Discing question

[Someday isle]

Some of you may remember I tried some cow peas and buckwheat as a summer plot this year. It did okay actually In spite of high heat and drought conditions. The buckwheat started strong and then got wiped out by browse and heat. The cowpeas held in a little but they kept mowed down and pretty this. Fortunately not a lot of weeds so the buckwheat helped smother them out before the heat came in.

I know the throw and mow question comes up but that’s not something I can do when planting my fall plots. There’s just not enough vegetation to make that work right now.

My discing question is this - when I plant my cereal grain mix (rye and oats) every year I usually disc, broadcast the seed, cultipack, and then spread clover and forage radish on top. Would it work to broadcast my cereal grain mix first, before discing - then lightly disc to cover that seed, and then cultipack? That would also terminate what cowpeas are left. I sometimes end up in a time crunch so discing, broadcasting, then discing again, followed by cultipacking will add a lot of time. I’m going to be limited on Time this year and won’t have any helpers.

Any Thoughts or ideas would
Be appreciated.

 

[Kdog]

Don't see why it wouldn't work. Just make sure it is light disking like a minimum till.

 

[SwampCat]

I have done that many times with both a disk and a tiller. Not sure what your dirt is like - but you dont want to disk your seed under so deep it wont grow. On my ground, one pass with a HEAVY disk only goes a couple inches. Same with a tiller. Works perfect for what you are talking about. After fire or herbicide burn down, I spread wheat and disk. Depending on the size of the dirt clods, you may need to cultipack to break them up before planting small seed like clover and turnips - then cultipack again after planting

 

[Someday isle]

I have done that many times with both a disk and a tiller. Not sure what your dirt is like - but you dont want to disk your seed under so deep it wont grow. On my ground, one pass with a HEAVY disk only goes a couple inches. Same with a tiller. Works perfect for what you are talking about. After fire or herbicide burn down, I spread wheat and disk. Depending on the size of the dirt clods, you may need to cultipack to break them up before planting small seed like clover and turnips - then cultipack again after planting

This is exactly what is was thinking. I’m headed out for a quick trip this morning to check on things so I’ll walk the plots and see if this is a viable option this year. Thank you!

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

That is exactly what I do when planting beans or corn with a tiller. Broadcast seed on un prepared ground, till, and drag. Works great. I would think it would be the same with cereal. I would also add some winter peas and sunflowers to your cereal mix. Hell, buckwheat too if you have any left over. The sunflowers and buckwheat will die with the first frost but sunflowers are an early season magnet when planted late.

 

[Nightvision]

I really don’t see how you can run a disk and not plant clover too deep. It would work great for your grains.

 

[Tree Spud]

Some of you may remember I tried some cow peas and buckwheat as a summer plot this year. It did okay actually In spite of high heat and drought conditions. The buckwheat started strong and then got wiped out by browse and heat. The cowpeas held in a little but they kept mowed down and pretty this. Fortunately not a lot of weeds so the buckwheat helped smother them out before the heat came in.

I know the throw and mow question comes up but that’s not something I can do when planting my fall plots. There’s just not enough vegetation to make that work right now.

My discing question is this - when I plant my cereal grain mix (rye and oats) every year I usually disc, broadcast the seed, cultipack, and then spread clover and forage radish on top. Would it work to broadcast my cereal grain mix first, before discing - then lightly disc to cover that seed, and then cultipack? That would also terminate what cowpeas are left. I sometimes end up in a time crunch so discing, broadcasting, then discing again, followed by cultipacking will add a lot of time. I’m going to be limited on Time this year and won’t have any helpers.

Any Thoughts or ideas would
Be appreciated.

I would not spread then disc as you'll put too much dirt on top of the seed. Clover only needs 1/8-1/4" depth and WR will surface germinate with no problem.

What you really want to do is scratch the soil surface to loosen it rather than deep discing. Broadcast your seed and then cultipack. That will give you good soil to seed contact and avoid burying the seed.

 

[SwampCat]

I agree - plant the clover after discing. Probably need to cultipack before clover - then again after spreading clover or other small seeds

 

[Someday isle]

I would not spread then disc as you'll put too much dirt on top of the seed. Clover only needs 1/8-1/4" depth and WR will surface germinate with no problem.

What tou really want to do is scratch the soil surface to loosen it rather than deep discing. Broadcast your seed and then cultipack. That will give you good soil to seed contact and avoid burying the seed.

That’s really what I’ve done In the past. Thanks for validating it!

 

[rocksnstumps]

Totally agree with swampcat. Best germination with cultipack, spread clover, cultipack again.

Use to throw rye and clover together after discing and used a section of old chain link fence as a drag before had a cultipacker. Clover was very spotty with that method with patches of only rye in plots. Rye did great all over tho. If I was still doing stuff without a cultipacker would throw clover as last step and just hope for rain soon. Clover gets buried way too easy.