Green Cover Fall release & crimper

[Binney59]

My fields are currently planted with Green Cover seeds summer blend and I am planning on no-till drilling GC's fall release in early August. Some of my fields have quite a few weeds in them right now, mostly grasses, that I would like to choke out next year by crimping in the spring.

My question is if I should add extra rye to the fall release to provide for better weed suppression in the spring? The blend calls for 70 lbs per acre so I am thinking that will be a light stand of rye in the spring? I have a boom sprayer that I can use next year if needed but the whole point of having the crimper is to be able to provide a good thatch and keep the weeds in check.

Should I add extra to the blend or run it as is? Any insight is greatly appreciated!

 

[Rit]

At 7 lbs per acre in that mix I would want a lot more winter rye than that. I recall reading or watching a video that even at 100 lbs per acre drilled as a monoculture that was still considered on the light side for crimping,

 

[Binney59]

Thank you for that break down, it helps explain my concern perfectly. I find it odd that Grant Woods talks so much about the benefit of crimping but then plants so little seed that can be crimped the next year. I feel like I am missing something (besides the sponsorship money)? Really hoping that someone on here as had experience with a crimper that can chime in.

For now I think I am going to plant Fall release and then either re-drill additional winter rye at 75 lbs per acre or just broadcast rye in late september into the standing plot.

 

[omicron1792]

I have thought the exact same thing, and have bought a bunch of extra cereal grains (mainly rye) to do the same thing.

I would love everyone’s thoughts too on what to do. I’m gonna plant first of October so thought of broadcasting Rye first, then immediately drilling the fall release at 70lbs/acre (the recommended rate).

I know you can crimp the other grains too, and the triticale is basically rye also….but that still seems like a really light amount.

 

[Foggy47]

^ Last week I drilled 14 lbs / acre of GCC Brasica Plus release (Kentucky Pride Crimson Clover, Fixation Balansa Clover, Frosty Berseem Clover, Impact Forage Collards, Smart Radish, Purple Top Turnip, Vivant Hybrid Turnip). Yesterday I saw it was germinating well. I will drill 100 lbs / acre of Rye into this and the other clover I have growing in late August or early September. I like to give my brassica more time to get established before putting that winter rye into the land.

 

[Foggy47]

^ Last week I drilled 14 lbs / acre of GCC Brasica Plus release (Kentucky Pride Crimson Clover, Fixation Balansa Clover, Frosty Berseem Clover, Impact Forage Collards, Smart Radish, Purple Top Turnip, Vivant Hybrid Turnip). Yesterday I saw it was germinating well. I will drill 100 lbs / acre of Rye into this and the other clover I have growing in late August or early September. I like to give my brassica more time to get established before putting that winter rye into the land.

I do have a 6' crimper.....and it did a pretty good job of terminating my rye when I used it in late June. I was pushing the rye termination ( I was a bit early) as I had planted a "summer release" crop a few weeks earlier. I may be too far north to be able to drill for this frequency of planting things (USDA Zone 3).....and will likely forgo a "summer mix" next year.....and allow my rye to reach its potential before rolling in early July (or when it's at the dough stage). This will save me some time and money.....and I do not believe I gained much from the summer planting. Perhaps just a bit early to tell? I do have some great plots and lots of deer frequenting the plots this year.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

My fields are currently planted with Green Cover seeds summer blend and I am planning on no-till drilling GC's fall release in early August. Some of my fields have quite a few weeds in them right now, mostly grasses, that I would like to choke out next year by crimping in the spring.

My question is if I should add extra rye to the fall release to provide for better weed suppression in the spring? The blend calls for 70 lbs per acre so I am thinking that will be a light stand of rye in the spring? I have a boom sprayer that I can use next year if needed but the whole point of having the crimper is to be able to provide a good thatch and keep the weeds in check.

Should I add extra to the blend or run it as is? Any insight is greatly appreciated!

I would plant no less than 100# per acre and even plan on spraying if I was you. You shouldn’t have to spray every year but it sure wouldn’t hurt the first couple of years to get a leg up on the weed competition. I would think you could spray less and less every year. After a few years you shouldn’t have to spray at all.

I wold look at the thatch as greatly reducing weed competition not completely eliminating it.


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[Wind Gypsy]

I have thought the exact same thing, and have bought a bunch of extra cereal grains (mainly rye) to do the same thing.

I would love everyone’s thoughts too on what to do. I’m gonna plant first of October so thought of broadcasting Rye first, then immediately drilling the fall release at 70lbs/acre (the recommended rate).

I know you can crimp the other grains too, and the triticale is basically rye also….but that still seems like a really light amount.

For us up north it Seems like we can get away with having a plot of more desirable plants and then throw rye into it once established to where it won’t outcompete the brassicas or candy crops or get mature before being covered with snow for the winter. Not sure how that looks further south with your milder winters. I would think a thick stand of rye would make it hard to get all the other stuff in the mix to hit its potential.

 

[Skeeter]

I have not liked the results when I've planted rye at the same time as the rest of my diversity mix. I've found that overseeding, about a month after planting, at a fairly high rate gives me the best results for that fall and the next spring/summer.
Like Foggy, I have found it difficult to get worthwhile growth out of my summer planting if I let my rye go long enough the next year to get maximum biomass and the right growth stage for good non chemical termination. Most of the regen ag stuff I've read and listened to agree that it's difficult to make that 2 crop system work this far north.

 

[Tree Spud]

At 7 lbs/acre you won't get much benefit from WR. I would overseed with 80-100 lbs/acre in early September.

 

[bigboreblr]

That is a blend of seed in a established plot. If your plot is newer and need more weed control, spray stuff dead, put down some heavy rye with some clover seeds.

