Home Plot ideas-can I plant rye (grain) in the spring?

[Derek Reese 29]

Hello again everyone,
I know I have discussed a small (~0.4 acre) plot that I will be putting in front of my house, but wanted some more input. Right now the field has about foot high grass/weeds growing in it.
My plan from now until frost seeding is as follows:
1. Get a soil test
2. Cut the grass as low as I can using a brush hog/weed whacker
3. Run a small rake over to remove excessive grass
4. Lime/Amend soil ASAP
5. Frost seed-2.5 lbs of alsike, 2.5 lbs of aberlasting, 2.5 lbs of medium red clover
6. Overseed rye?
The first few items I am definitely doing but want to know if I should include the rye. I didn't have the time to get the plot prepped and rye in this fall, but was wondering if it would work to plant ~100 lbs of it as a nurse crop for the spring (there are alot of deer around and I fear they would eat all my new clover if left unprotected). I know the seeding rate for my clovers is high but I want it to be thick as I am surrounded by ag and want to give the deer a different choice. Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks!

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Plant the clover with 100# of oats and mow it after the oats have matured and dried down.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Plant the clover with 100# of oats and mow it after the oats have matured and dried down.

will the oats grow/protect the clover better than rye? I have never planted them but had decent success with rye (I'm assuming the rye straw will be good organic matter too?)

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Not sure about better but it is common practice in my area to spring plant alfalfa with a cover crop of oats. If you were fall planting id say rye but you aren't so.....

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Not sure about better but it is common practice in my area to spring plant alfalfa with a cover crop of oats. If you were fall planting id say rye but you aren't so.....

I definitely want a cover/nurse crop (just saw a previous thread where the difference was explained) I just want to protect the clover so I can get some decent growth in the first year...I think I would have to wait till a little later in the spring to plant the oats right? grains are newer to me but really want that clover to thrive (also so I don't have to mow that half acre as a yard)

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I definitely want a cover/nurse crop (just saw a previous thread where the difference was explained) I just want to protect the clover so I can get some decent growth in the first year...I think I would have to wait till a little later in the spring to plant the oats right? grains are newer to me but really want that clover to thrive (also so I don't have to mow that half acre as a yard)

Farmers around me plant them in April (S.E. MN.)

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I htink I could probably squeeze the oats in a few weeks after my frost seeding of clover (call it 2nd to last or last week in March-I'm a little bit more South in Northern PA).
That way the clover could get in but not really started before I broadcast the oats and cultipacked. That might even help the clover.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I think I am gonna go this route (I had another thread with some additional help for the reed canary grass):
Lime the field soon (there are still some patches of snow but it isnt covered anymore)
Burn the field with fire ASAP. (March)
Spray a few rounds of Round up as the canary grass and other weeds start to grow. (April-May)
plant buckwheat at a very high rate (Maybe 100lbs in the 1/2 acre) (May)
plant rye/some clovers in the fall into the standing buckwheat. (Late August-September)
crush/spray the buckwheat and see what happens (at rye planting)

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I think I am gonna go this route (I had another thread with some additional help for the reed canary grass):
Lime the field soon (there are still some patches of snow but it isnt covered anymore)
Burn the field with fire ASAP. (March)
Spray a few rounds of Round up as the canary grass and other weeds start to grow. (April-May)
plant buckwheat at a very high rate (Maybe 100lbs in the 1/2 acre) (May)
plant rye/some clovers in the fall into the standing buckwheat. (Late August-September)
crush/spray the buckwheat and see what happens (at rye planting)

I was going to suggest just that instead of trying to get the clover in the ground this spring. I think you will have much better success establishing the clover in the fall with your rye than trying to get it in this spring.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I was going to suggest just that instead of trying to get the clover in the ground this spring. I think you will have much better success establishing the clover in the fall with your rye than trying to get it in this spring.

Yeah no need to rush it and I would much rather burn (chemical wise) a field of cheap buckwheat than one of super weedy clover

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Yeah no need to rush it and I would much rather burn (chemical wise) a field of cheap buckwheat than one of super weedy clover

You may even have very good luck simply broadcasting your rye and clover into the standing buckwheat and then terminating it by simply rolling over it with some kind of a crimper/roller or cultipacker. No chemical necessary. A 3 point tiller on a tractor with the PTO shaft removed also makes a decent crimper. Simply allow the tines to free spin over the crop.

 

[Bassattackr]

I definitely want a cover/nurse crop (just saw a previous thread where the difference was explained) I just want to protect the clover so I can get some decent growth in the first year...I think I would have to wait till a little later in the spring to plant the oats right? grains are newer to me but really want that clover to thrive (also so I don't have to mow that half acre as a yard)

Fall planted cereal grains + clover works really well as a nurse crop to the clover. I've never tried planting spring oats in a frost seeded spring plot but it's not a bad idea..

