Buckwheat question

[cbw]

Hey all,
First time food potter question. We are following Jeff Sturgis ultimate know till method. We planted buckwheat seven weeks ago. Getting ready plant the fall planting of half beans/peas and other half brassicas.

Here’s my question. The buckwheat is just starting to have seeds that are turning dark and going to seed. It’s not supposed to rain until next Thursday—8 days from today.

Question: do we plant and knock it down ASAP so the rest of the buckwheat doesn’t go to seed? Or wait a week and plant it right before the rain? I’m leaning toward planting tomorrow, since we can drill it direct into the soil.

We have a notill drill and rollercrimper.

Appreciate your input!
Chad


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[jsasker007]

I think it depends how thick the buckwheat is----it will grow fine with the other things you're planting and just add to the buffet. Kind of a judgement call on your part. Don't know where you are located but it's getting pretty late for beans.

 

[yoderjac]

First, add your location/usda zone to your profile as that is a big factor in the best approach for many of the questions you will have. I would not worry at all about the buckwheat going to seed. The volunteer crop you will get depends largely on your soils. In most cases it is not thick enough to be problematic. It acts as an early season attractant, and is very cold sensitive. Any left by the deer will die at the first cold snap you get. This is similar to fall planted beans. They provide an early season attractant and then die making room for the other seed in your mix.

More sins are erases by planting right before a rain than anything else. If you are new at this and you have the opportunity, waiting and planting right before a good rain will improve your chances of success more than anything else.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[cbw]

Thanks guys. Live in SW Iowa. :-)


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[S.T.Fanatic]

If your going to hunt over it, do yourself a favor and add sunflowers to your pea/bean mix. Like jack mentioned frost will take them out but they are my favorite early bow season attractant.

 

[jsasker007]

Oats are another good draw but will die off after a couple of frosts.

 

[cbw]

Thanks. Good feedback. Will be hunting the approaches on the destination plots. And overseeing with cereal rye in mid- Sept.

20%-60% rain in the forecast for the next eight days. We are planting today and tomorrow!


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[BobinCt]

I’m not a fan of letting the BW going to seed then planting my fall/winter plot and having BW part of it. It’s not a big attractant for deer and it takes away from my fall/winter food source. Yes, it will feed up to a frost, but it also shades out your fall/winter food source at the same time. I’ve made this mistake in the past of letting it go to seed and knocking it down for my fall/winter planting. I’ll make sure it don’t happen again. Like Jack said, it’s still food for deer, but it’s not the food I want at that time of the year in my plots, but everyone has their own opinion of want they want in their plots.

 

[yoderjac]

I’m not a fan of letting the BW going to seed then planting my fall/winter plot and having BW part of it. It’s not a big attractant for deer and it takes away from my fall/winter food source. Yes, it will feed up to a frost, but it also shades out your fall/winter food source at the same time. I’ve made this mistake in the past of letting it go to seed and knocking it down for my fall/winter planting. I’ll make sure it don’t happen again. Like Jack said, it’s still food for deer, but it’s not the food I want at that time of the year in my plots, but everyone has their own opinion of want they want in their plots.

I think it depends on your soils and how thick you plant, deer density and your soil fertility. My volunteer crops are never close to shading out my target crop. Like any annual, buckwheat is very attractive to deer when it is young and my deer love those young annuals in the fall whether it is soybeans or buckwheat or sunflowers. Our different experiences go to show folks how each area is different and you have to adapt and refine to your conditions. Good counter-viewpoint to share!

Thanks,

jack

 

[Bassattackr]

I don't get much deer browse (if any) on my buckwheat. Like others have mentioned, there seems to be more preferable food when beans and grain are around.

 

[ruskbucks]

The same thing happened to me as bobin. I had a great looking buckwheat field that had flowered out and had some seeds that had formed. I disc it in on July 4 and planted rape right after it. When I went back to check on rape it was almost non existent under a foot high field of super thick buckwheat. I swore I wouldn't plant it again, but it was my fault for not tilling it under in time.