That smaller amount of cool season annual grains is for balance of plant life, not for weed suppression.

ID that grass well to determine what it is. Perhaps clethodim might take it out while leaving clover alone.

 

[Foggy47]

At this point.....what seems appropriate for my land (USDA Zone 3) is to forgo any spring / early summer planting provided I have a good stand of clover and rye from the last fall planting. THEN...... (1) Roll my rye in July, just before it goes to seed. (2) plant my brassica crops sometime in July either before, during, or after I terminate my rye. (I do not plan to roller crimp and plant at the same time....too difficult to achieve for me.) 3. Drill 100 lbs of rye into my brassica and existing clovers in late August or early September and add any other needed clover(s) and winter peas at that time. Possibly add some radish if I did not get a good germination of brassica in the July planting.

I think what is important is to remain flexible in the approach from season to season......as you never know the results/success of your prior efforts....until the occur.

Edit: I have about ten acres of food plots. What is great about owning a grain drill and a roller/crimper......is that you can do these things in one day....at the drop of a hat. A real luxury compared to my old ways.

 

[omicron1792]

This is message from grant woods on the issue.

Morning! More rye can be added to that blend - be sure it's cereal rye and not (never) rye grass. You can add 30+ pounds to develop a great crop to crimp and provide mulch next spring!

Enjoy Creation,

grant

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I have not liked the results when I've planted rye at the same time as the rest of my diversity mix. I've found that overseeding, about a month after planting, at a fairly high rate gives me the best results for that fall and the next spring/summer.
Like Foggy, I have found it difficult to get worthwhile growth out of my summer planting if I let my rye go long enough the next year to get maximum biomass and the right growth stage for good non chemical termination. Most of the regen ag stuff I've read and listened to agree that it's difficult to make that 2 crop system work this far north.

Try awnless winter barley. It matures late may early june for me.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

At this point.....what seems appropriate for my land (USDA Zone 3) is to forgo any spring / early summer planting provided I have a good stand of clover and rye from the last fall planting. THEN...... (1) Roll my rye in July, just before it goes to seed. (2) plant my brassica crops sometime in July either before, during, or after I terminate my rye. (I do not plan to roller crimp and plant at the same time....too difficult to achieve for me.) 3. Drill 100 lbs of rye into my brassica and existing clovers in late August or early September and add any other needed clover(s) and winter peas at that time. Possibly add some radish if I did not get a good germination of brassica in the July planting.

I think what is important is to remain flexible in the approach from season to season......as you never know the results/success of your prior efforts....until the occur.

Edit: I have about ten acres of food plots. What is great about owning a grain drill and a roller/crimper......is that you can do these things in one day....at the drop of a hat. A real luxury compared to my old ways.

I am going to forego most of my summer plots next year as well. Tilled plots are fine but my no till plots just dont seem to produce fast enough to make them worth while. LC mix here on out on those plots for me.

 

[Skeeter]

Try awnless winter barley. It matures late may early june for me.

Thanks for the idea. I'll have to trial an area.

 

[Tree Spud]

Remember, your not just planting WR for OM. It has strong allelopathic traits that can help suppress weeds & grass. The more the better.

 

[Foggy47]

Remember, your not just planting WR for OM. It has strong allelopathic traits that can help suppress weeds & grass. The more the better.

That is why I do not want to terminate it early and lose the benefits of weed suppression and the benefits of a great mulch and the fertilizer bennies locked up.

This year I was kinda forcing the situation with planting into the standing rye and then terminating about two weeks later. The rye could have waited another few weeks as I never did reach the milk stage....much less the dough stage. I was caught up in wanting the GCC Summer Release to grow and compromised the bennies of my rye.

I'm never going to say never.....but I do not intend to do an early season planting next year. I am getting good results.....I just did not need that summer release here in zone 3. Maybe with a very early spring it could be a different scenario. But we didn't have ice out here until early May. I don't get back from AZ until Mid-May as well....and this change will take the heat off from having too many things to do. (FORE!)

F'n Biden. Grin.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

That is why I do not want to terminate it early and lose the benefits of weed suppression and the benefits of a great mulch and the fertilizer bennies locked up.

This year I was kinda forcing the situation with planting into the standing rye and then terminating about two weeks later. The rye could have waited another few weeks as I never did reach the milk stage....much less the dough stage. I was caught up in wanting the GCC Summer Release to grow and compromised the bennies of my rye.

I'm never going to say never.....but I do not intend to do an early season planting next year. I am getting good results.....I just did not need that summer release here in zone 3. Maybe with a very early spring it could be a different scenario. But we didn't have ice out here until early May. I don't get back from AZ until Mid-May as well....and this change will take the heat off from having too many things to do. (FORE!)

F'n Biden. Grin.

Seems a major problem is blends like summer release up north is they have a bunch of seed that needs warmer soil temps to germinate. Might be able to double crop a blend that doesn't need to get soil temps over 60 to plant. Even that seems like a waste with a good rye/clover crop from the fall planting though.

 

[Foggy47]

View attachment 44617
At 7 lbs per acre in that mix I would want a lot more winter rye than that. I recall reading or watching a video that even at 100 lbs per acre drilled as a monoculture that was still considered on the light side for crimping,

He does have 47# of various cereals......but I would add at least 50 lbs of Rye to this mix.....if you want some weed suppression and mulch value next year.

I'm keeping my small seeds (clovers and brassicas) separate from my cereal grains. They really have different planting depth needs.....can be drilled at different times......and the cereals can be found locally without the shipping costs. The all-in-one seed blends have their place too (especially if you live a long ways off)......just not my cup of tea.