Do You Like Radishes?

This is a picture of what I pulled out of my field that was planted to a cover crop. I was walking home to get the combine after taking the truck out to the field. I seeded two bushels of oats an acre and a pound of radishes. I was very surprised at how tall the oats grew and how big the radishes were. They were not plated until late August.

I added radishes the last two years because they grow deeper in the soil. It there was compaction, or a tillage layer about 12 inches deep in the soil I thought those big tubers might be able to grow through it and open up the soil. This radish was likely more than 12 inches long. I pulled it and some of it broke off in the soil. You can see it still was almost 8 inches long and one inch in diameter where it broke off.

The oats and radishes sure should help open the soil, provide more tilth not to mention different microorganisms. I have heard some farmers get very creative and spent $50 or $60 an acre planting many different cover crop species. My oats and radishes only cost $23 an acre. So, If you like to eat radishes you are welcome to head out to the farm, dig a few and take them home!