winter rye or oats

[Nova]

I have 2 plots at the farm that I have changed my mind on what to plant them in next year. I am going to plant brassica now. Unfortunately I didn't know this in the fall so I did not overseed them with winter rye. That means I need to plant either winter rye or oats in them this spring. I tried spring planted winter rye last year and wasn't real impressed with it. Took a while to get going then never got more than 12-18" tall by the time it was brassica planting time. The spring planted oats that I did grew excellent and got 4' plus tall. The only reason I am on the fence with this is that I don't think oats have the allelopathic affects that rye does for weed suppression. Given the choice for a spring planting what would you do, winter rye or oats?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I would plant wheat, or Buckwheat in the spring, or even a combination of the two. If you are stuck on oats or winter rye, mix them together, about 50 pounds of each per acre.


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[Nova]

I don't have the budget for buckwheat. I have planted that twice before and had outstanding luck with it, but that was when it was $20 a bushel. Last time I checked it was close to $50 a bushel.

Why wheat? Does that have the allelopathic affects like winter rye? I have never tried wheat...

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Why wheat? Does that have the allelopathic affects like winter rye? I have never tried wheat...

No it doesnt have a allelopathic affect. But it seems to thrive in the spring, my deer like it, and it is cheap. I usually like to plant a variety, so if one doesnt work, the other will. I like to plant oats in the fall with winter rye, and wheat in the spring with winter rye. Not sure really why, its just something I started doing, and it has worked well. The deer hammer the fall planted oats until it freezes, then the winter rye comes back alone in the spring.

 

[Tree Spud]

This is why I think WR is a better choice over oats or WW. The green stuff in the pic below is WR. We are Dec 2nd, have had a month of freezing temps with some temps in the mid teens at night. Some days like yesterday we hit 48 F. The pic below has oats, WW, & WR. The oats & WW have were toasted 2 weeks ago. The WR is still growing and is being heavily browsed by the deer. WR will germinate and green up at temps as low as 36 deg F.

 

[Buckly]

Given your Northern location, that doesn't give you much time for spring plantings. Here in NY I can't start planting until mid to late May and the brassica will go in mid to third week of July. That's only 6 weeks. I have come to the conclusion that spring planting is just a waste of time and resources for me. I would just leave it until you're ready to plant brassica.

 

[Tree Spud]

Given your Northern location, that doesn't give you much time for spring plantings. Here in NY I can't start planting until mid to late May and the brassica will go in mid to third week of July. That's only 6 weeks. I have come to the conclusion that spring planting is just a waste of time and resources for me. I would just leave it until you're ready to plant brassica.

That is the advantage of WR & Clover in the fall. They will start to green up 1st thing in the spring. Here in central Wisconsin, my plots start to green up in late March or early April as soon as the snow is gone. That 4-6 weeks of early green forage is really important.

 

[nitro27]

I'm north of you, I plant a couple of acres of rye in the fall for the deer in the spring. They browse it so hard in the spring that the field looks like like a tiller has gone thru it. Then I work the ground and plant soybeans for the fall.

 

[yoderjac]

I have 2 plots at the farm that I have changed my mind on what to plant them in next year. I am going to plant brassica now. Unfortunately I didn't know this in the fall so I did not overseed them with winter rye. That means I need to plant either winter rye or oats in them this spring. I tried spring planted winter rye last year and wasn't real impressed with it. Took a while to get going then never got more than 12-18" tall by the time it was brassica planting time. The spring planted oats that I did grew excellent and got 4' plus tall. The only reason I am on the fence with this is that I don't think oats have the allelopathic affects that rye does for weed suppression. Given the choice for a spring planting what would you do, winter rye or oats?

Not sure why the oats grew more. Generally Winter Rye grows taller than oats. Having said that, I would think growing tall would be a negative. As long as the stand is thick enough to deter weeds, 12" is plenty tall. Deer aren't going to use either much after they get that mature. I would think the overseeding of brassica would be easier with the cereal that is shorter.

I'm a proponent of WR for most fall applications, but I don't plant it in the spring. If I need a cereal for spring I will generally opt for oats.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Nova]

The fact that the oats got real tall gives me more ground coverage when I roll them which is nice for weed suppression. I have read that spring planted winter rye is not a vigorous and slower to start. After last year I can attest to that.

 

[yoderjac]

The fact that the oats got real tall gives me more ground coverage when I roll them which is nice for weed suppression. I have read that spring planted winter rye is not a vigorous and slower to start. After last year I can attest to that.

Didn't realize your were crimping them. That makes sense. I was thinking of terminating with herbicide or mowing and letting them die naturally.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[Tree Spud]

Dec 10th, we have had 2 weeks of nighttime temps in the lower teens, day time temps in the 20s, 2" of snow on the ground. Oats and wheat were toast 3 weeks ago, WR is still green and poking through the snow.