Swedes after Fodder Beet?

[neilo]

I'm not sure whether this should be in cropping or livestock, so I'll post it in both.....

Is there any agronomic reason why you shouldn't grow swedes (for grazing) after Fodder Beet?

 

[Great In Grass]

Both being brassicas, club root?

 

[Fox Red]

Are you sure Fodder beet is a brassica?

 

[Mickstup]

I don't think fodder beet is a brassica, same family as Mangels and sugar beet I think..

 

[Great In Grass]

I don't think fodder beet is a brassica, same family as Mangels and sugar beet I think..

That's what I thought, but reading a British Seed Houses book they say it is, will make a phone call later and find out.

 

[Great In Grass]

Found this "fodder beet is not a brassica. Brassicas like swedes and kale belong to the brassica genus, beets belong to the species Beta vulgaris
which contains mangels, fodder beet and sugar beet. Fodder beet is a cross between mangels and sugar beet aiming to combine the ease of harvest of mangels with the high DM and high sugar levels of sugar beet"
So no club root but I don't think I would do it!

 

[neilo]

Found this "fodder beet is not a brassica. Brassicas like swedes and kale belong to the brassica genus, beets belong to the species Beta vulgaris
which contains mangels, fodder beet and sugar beet. Fodder beet is a cross between mangels and sugar beet aiming to combine the ease of harvest of mangels with the high DM and high sugar levels of sugar beet"
So no club root but I don't think I would do it!

That's as I thought. Why wouldn't you do it?

 

[Will Blackburn]

The only concern I would have is your expectations of cleaning the ground as AFAIK herbicide options are limited.

I think the perception of roots after roots is making people wary, crack on I say, just watch for compaction issues.

 

[Great In Grass]

I had a ring around today and spoke to a couple of farmers & people in the trade, no definitive answer some say no, some yes. I think following a species with a sub species makes people wary as Will has said.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Why lose the benefit of rotation to crop twice ,

 

[Yale]

And there was me thinking of trying fodder beet after swedes.

 

[Great In Grass]

And there was me thinking of trying fodder beet after swedes.

Do it, do it, then we will know for sure if it can be done.

 

[ajcc]

Grew fodderbeet this year after swedes/kale last year worked fine.

 

[Devil's advocate]

I had a ring around today and spoke to a couple of farmers & people in the trade, no definitive answer some say no, some yes. I think following a species with a sub species makes people wary as Will has said.

Swedes are not a root crop. They are a brassica & the "root" is actually a swollen stem. Fodder beet been a true root crop.

Neil we often grow beetroot after leaf brassica's & vice versa, sometimes for 6 years at a time. You will have no problems. After long term grass nematodes of the types that can cause problems will be non existent, weeds which are hard to control in swedes such as charlock & fat hen only you will know, sometimes grass is reseeded with little weed control which can cause problems later. The only source of problems you could have is if infected crops have been fed onto the land, ie club root or erwinia infected swede "roots".

Idealy you would grow swedes & then beet because the beet would use the fertility better. Might be a good idea to do a soil test, swedes do not like excess N & as others have said you will need Boron.

 

[neilo]

Thanks DA. Do you alternate brassicas & roots for 6 years on the trot without problems?

Would the sheep muck constitute 'excess' N? It will be a healthy dollop by the time they have finished grazing it, although the PP grass runback next door is getting a good helping too.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Thanks DA. Do you alternate brassicas & roots for 6 years on the trot without problems?

Would the sheep muck constitute 'excess' N? It will be a healthy dollop by the time they have finished grazing it, although the PP grass runback next door is getting a good helping too.

No problems Neil, but we do grow clubroot resistant leaf brassica. Your swedes should be safe, I think you need a full soil test for nutrients though. I would grow Invitation swedes they are very resistant to clubroot (if previous tenant fed infected swedes onto the grass) also less likely to split from the xcess N. Bloody awful for human consumption though, no good for my day job culinary swedes.