Personally, I like late winter frost seeding clover vs fall planting because if you have a dry fall (like we had last year) it won't ever establish and you'll be left hunting over dirt.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Fall planted cereal grains + clover works really well as a nurse crop to the clover. I've never tried planting spring oats in a frost seeded spring plot but it's not a bad idea..

Personally, I like late winter frost seeding clover vs fall planting because if you have a dry fall (like we had last year) it won't ever establish and you'll be left hunting over dirt.

I ran into that last fall too..i had tiny brassicas in an existing (albeit crispy and dry) clover plot...then i added rye late and we finally got rain in october (during archery season)... that clover field bounced back and had some rye in it and the deer loved it...ill be frost seeding and overseeding into it this spring and hoping the rye grows too

 

[yoderjac]

Hello again everyone,
I know I have discussed a small (~0.4 acre) plot that I will be putting in front of my house, but wanted some more input. Right now the field has about foot high grass/weeds growing in it.
My plan from now until frost seeding is as follows:
1. Get a soil test
2. Cut the grass as low as I can using a brush hog/weed whacker
3. Run a small rake over to remove excessive grass
4. Lime/Amend soil ASAP
5. Frost seed-2.5 lbs of alsike, 2.5 lbs of aberlasting, 2.5 lbs of medium red clover
6. Overseed rye?
The first few items I am definitely doing but want to know if I should include the rye. I didn't have the time to get the plot prepped and rye in this fall, but was wondering if it would work to plant ~100 lbs of it as a nurse crop for the spring (there are alot of deer around and I fear they would eat all my new clover if left unprotected). I know the seeding rate for my clovers is high but I want it to be thick as I am surrounded by ag and want to give the deer a different choice. Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks!

Not the best way to establish perennial clover. If the "grass" you are referring to is fescue, I'd spend some time with other crops until you have eradicated it. If not, I'd at least spend this spring summer getting weeds under control. Buckwheat is a good smother crop that will grow while you amendments are working. Save your clover for a fall plant with a winter rye nurse crop.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Not the best way to establish perennial clover. If the "grass" you are referring to is fescue, I'd spend some time with other crops until you have eradicated it. If not, I'd at least spend this spring summer getting weeds under control. Buckwheat is a good smother crop that will grow while you amendments are working. Save your clover for a fall plant with a winter rye nurse crop.

Yep thats why I changed the plan...see post 8..and I'm getting rid of reed canary grass along with other weeds and amending the field (pH=5.7) with Lime...clovers will get planted in the fall with rye grain..thanks!

 

[chucker66]

I am about 2 years ahead of you in this process. Burn the RCG both with fire and then with Roundup. Follow this up with Buckwheat. The probelm I had is I didn't plant it thick enough and the deer pounded it. Planted clover and rye last fall and hope to see it comeing up this spring. RCG can be tough to get rid of but you just need to saty on top of it.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

I am about 2 years ahead of you in this process. Burn the RCG both with fire and then with Roundup. Follow this up with Buckwheat. The probelm I had is I didn't plant it thick enough and the deer pounded it. Planted clover and rye last fall and hope to see it comeing up this spring. RCG can be tough to get rid of but you just need to saty on top of it.

Going to plant 100 lbs on slightly less than 1/2 acre...I think that should be thick enough but I do have a high deer density. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[yoderjac]

Going to plant 100 lbs on slightly less than 1/2 acre...I think that should be thick enough but I do have a high deer density. Thanks for the encouragement!

Getting the right plant density can be tricky on a small plot, especially with high deer density. Too many plants per sq foot results in a stunted crop because of lack of resources to support that many plants. Too few and the deer wipe them out. Buckwheat is a good choice as it is used by deer but generally not abused. On tiny plots though, it can be abused.

 

[Derek Reese 29]

Getting the right plant density can be tricky on a small plot, especially with high deer density. Too many plants per sq foot results in a stunted crop because of lack of resources to support that many plants. Too few and the deer wipe them out. Buckwheat is a good choice as it is used by deer but generally not abused. On tiny plots though, it can be abused.

I had too few plants and too many deer last year in a spot not far from my house where a 1/2 acre was eaten to 4" stems in a few days..i think my seeding rate was only about 35 lbs an acre there

 

[yoderjac]

I had too few plants and too many deer last year in a spot not far from my house where a 1/2 acre was eaten to 4" stems in a few days..i think my seeding rate was only about 35 lbs an acre there

You may want to consider waiting to plant. Buckwheat germinates and grows more quickly in warm soil. The optimal soil temp (not air temp) for buckwheat germination is 80 degrees. Down here, I get the most vigorous crops waiting until mid-June to plant it. Look at your native quality foods in the area. The more abundant they are at the time your buckwheat germinates the better.