Best brassica food plot seed for deer, by region

Last updated 2026-07-26

what is a food plot, and where do brassicas fit in?

A food plot is a planted patch of forage, usually a half acre to several acres, put in specifically to feed and attract deer or other wildlife on hunting ground. Most serious plot programs run at least two types: a perennial clover or alfalfa plot that feeds deer spring through fall, and an annual plot planted fresh each year for a specific season, often fall and winter. Brassicas (turnips, radishes, rape, canola, and kale, all in the mustard family) are almost always the annual, fall-focused half of that program. They're planted in mid to late summer, grow fast, and hit peak palatability after a few hard frosts convert starches to sugars in the leaves and roots. That's the trait that makes them different from clover or beans: brassicas often get better, not worse, as the season gets colder. If you're building a plot system from scratch, it helps to think of brassicas as your late-season plot, paired with something that carries deer through summer. See food plot whitetail for how the pieces fit together across a full year.

which brassica species actually work best for deer plots?

Purple top turnip	Leaf + bulb	60-90	Fall/winter grazing, leaf first, bulb later	Deer often eat tops before bulbs; bulbs get sweeter after frost
Forage radish (GroundHog, Daikon-type)	Deep taproot	60-75	Soil compaction relief + late fall forage	Root can reach 12-18 inches deep, breaks up hardpan [1]
Dwarf Essex rape	Leaf only	80-90	High-tonnage leaf forage	More cold-tolerant leaf, no bulb to compete for energy
Canola/rapeseed hybrids	Leaf, some bulb	90-100	Blends, general purpose	Similar to rape agronomically, often used in commercial blends
Kale	Leaf only	70-90	Very cold-hardy leaf forage	Holds green leaf later into winter than most brassicas	Purdue Extension's forage variety work and USDA cover crop guidance both note that turnips and radishes produce fast early tonnage but that pure rape and kale plantings hold palatable leaf material later into winter because they don't shift energy into a root [1][2]. If you only get one shot at a plot and want both an early-season draw and a mid-winter food source, a blend of turnip, radish, and rape (which is what most bagged "brassica blend" products are) hedges your bet better than any single species.

The honest answer: it depends on your soil, your first-frost date, and whether you want tonnage of leaf, a big root bulb, or both. Here's how the main species stack up based on land-grant extension trial data and forage agronomy guides. | Species | Growth habit | Days to maturity | Best use | Notes |

do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, deer eat sorghum, but usually as a grain source and a screening/cover crop more than a preferred browse. Whitetails will feed on standing grain sorghum heads in fall and winter, especially once other food sources thin out, and sorghum is commonly planted alongside brassicas or beans as a tall companion crop that shields the plot from road view and wind. Sorghum isn't a top-tier deer attractant on its own the way brassicas, clover, or soybeans are. Most plotters use it as a structural crop (height, cover, snow-catch) rather than the primary food. If you want a true grain draw, milo and corn get more consistent use in most regions, though corn is far more input-intensive.

do deer like clover, and how does it compare to brassicas?

Yes, deer strongly prefer clover, and it's one of the most consistently used food plot forages across the whitetail range. Clover (white clover like Ladino, and red clover) is a perennial, meaning one planting can produce forage for three to five years with proper mowing and fertility maintenance, unlike brassicas which are annuals you replant every year. The difference in strategy matters. Clover feeds deer April through October when it's actively growing, then goes dormant in the cold. Brassicas are planted to peak exactly when clover slows down, filling the late fall and winter gap. Most whitetail habitat programs, including guidance from federal wildlife habitat programs, recommend running both: a perennial clover plot for spring/summer nutrition and antler/fawn development, and an annual brassica or cereal grain plot for hunting season food ^[3]. If you're trying to decide which to plant first on a new property, clover generally wins for deer use across more months of the year, but brassicas win for concentrated late-season hunting pressure because deer key in hard on frost-sweetened greens when little else is left standing. For a broader rundown of forage options beyond these two, check deer food plot seed.

when to plant food plots for deer (general timing)

Timing depends entirely on what you're planting and your region, but the general rule is: perennials and spring annuals go in during spring (April-June in most of the whitetail range), and brassicas, cereal grains, and other fall annuals go in during summer (July-August) so they mature right before hunting season. The single most useful number to know is your area's average first frost date, which you can find through your state's cooperative extension or the NOAA climate normals for your county. Work backward from that date using the days-to-maturity figures for whatever you're planting. For brassicas specifically, most land-grant guidance recommends planting 60 to 90 days before your average first fall frost ^[4]. In practical terms that lands most of the Midwest and Upper South in late July through mid-August, and the Deep South into late August or even September. Planting too early risks bolting and bitterness in warm weather; too late and the plants never bulk up before frost shuts down growth.

