Buster Tillage Radish

We recommend Buster Tillage Forage Radish. It was bred for a large tuber taproot that breaks up compacted layers. When the roots decay, they leave channels that improve aeration and water infiltration. It also draws nutrients up to the surface for the next crop. It suits soils with a pH (CaCl2) of 5.0–7.5 and a flexible spring, summer or autumn sowing window.

Buster Tillage Forage Radish is a quick option. First grazing is possible 5–6 weeks after sowing, and you can take 2–3 grazings before it matures at 10–12 weeks. It is highly palatable for cattle and sheep. Sow in January or February on good summer rain for the most feed and tuber growth, or sow in autumn or spring.

Buster Tillage Forage Radish quickly grows a closed canopy, about a month ahead of oat and rye cover crops. That shades out weeds through winter and leaves fewer weeds in spring. It also produces high biomass and breaks down quickly, releasing nutrients for the following crop. It suits a flexible spring, summer or autumn sowing window.

Yes, we recommend Buster Tillage Forage Radish. It produces more root mass than mustard or oilseed radish and two to four times the roots of cereals or grasses. That lets it mine nitrogen and other nutrients before they leach, then return them to the surface as it decomposes, which can reduce the need for extra nitrogen.

We recommend pairing Buster Tillage Forage Radish with a grass or cereal, such as our oats or an annual ryegrass, to balance the ration. Radish is very palatable, but brassicas can cause health issues if fed alone. Introduce stock gradually, avoid grazing in very wet conditions that undo the compaction benefit, and graze the tops so the plants regrow.

With Buster Tillage Forage Radish, start grazing at 5–6 weeks and graze off only the top part so the plants regrow. You can then take 2–3 grazings before maturity at 10–12 weeks. Strategic grazing can also delay maturity. Avoid grazing when the paddock is very wet, and introduce stock gradually as with any brassica.

Buster Tillage Forage Radish is faster, with first grazing at 5–6 weeks and a large taproot that relieves compaction, but it is short-term at 10–12 weeks. Our Winfred Forage Brassica takes 10 to 12 weeks to first grazing but gives 2 to 4 grazings from early summer to late winter. Pick radish for soil repair and fast feed.

Our tech sheets recommend 8–10 kg/ha of Tillage Forage Radish, and the 2026 guide gives 5–8 kg/ha, so talk to us about the right rate for your sowing method and purpose. It suits soil pH (CaCl2) of 5.0–7.5 and is best on sandier soils. Drilling gives the best establishment.

Sow Tillage Forage Radish 6–12mm deep in average soil conditions, going to about 20mm if the soil is dry. Drilling gives the best results, although it can also be broadcast or spread aerially. If you broadcast, use harrows or a light roller to improve seed-to-soil contact. The seed usually germinates in three to four days.

If compaction is your main problem, we recommend Tillage Forage Radish. It produces more root mass than mustard crops or oilseed radish, and its large taproot breaks through hard layers. It also offers grazing within 5–6 weeks. Black Mustard is another brassica cover option, and both help break pest cycles in cropping rotations.