Turnips are a highly valued annual brassica for creating a late-season deer food plot, providing forage when other natural options have diminished. They offer a unique dual-food source: leafy tops and energy-rich underground bulbs attractive to whitetails. Successfully cultivating turnips requires specific timing and preparation, especially in Missouri’s varied climate. The goal is to ensure substantial growth and bulb development before the deep cold sets in, maximizing the plot’s potential as a winter food source for deer.
Critical Planting Timelines for Missouri Food Plots
Planting turnips at the correct time is the most important factor for maximizing their effectiveness. As cool-season annuals, turnips require 60 to 90 days to develop large bulbs before a hard frost arrives. Planting too late results in small bulbs and insufficient forage to withstand heavy deer browsing.
The optimal window for planting turnips across most of Missouri generally falls between late July and mid-September. For maximum bulb production, planting in late July or early August is often recommended, provided there is adequate moisture for germination. This earlier timing ensures the plants have the longest possible growing season to develop large, robust bulbs beneath the soil.
Planting later in August or early September is viable, but the compressed timeframe may result in smaller bulbs. Hunters must calculate the expected date of the first hard frost and work backward by at least 60 days. This ensures the plant matures enough to convert starches into sweet sugars after the frost, which is when deer attraction peaks.
Turnips thrive in the cooler temperatures of the fall, which is why late summer planting is preferred over spring planting. The approaching cool weather promotes vigorous leaf growth and bulb enlargement. Timing the planting to coincide with seasonal temperature drops delivers a high-quality, late-season food source.
Essential Soil Preparation and Seed Depth
Soil quality is a major determinant of turnip plot success, and preparation should begin well before planting. Turnips perform best in well-drained, fertile soils with a slightly acidic to neutral pH level, ideally ranging from 6.0 to 6.8. Obtaining a recent soil test is the best way to determine existing pH and nutrient levels, allowing for targeted amendments.
If the soil test indicates a pH below 6.0, lime should be applied to raise the acidity level and make nutrients more available to the plants. The planting area should be thoroughly tilled to break up compacted soil, as this allows the turnip bulbs to expand easily underground. A fine, firm seedbed is necessary to promote optimal seed-to-soil contact for germination.
Turnip seeds are small and must be planted very shallowly, with a target depth of only 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Planting deeper than this can significantly reduce germination success. The seed is typically broadcast over the prepared soil and then lightly covered using a cultipacker, drag harrow, or even an ATV tire to press the seed into the top layer of the soil.
Effective weed control is necessary, as turnip seedlings can easily be outcompeted by aggressive weeds. Applying a non-selective herbicide several weeks before planting eliminates existing vegetation. This ensures the newly germinated plants have minimal competition for sunlight, water, and soil nutrients.
Managing the Plot for Peak Deer Attraction
Management after germination focuses on maximizing plant growth and ensuring the forage is palatable when deer need it most. Turnips are heavy feeders, especially needing nitrogen for maximum leaf production. An initial balanced fertilizer, such as a 19-19-19 blend, is typically applied at planting to support early growth.
Four to six weeks after the seedlings emerge, a high-nitrogen fertilizer, such as urea (46-0-0), should be top-dressed onto the plot. This second application boosts leafy growth, providing abundant forage. This split-application method ensures the plants receive necessary nitrogen during their most rapid growth phase.
Deer consumption of the turnip plot generally occurs in two distinct phases tied directly to the weather. Initially, deer will graze on the leafy green tops, which offer high protein content during the early fall hunting season. If the deer density is high, they may consume the tops quickly, but often the plants are left to mature.
The greatest attraction, however, occurs after the first few hard frosts. Cold temperatures trigger a biochemical change in the plant, converting the complex starches stored in the leaves and bulbs into simple, sweet sugars. This process significantly increases palatability, causing deer to heavily target the now-sweetened greens and eventually dig up the underground bulbs in the late season when other food sources are scarce.