Forage - Swedes / Kale

swedes

Very adaptable crop for both grazing and storage. Grown on their own, modern varieties can also offer the option of being lifted for culinary use as well as livestock fodder. The pH of the soil should preferably be around 6.5. Swedes are quite tolerant of acid soils but below a pH of 5.4 growth is increasingly restricted. At pH 7.0 and above boron becomes less available. Allow a minimum break of 4-5 years between all brassicas. ?

To minimize the build up of pests and particularly diseases a rotation of 7-8 years between swede crops is desirable. Average yields of packed out swedes would be about 35 tonnes per ha. The weight of an individual swede is around a kilo.

kale

A very adaptable crop providing useful forage. Can be ensiled as kaleage or zero and strip grazed. A fine, firm seedbed (like grass) and moisture is essential for rapid emergence as kale has small seeds. All brassicas will yield poorly where compaction has occurred. Placing some fertiliser at sowing may aide establishment. Ploughing and powered cultivation is the surest method of establishment but in well structured soils, direct drilling will also be successful. ?

With direct drilling, it is essential to achieve a good weed kill with glyphosate pre-cultivation. Kale may be precision drilled at 3 kg/ha or direct drilled at 4 kg/ha or broadcast usually with the fertiliser at 5-6 kg/ha.