ucfireman (Sep 27, 2015)

I planted a mix of radish, Austrian winter peas, wheat and crimson clover last week, no rain for 4 days but about 1inch this week. Should be nice . First time trying the radish, we will see.  Good luck to every one this season.


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## Realtree Ga (Sep 28, 2015)

Day #9. The plot is really starting to fill in nicely.  Really starting to look more green than brown especially from a distance.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 29, 2015)

Looks good man, won't be long before you can't see the ground


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## Triple C (Sep 29, 2015)

Broken Arrow 68 said:


> What's odd is the deer have pretty much already mowed my brassica plot to the dirt.  This was the first year planting them and I would've thought they'd kind leave them untouched until acorns are done dropping, but our camera is burnt up with pics of them already pounding this plot to the dirt.



Some folks say it takes deer a year or 2 to start eating brassicas.  Our experience matches yours...devoured the 1st year we planted them.


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## Mikec84 (Sep 30, 2015)

Just checked our radish/rape plots. 28 days after planting


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## Realtree Ga (Oct 1, 2015)

That plot looks Awesome Mike!


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## Mikec84 (Oct 3, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> That plot looks Awesome Mike!



Thanks realtree


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## Realtree Ga (Oct 4, 2015)

Well all this rain has done a number on my small plot.  Looks like in some areas the radish is wilting from drowning.  In some spots however it still looks good.  Second problem I have is that the plot is getting covered in Leaves from all this wind and rain over the weekend.  I took a rake and lightly raked as many leaves off of it as I possibly could.  My plot needs sunshine badly.  This is day 15 and I think we may have had 2 days of sunshine the entire time and probably 9 to 10 days of some rain.  The deer have just started to use the plot in the past 4 days.  I see lots of eaten tops and I've got several Doe's and a small 4 point on camera using the plot.  I just hope we get some sun so this plot will explode.


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## Realtree Ga (Oct 11, 2015)

Day #22.  Plot is coming up nicely.  Radish leaves are around 6" tall.  Clover is pretty thick below the radishes.  Bad news is that the deer are not eating it yet.  Watched a hungry Doe walk right through the middle of the plot this evening and never even put her head down to take a bite.  Trailcam shows deer passing through but none browsing.  I hope that changes pretty soon.  Here is the updated pic.


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## Canuck5 (Oct 12, 2015)

Well, the deer still prefer acorns over pretty much anything we plant or have planted now.  That was maybe where she was headed too.


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## Forest Grump (Oct 12, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Day #22.  Plot is coming up nicely.  Radish leaves are around 6" tall.  Clover is pretty thick below the radishes.  Bad news is that the deer are not eating it yet.  Watched a hungry Doe walk right through the middle of the plot this evening and never even put her head down to take a bite.  Trailcam shows deer passing through but none browsing.  I hope that changes pretty soon.  Here is the updated pic.




If I could offer a little unsolicited advice, (which is the most common type I am not asked for ):

Mixing the clover with them is very good. Always do that. (I won't go into detail why).

Next year, try not to plant them so thickly. Here's why:

If you look at post # 52, those are just right. Plants about 10-12" apart are perfect. When you get them too dense, they compete with each other, & will never develop those big tap roots & big healthy plants that you want. 

Why is that important? Won't they still eat them? Yes they will. But bigger plants means less seed cost (you could plant 3-4 times as much acreage for the same $), big roots break up compaction & reach deep to recover nutrients & return them to the surface for next year; and lastly, you will get about 10x the tonnage of food produced per acre vs growing little ones. I know this because I have done it both ways. It can be a challenge not to seed them too thickly. 

Don't be discouraged that they haven't taken to them. It would be unusual for them to be feeding heavily on them at this point, unless you do not have abundant food where you are hunting.

Below are some illustrations:
1) Nov. Not too cold, look very lush. 
2) About a month later. Little cooler. Now they've worked them over pretty hard.
3) Month more. Quite chilly. At this point, they've gnawed them down to the roots. (I've never had deer eat the roots, but some folks have).
4) 5 days later, 17 hogs visited during the night. About the only time I've had hogs damage them; usually they ignore them.


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## Realtree Ga (Oct 12, 2015)

Thanks Gump.  I agree they are too thick.  My hope is for the deer to really be feeding on them after Thanksgiving and into the first couple weeks of December.  I'm videoing the progress and will try to have a full video up in January.  Thanks for the advice and more importantly the illustrations.


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## Realtree Ga (Oct 18, 2015)

Day #29.  Really starting to take off now.  Clover is getting thick as well.  Deer still aren't eating it, but I have a feeling that will change in November.


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## BROWNING7WSM (Oct 18, 2015)

nice


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## deers2ward (Oct 19, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Day #22.  Plot is coming up nicely.  Radish leaves are around 6" tall.  Clover is pretty thick below the radishes.  Bad news is that the deer are not eating it yet.  Watched a hungry Doe walk right through the middle of the plot this evening and never even put her head down to take a bite.  Trailcam shows deer passing through but none browsing.  I hope that changes pretty soon.  Here is the updated pic.



