From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Torrance, Ca.

Would you plant tillage radish with winter rye??? 80% rye to 20% tillage radish...........

Just wondering..............

Or is this just a no, no???????

12/14/2012 9:39:27 AM

Foley, Minnesota

Don't bother with the radishes unless you have a compaction problem. Adam.

12/14/2012 1:21:12 PM

President - GPC

I hear you can plant mustard for nematodeZ.....but then they also go after myco too...so it is advised to repopulate....Mustard alZo haZ great rootZ for breaking up the soil...so sayZ organic gardening....

12/14/2012 1:47:17 PM

Hobbiton New Zealand

I plant a mix of Blue Lupin and Mustard just make sure you chop it down before the mustard sets seed.

12/14/2012 2:34:45 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I have a real compaction problem at my new patch and thought it might be good,,,,,,,,,,, but really have no idea?????

Did oats, peas and winter rye last year and worked fantastic. Just wondered if the tillage we be a good option for the new patch,,,,,,,, with really hard soil :)

Thanks!

12/14/2012 3:18:28 PM

Omaha, Ne.

what could it hurt?:)

12/14/2012 6:45:36 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Goes deep and brings minerals up to the surface

12/14/2012 9:18:21 PM

Piqua, Ohio

I was told the radishes will pull nitrigen out of the air and fix it in the soil, some of the farmers around here use them. When they rot they smell like propane though. I mix them with rye and wheat.

12/15/2012 10:22:31 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Brassicas like radish, turnip and rape are supposed to help with soil borne diseases as well as holding in nitrogen. I grew a personal best a year after being wiped out by pythium followed by a rape cover crop. After another flare-up this year I planted a mix of rape and groundhog radish. They come on quickly and choke out weeds, and deer love them. They decompose quickly due to a lack of lignin. They tolerate some frost but will winter kill in areas like Iowa.You may have a few seeds sprout the following spring. Easy to plant, just broadcast on the soil. The first rain wii start germination. Only weakness is that they don't form micorrhizal associations, so mixing with a grain like rye might help increase your mico.

12/15/2012 10:55:54 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Here is a link to a very good cover crop guide. ftp://ftp-fc.sc.egov.usda.gov/IA/technical/CCCv1_2.pdf It is geared to production ag but has lots of good info for us.

12/15/2012 11:01:05 AM

Omaha, Ne.

WOW! Great link. Thanks Iowegian.

12/15/2012 12:27:26 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Radishes do not pull nitrogen from the air. Legumes pull nitrogen from the air, and fix the nodules on the roots..which often require innoculation to start the process. Beets, Radishes,Cereal Grasses and Sunflowers are used for nutrient cycling.

Radishes are good for compact soil, and they decompose faster than cereals so reduce nitrogen immobilization.

12/15/2012 2:47:10 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Now that's what I was looking for !!!


Thanks guys!

12/15/2012 7:53:48 PM

Piqua, Ohio

Sorry I misspoke I was told to mix radishes with austrian peas, the peas use atmospheric nitrogen, I've been told radishes can go down as far as 6 feet.

12/16/2012 2:57:17 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I just got another great link for cover crop information: http://www.mccc.msu.edu/ . There is a lot of information that will make for great winter time reading.

12/18/2012 1:50:42 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Well,,,,,, the radishes are in and doing great! I pulled one up just for fun and the root was already 5 inches!!!!

I planted mainly winter rye, with a splash of radish and peas.....

In a week or two I'll get some pictures up! :)

The weather is always in the 70's so it shouldn't take long.....

12/18/2012 4:29:12 PM

President - GPC

Organic Gardening has a great variaton of coverZ too... My high nitrogen crop is still growing....in 22 degree temps at night...unBELievable..... but true

12/18/2012 5:04:44 PM