Broadcasting Winter Rye into existing standing corn.

[Joe Buck]

Here in Wis. it may be a month before the corn is harvested. Can you broadcast WR into existing standing corn with any decent results? We were planning to do some after the corn was harvested but was wondering if this was a viable option? Secondly, is middle of Oct. (after corn is harvested) to late to plant WR for any benefit this year in zone 4 Thanking you in advance for a reply.

 

[Ben Glantz]

Here in Wis. it may be a month before the corn is harvested. Can you broadcast WR into existing standing corn with any decent results? We were planning to do some after the corn was harvested but was wondering if this was a viable option? Secondly, is middle of Oct. (after corn is harvested) to late to plant WR for any benefit this year in zone 4 Thanking you in advance for a reply.

I would think you could do it as soon as the leaves start to turn down and the ground starts to get some sunlight. Are you corn rows spaced pretty close? I have seen picutres of corn fields that had been broadcasted with winter rye and it had a nice green carpet on the ground.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I'd say go for it. The key will be rain not sunlight.

 

[j-bird]

Go for it. Wait until the corn starts to turn and walk every other row with a chest mount spreader and broadcast away. Keep in mind the fodder out of the combine may cause some issue but it's rye. Rye is fairly cheap and will germinate and grow in the coolest temps of any plot plant I know of.

Corn here is starting to turn and some is even being cut for silage here already. Fall is on it's way - ready or not!!!

 

[Powder]

I'd buy a bag and give it a shot. The seed is cheap and all you're doing is broadcasting it. If you're not sure, buy one bag for $15 and throw it on a half acre and see what happens. Worst case scenario is you don't do it again. Make sure to do it right before a good rain. To me, it's a no-brainer to try it.

 

[cornfedkiller]

Can't answer your question, but look forward to seeing your results!

 

[SWIFFY]

I have been over-seeding all my corn while its still green and standing. I cant seem to notice a difference at all. It grows just as well as in the standing beans etc. I cant say i get a "carpet" of green but its there and it comes in great in spring. I agree with ST that it has more to do with moisture than sunlight now. Get it on the ground!

 

[mikmaze]

I did it last year, trial run I hand cast one bushel into standing corn, when the corn got harvested 3 weeks later the ry was up and deer keyed on it as it had a one month head start on the rest of the rye plots I put in the field after the corn came off. royal pita walking every other row with a bucket and tossing it by hand. quite a few leaf cuts, and a lot of dang dust in the eyes, nose.........

 

[JFK52]

I planted 5 acres of RR corn. It is not like a cash crop farmer's corn field. When it was no till planted, there was more spacing between the stalks in each row. When I looked at doing this same thing this fall, I saw way too much green growing at the ground level. I sprayed the field twice with gly and have never cared what grew underneath the stalks after the second spraying. By then the corn had outgrown any weed competition. The space between the stalks makes this field easier to hunt with firearms. The corn stays up as a winter food source.
Please keep the forum updated on your project.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

The last few seasons I have planted rye as late as October 15th and if you get one good rain you can bet a week later it'll be a sea of green. I threw this down 10 days ago. The stuff is foolproof and the deer eat it.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

I tilled this back and forth spread the seed and dragged it one more time in both directions. I routinely overseed rye on every little plot I have with sucess.

I worry more about turkeys seeing all that candy on top the soil versus it not germinating.

Tiniest foodplot/funnel/waterhole in WI. Worked 3 times last year :)

 

[alldaysit]

I tilled this back and forth spread the seed and dragged it one more time in both directions. I routinely overseed rye on every little plot I have with sucess.

I worry more about turkeys seeing all that candy on top the soil versus it not germinating.

Tiniest foodplot/funnel/waterhole in WI. Worked 3 times last year :)View attachment 15041

Holy awesomeness!!! Thanks for showing that picture. I better get on these waterholes.


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[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Saturday night I had my lady friend there and a doe walked the plank around 7 o'clock. Unfortunately she stood there and nipped at the rye for 10 minutes and by the time she crossed the dike she could not see her pins well enough to let it fly. Still 10 minutes of legal time but its a everygreen blanket over there and it gets dark before times up usually. Only the second deer she has drawn on so I was more impressed by her choice than her not getting a shot. The deer was open from 25 to 30 yards but we have a pretty tight 20 and under policy going for now.

Meanwhile on the other side I popped a doe standing in guess what....mostly winter rye that was over seeded into and oats and peas plot. That plot is a massive 1/4 acre. One corner was so weedy that I ripped it up 3 weeks ago and replanted in rye oats and a touch of Winfred brassica. Its plenty thick now there isn't a weed in it.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

7 does and fawns within 60 yards of that spot tonight. 2 fawns walked rigjt down the dike ate the rye and drank from the puddle. Its drying up everyday which i would think will make it more valuable as the rest of the woods should dry up first.

All of the other deer were just wandering hoovering acorns. No chip shots and not taking another doe for awhile. Fun to sit back and watch the show.

 

[Joe Buck]

Went to our foodplots Thur., 5 days after seeding the WR into the existing corn. The corn is 7ft tall, we had some rain right after planting and it is starting to germinate. No blades yet, just starting to sprout. Will keep you posted.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

If you can see tiny purple sprouts in 36 hours you will have 2 inches of green.

 

[cavey]

You will not always get 100% germination ( but with a good rain and good seed it often seems like you do), if you had decent weed control it works well I have done it with good success... you can also broadcast it into soybeans when they start to yellow up too, when the leaves are off you'll have another source of food besides the pods, in the spring when everything else is dead the WR or WW will be the first to green up - its a good 24/7/365 day approach to keeping food on your property.... another plus is it helps amend the soil and if you were aggressive with your weed control it will add cover after the growing season till you plant again in late spring.
I did a water hole in the woods this spring and seeded around it, the area shaded out and everything died off but with the tree leaves starting to turn and drop the canopy is opening up and I reseeded some back over the same area and am hoping to see something like the pics above soon.

 

[WTNUT]

The last few seasons I have planted rye as late as October 15th and if you get one good rain you can bet a week later it'll be a sea of green. I threw this down 10 days ago. The stuff is foolproof and the deer eat it. View attachment 15040

What is that looks like you planted a foot path up to the cabin :)


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[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Just a dirt bridge over a wet spot. Funnel + food + water. 5 more deer could have been shot from there today. I think Bartylla would call this stacking odds in our favor. Sometimes they skip the funnel and plow through the mud. Sometimes they dont eat. Sometimes they dont drink. If they do 1 of the 3 they are screwed!!

Note. We sat our pond and this dinker water hole and my dad had more on this puddle than i had drink from a 6 foot deep pond. He had 2 fawns drink out of a kids pool/turtle he took the lid off of as well.