Forage radish is a great addition to any food plot and should be a part of a well-rounded program. Radish tops are extremely tender and are easily one of our favorite early season attractions. Most years we have shot opportunities when hunting radish plots during the first few weeks of bow season.
Tops can grow up to 14” tall providing lots of leafy forage. Deer will also eat the radish tubers, but they aren’t as preferred as turnip bulbs in colder months.
The real benefit of planting radishes is the root system. Forage radishes have a very long taproot system that grows deep into the soil aiding in breaking up soil compaction. These taproots are also extremely effective at capturing nutrients in the soil and storing them until the following Spring when they are released back into the soil. Crops planted the following year will take advantage of this available nitrogen present in the soil. Additional benefits of planting radishes include helping with weed suppression, preventing soil erosion, and improving soil organic matter.
Radishes can be planted in a standalone plot at 10 pounds per acre, in a brassica mix at 1 to 2 pounds per acre, or in a cereal grain mix at 5 pounds per acre. We like to plant the 2nd week of August. Radishes are fast growing and mature in 45-60 days providing key forage about the time archery season opens.
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