when to plant turnips for deer

Plant turnips for deer 60 to 90 days before your area's average first fall frost, which for most of the whitetail's range means late July through August. Turnips need that runway to build both leaf mass and a bulb before growth slows in the cold. Mississippi State University Extension recommends planting brassica forages, turnips included, in late summer for fall/winter grazing, timed so peak growth coincides with the first frosts that sweeten the leaves and roots ^[4]. If you plant much later than that window, you'll get leafy growth but the bulbs won't have time to size up, which matters if you're hoping for a two-stage food source (leaves get eaten first, bulbs later once deer dig into frozen ground for them). Seeding rate for pure turnip stands runs about 4-6 lbs per acre broadcast into a prepared, firm seedbed, seeded at roughly a quarter inch deep. Turnip seed is tiny; too deep and it won't emerge.

when to plant oats for deer

Plant oats for deer in late summer to early fall, generally 6 to 10 weeks before your first frost, so the same July-through-September window that works for brassicas usually works for oats too. Oats germinate fast, often within a week in warm soil, and can be ready for deer to browse within 3-4 weeks of planting. Oats are a cool-season cereal grain, not a brassica, but they're frequently mixed into brassica blends because the oats give deer something to eat immediately while the turnips and radishes are still bulking up underground. That combination (oats plus brassica) is one of the most common fall annual mixes sold commercially, and for good reason: the oats cover the first 4-6 weeks, the brassicas cover the rest of winter. Oats will winterkill in most of the northern and central whitetail range once temperatures drop into the teens and lower for extended periods, so don't count on them past early-to-mid winter in colder zones. In the Deep South, oats can persist and even provide some green growth into late winter.

do deer like honey (honeysuckle, honey locust, or actual honey)?

Deer don't eat honey itself; that question usually comes from confusion with honeysuckle or honey locust, both of which deer do browse. Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is a preferred winter browse in much of the eastern whitetail range because it stays semi-evergreen and palatable when other browse is gone, though it's also an aggressive invasive species that many state forestry and natural resource agencies actively discourage planting ^[5]. Honey locust pods (Gleditsia triacanthos) are also a known deer food, particularly the sweet pulp inside the seed pods that drop in fall. Neither honeysuckle nor honey locust is a food plot crop in the planted-annual sense; they're browse species that show up naturally or get managed as part of broader habitat work rather than seeded plots. If your actual interest is sweetness as an attractant, that's really a brassica trait: cold exposure converts starches to sugars in turnip and radish tissue, which is the real reason deer hammer brassica plots hard after a few frosts.

what are deer's favorite food, and where do brassicas rank?

There's no single universal "favorite," because deer preference shifts by season, region, and what's available, but researchers who've studied whitetail diets consistently find that browse (woody leaves and stems), forbs, and mast crops like acorns dominate the natural diet, while agricultural crops and food plot forages rank as high-value supplemental food when available. Native forbs and browse still make up the bulk of a wild deer's actual diet across most of the year, even on managed properties with food plots . Among planted food plot options specifically, soybeans and clover generally see the highest season-long use because deer eat both the leaves through summer, and beans additionally provide a fall grain source once pods mature. Brassicas rank near the top for late fall and winter specifically, often becoming the most heavily used plot on a property once frost hits and clover growth stalls. Corn and standing grain sorghum draw deer for the grain itself, especially in the cold months.

how do you plant a brassica plot correctly?

Start with a soil test. Brassicas prefer a pH between 6.0 and 6.5 and respond strongly to nitrogen and to boron in particular, and your soil test results (not a generic recommendation) should drive your lime and fertilizer rates. Most extension guides suggest 300-400 lbs per acre of a balanced fertilizer like 19-19-19, but your lab's specific numbers for your field override any general rule. Seedbed prep matters more for brassicas than for almost any other plot crop, because the seed is so small. You want a firm, fine seedbed, not loose fluffy dirt. Broadcast at the recommended rate (roughly 5-10 lbs/acre for a pure turnip/radish mix, less for rape-heavy blends), then drag or roll to press seed into the top quarter inch of soil. Don't bury it deep; brassica seed germinates from very shallow depth. Weed control before planting is worth the extra step. A burndown herbicide application 1-2 weeks ahead of planting on a fallow field knocks out competition while the tiny brassica seedlings establish. Once brassicas get 3-4 true leaves, they outcompete most weeds on their own. For equipment-side detail on drills, cultipackers, and no-till options for small seed like this, see deer food plots.

how much brassica seed do you need per acre, and what does it cost?

Seeding rates vary by species and whether you're planting a pure stand or a blend. Pure turnip stands run 4-6 lbs/acre. Pure forage radish runs similarly, 6-8 lbs/acre. Rape and canola run lighter, 4-6 lbs/acre, because the seed is slightly larger and germination rates run higher. Commercial multi-species brassica blends typically recommend 4-8 lbs/acre depending on the mix ratio. Cost-wise, bagged brassica blend seed generally runs somewhere in the $6-15 per pound range depending on brand and whether it includes proprietary genetics, which puts a half-acre to one-acre brassica plot's seed cost in the range of roughly $25-100, not counting lime, fertilizer, or herbicide. That's genuinely one of the cheaper plot options per acre compared to a soybean or corn plot, which is part of why brassicas are such a popular first plot for someone leasing a small parcel. If you're mapping out a whole-property plan and trying to figure out which fields get brassicas versus clover versus grain, a soil test in hand plus a written plan makes the fertilizer and lime spend far more efficient than guessing. That's the exact gap PlotSeason's $99 one-time Custom Food Plot Plan (see /plot-plan-builder) is built to fill: it takes your soil test results and property specifics and turns them into a species and fertility plan, though your soil-test lab's specific lime and nutrient recommendations should always be the final word on rates for your ground.

what mistakes ruin most brassica plots?

