# tillage radishes



## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

how would tillage radishes work as a cover crop in a pasture-hay field


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## steve in IN (Sep 30, 2009)

I have been planting them for several years and love them. They need to be in by mid August to get the full benefit. But I have planted them now and had decent results. Do not plant too thick. Five to seven ponds an acre are plenty. I cover up every other row in my drill with tape and set the drill at the lowest setting. You say hay/pasture field. For pasture the cattle eat mine but only after all the oats are gone. In a hay field the roots will help penetrate and the holes the radishes leave will help get nutrients and lime down into the soil. I particularly like them on the land I idle for a dairy to spread manure. They help the compaction and also absorb and store nutrients and release them as the radishes rot in spring. This prevents leaching on my sandy soils. Dont ask me why but they also suppress winter annuals in the spring helping with my burndown. If you have anymore questions I will be glad to help. Steve


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## Kronefan (Sep 16, 2012)

I was shopping pasture renovators when I stumbled on to tillage radishes. Where we are in Eastern OK they are just starting to be tried so I don't have any local perspective. I have heavy black gumbo on most of my place and only get an early fescue crop. Would tillage radishes help prepare the soil for other hay crops? Would they mess up my fescue? I'm wanting to try to get a warm weather crop like bermuda in but by the end of July the ground is unfit to grow anything because it's hard and cracked. I can find endless testimonials from row crop farmers loving tillage radishes but can't find any hay farmers talking about them. I appreciate the feedback.


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