yoderjac
5 year old buck +
This spring I planted a mix of sunn hemp and buckwheat. The deer jumped on the sunn hump quickly so it was think enough for the buckwheat to dominate this year. The buckwheat was about 3' tall when it flowered and went to seed. In late August, I planted my fall mix. It consisted of WR, CC, GHR, and PTT. I broadcast the seed, cultipacked, and sprayed.
Many folks complain about volunteer buckwheat as problematic for them. I don't doubt that in more fertile soils, if it is terminated soon after going to seed. It has never been a problem for me. Here is how it works for me:
When the volunteer buckwheat seed gets cultipacked in the warm august soil, it germinates quickly. The deer hit it and consume a lot of it. The rest flower before it gets a food tall this late in the year. I think it is the cool evenings that triggers it. You can see there is plenty of the planted crop that has germinated in the field.
As soon as we get a light frost, the buckwheat will die making room for everything else. I'll try to remember to take another pic in a month or so.
Thanks,
Jack
Many folks complain about volunteer buckwheat as problematic for them. I don't doubt that in more fertile soils, if it is terminated soon after going to seed. It has never been a problem for me. Here is how it works for me:
When the volunteer buckwheat seed gets cultipacked in the warm august soil, it germinates quickly. The deer hit it and consume a lot of it. The rest flower before it gets a food tall this late in the year. I think it is the cool evenings that triggers it. You can see there is plenty of the planted crop that has germinated in the field.
As soon as we get a light frost, the buckwheat will die making room for everything else. I'll try to remember to take another pic in a month or so.
Thanks,
Jack