When should I plant brassicas for deer?

Plant brassicas (turnips, rape, kale, radishes) 60-90 days before your first expected fall frost. In the Upper Midwest and Northeast that means mid-July to early August; in the Mid-South, late July to mid-August; in the Deep South, late August to early September. Earlier plantings produce more biomass; later plantings push tonnage into the late-season window.

Brassicas peak in palatability AFTER first frost, which converts plant starches to sugars. Deer often ignore unfrosted brassicas through October and then hammer them once temperatures hit the 28°F threshold. This makes brassicas the late-season insurance crop.

Soil prep matters more for brassicas than for clover or cereals. Tilled and limed plots produce 2-3× the biomass of broadcast no-till plantings. See state crop calendars for your specific planting window and variety-review pages for high-tonnage cultivars.

When should I plant brassicas for deer?

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