Once a hard freeze comes, they will hammer it.


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## 95g atl (Oct 22, 2015)

update: hogs trampled my small radish food plot.


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## Mikec84 (Oct 23, 2015)

Looks like it's starting to come around Realtree. Deer aren't eating ours too much yet. As soon as the acorns are winding down they will start hammering those radishes. Here's a picture of the same plot I posted a while back. About  a 1 1/2- 1 3/4  since planting.


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## Realtree Ga (Nov 19, 2015)

Still working on the video for my radish plot.  The tubers have not developed near to what I was expecting.  Could be due to how thick I planted.  We have had a couple of frosts, but not enough to kill them yet.  The deer are still not eating them AT ALL.  I'm hoping the cooler temps this weekend will begin the process so it will be prime some the first week of December when the Northern rut is starting to kick in.


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## livetohunt (Nov 22, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Still working on the video for my radish plot.  The tubers have not developed near to what I was expecting.  Could be due to how thick I planted.  We have had a couple of frosts, but not enough to kill them yet.  The deer are still not eating them AT ALL.  I'm hoping the cooler temps this weekend will begin the process so it will be prime some the first week of December when the Northern rut is starting to kick in.



Turnips and radishes are the only plots I plant early. I get mine in by mid August. Right now my radishes are the size of grapefruits, and the turnips are huge. Try getting them in earlier.


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## BassHunter25 (Nov 22, 2015)

Realtree Ga said:


> Still working on the video for my radish plot.  The tubers have not developed near to what I was expecting.  Could be due to how thick I planted.  We have had a couple of frosts, but not enough to kill them yet.  The deer are still not eating them AT ALL.  I'm hoping the cooler temps this weekend will begin the process so it will be prime some the first week of December when the Northern rut is starting to kick in.



I have been planting them for a few years now.  The deer do wait to hit them then they are destroyed but I usually plant late September, but have never seen them get any bulbs or tubers.


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## Realtree Ga (Dec 15, 2015)

Just an update.  We have had several hard Freezes up here in the Mountains and about 2 weeks ago, around the first of December, the deer started feeding in the plot.  You can clearly see browsing in the entire plot.  I'll get some video footage on the plot this weekend to show the deer usage and finish up the video of the entire process.  Now that the deer are actually using it, I'm very pleased with it.  This is the perfect time of year to have food on my property because the rut is usually the second week of December through the end of the month for us mountain folk.


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## Mikec84 (Jan 6, 2016)

Good to hear they started hitting them.

 They started hitting ours pretty late and I think it's due to the bumper crop of acorns we had this year. Should find some good sheds this year because I don't think the radishes will be gone for a while. Here's a picture of one I pulled up and ate myself lol.


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## Canuck5 (Jan 7, 2016)

That's a monster!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Gut_Pile (Jan 7, 2016)

Dannnnngggggggg


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## Canuck5 (Jan 10, 2016)

These radishes amaze me!


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## Canuck5 (Jan 10, 2016)

Although, mine are the plain Daikon radish, we have one plot on a smaller 57 acres, with minimal food plot acreage, that the deer have them eaten to within a couple inches of the bulb.  You couldn't run a lawnmower over that plot and have it look any evener.

It has thinned everything and now some weeds are coming thru.


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## Mikec84 (Jan 11, 2016)

Canuck5 said:


> These radishes amaze me!



Those are nice. We used both trophy radishes and another brand. Trophy radishes are just a brand name. The deer hammered both brands that we used this year equally well. They started later this year but as I said in the above post I think it was due to the pumper crop of acorns. I'm sold on radishes. This is the second year we've used them and they did not disappoint. They break up the soil nicely too


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## Canuck5 (Jan 12, 2016)

Nice!!!!!!  And yes they do a lot of good for the soil!!!


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## Core Lokt (Jan 12, 2016)

Cut them up like french fries and fry them! They are good.


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## Realtree Ga (Jan 12, 2016)

Now those are the size radishes I was expecting.  Mine didn't even come close.  There is nothing left at this point, as they have all been eaten up.  Next year I will plant the first of August and I think I should get much better results.


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## Canuck5 (Jan 13, 2016)

Mine were planted on 9/19/15, in a mix, at a rate of about 2 lbs/acre.  The tubers had lots of room to grow and do their thing.  I wouldn't plant them too early or too thick, if you want the tubers to grow big.


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## Canuck5 (Jan 13, 2016)

Core Lokt said:


> Cut them up like french fries and fry them! They are good.



I'm going to try that!


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## Core Lokt (Jan 13, 2016)

They are good.

To get the size posted above they need to be planted early in August.


Here are some that came back voluntary from previous plantings that I found yesterday in my house plot. The deer have been wearing them out too. I hope they seed out so I can get more seeds. I planted 4-5 seeds in my garden 6 yrs ago and have been collecting the dried seed pods and planting them in my plot.


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## Core Lokt (Jan 22, 2016)

Sat in this plot for the first time yesterday afternoon since I took the pic above and the radishes are mowed down to the ground now. They were shin high.


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