The most common mistake is planting too early or too late relative to frost, covered above; the second most common is planting too deep, since brassica seed needs to sit near the surface to emerge reliably. The third mistake is ignoring soil pH. Brassicas struggle badly in acidic soil below pH 5.5, and no amount of nitrogen fixes a pH problem. If your soil test comes back low, get lime down as early as possible, ideally months before planting, since lime takes time to move through soil and correct pH. A less obvious one: overestimating early deer pressure tolerance. Brassica seedlings are vulnerable in the first 3-4 weeks, and if deer numbers are high relative to plot size, they can graze a small brassica plot down before it ever establishes. On smaller acreages, exclusion cages or planting a slightly larger plot than you think you need helps guard against getting grazed out before the plants mature. Also check your state's baiting and supplemental feeding regulations before combining plots with any mineral or feed stations. Rules vary a lot by state and some prohibit feeding in certain zones even where food plots themselves remain legal, so check your state wildlife agency's current regulations before setting up anything beyond a standard planted plot.

Frequently asked questions

Do deer eat sorghum?

Yes, but mostly as a fall/winter grain source once seed heads mature, and it's more commonly used as a tall companion or screening crop planted alongside beans or brassicas. It's not typically a primary deer attractant on its own the way clover, soybeans, or brassicas are.

Do deer like clover?

Yes, clover is one of the most consistently preferred food plot forages for whitetails and is used heavily from spring through fall while actively growing. It's a perennial, so one planting can last three to five years with mowing and fertility upkeep, unlike annual brassicas that need replanting yearly.

When should I plant food plots for deer?

Spring annuals and perennials like clover generally go in April through June. Fall annuals like brassicas, oats, and other cereal grains go in mid-summer, typically 60-90 days before your area's average first frost, so most of the Midwest and Upper South plants in late July through August.

When should I plant turnips for deer?

Plant turnips 60 to 90 days before your area's first fall frost, which is late July through August across most of the whitetail range. This gives turnips enough time to build leaf mass and a root bulb before cold weather slows growth.

When should I plant oats for deer?

Plant oats 6 to 10 weeks before your first fall frost, roughly the same July-through-September window as brassicas. Oats germinate quickly and can be browsable within 3-4 weeks, making them a good companion to slower-maturing brassicas in a blend.

What is a food plot?

A food plot is a planted area, from a fraction of an acre to several acres, established specifically to provide forage that attracts and feeds deer or other wildlife on hunting property. Plots are typically split into perennial (clover, alfalfa) and annual (brassicas, cereal grains, beans) types serving different seasons.

What is deer's favorite food?

There's no single favorite; wild diets are dominated by native browse, forbs, and mast like acorns, while among planted forages soybeans and clover see the most season-long use. Brassicas often become the most heavily used plot specifically in late fall and winter once frost sweetens the leaves and roots.

Do deer like honey?

Deer don't eat honey itself. This question usually stems from confusion with honeysuckle, an aggressive vine deer browse heavily in winter, or honey locust pods, whose sweet pulp deer also eat. Neither is a planted food plot crop; both are natural browse.

What's the best brassica for a first-time food plot?

A blended bag containing purple top turnip, forage radish, and dwarf Essex rape is the safest first choice because it hedges between fast early leaf growth, root tonnage, and cold-hardy late-season leaf. Pure single-species stands work too but require more precise timing to get right.

Do brassicas need fertilizer to grow well for deer plots?

Yes, brassicas are heavy nitrogen users and also respond strongly to boron. A soil test should set your exact lime and fertilizer rates, but general extension guidance suggests around 300-400 lbs/acre of a balanced fertilizer like 19-19-19 as a starting reference point.

How deep should I plant brassica seed?

About a quarter inch deep, no more. Brassica seed is tiny and germinates poorly if buried too deep. Broadcast onto a firm, prepared seedbed and drag or roll the ground afterward to press seed into light contact with soil rather than tilling it under.

Why do deer seem to ignore my brassica plot until after a frost?

Frost converts starches in brassica leaves and roots into sugars, which is exactly why deer often ignore a brassica plot in early fall and then hammer it hard once temperatures drop. This is normal and expected, not a sign the plot failed.

Sources

1. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Forage Radish Cover Crop Plant Guide: forage radish taproots can grow deep and help reduce soil compaction
2. USDA NRCS, Cover Crop Chart (Brassica species growth characteristics): brassica leaf versus root growth habits and relative cold tolerance
3. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Wildlife Habitat Management Practices: combining perennial and annual forage plantings supports wildlife nutrition across seasons
4. USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) Species Review: Japanese honeysuckle is browsed by deer and is a semi-evergreen winter food source and invasive species
5. USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Species Review: native browse, forbs, and mast dominate whitetail deer diet across most of the year