Habitat out loud

[SD51555]

This year is the first year I'm going bigger time with winter trit. Sometimes, I can get flighty and forget some ideas I had. I ended up with a little trit I planted in 2023 that ended up mixed with rye somehow, and suddenly the lesson was right in front of me. The winter trit was taller than the rye, the straw was thicker than the rye, and the seed heads were awnless.

Now, most of those things aren't different to such an extent that anyone could argue, "You must switch." I just like farting around with new stuff.

I think I've reached the upper limit of biomass with these plantings. I just don't think small seeds can get through to sun before they run out of energy. So, the grocery store dry beans experiment is very important, as well as the zuchinni experiment. If I can get the big beans to go and put up hundreds of pounds of zuchinni, who needs brassicas? I certainly don't. My deer aren't that picky.

 

[Foggy47]

This year is the first year I'm going bigger time with winter trit. Sometimes, I can get flighty and forget some ideas I had. I ended up with a little trit I planted in 2023 that ended up mixed with rye somehow, and suddenly the lesson was right in front of me. The winter trit was taller than the rye, the straw was thicker than the rye, and the seed heads were awnless.

Now, most of those things aren't different to such an extent that anyone could argue, "You must switch." I just like farting around with new stuff.

I think I've reached the upper limit of biomass with these plantings. I just don't think small seeds can get through to sun before they run out of upenergy. So, the grocery store dry beans experiment is very important, as well as the zuchinni experiment. If I can get the big beans to go and put up hundreds of pounds of zuchinni, who needs brassicas? I certainly don't. My deer aren't that picky.

I’d like to know how this plan works out for you. Sounds good on paper.

 

[matinc]

Today's adventure. 5 bushel wheat and 15 pounds equal parts of 3 pounds each of ysc medium red balsana chickory and Alfalfa and this being crimped down on it.

 

[SD51555]

Today's adventure. 5 bushel wheat and 15 pounds equal parts of 3 pounds each of ysc medium red balsana chickory and Alfalfa and this being crimped down on it.

That looks like it laid down nicely!


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[matinc]

SD this is the start of the crimp with the vegetation high. Because of the drought last year I barely had any rye to crimp. I get the set up on the crimper was jenky but we got a great plan to add weight and stability.

 

[SD51555]

SD this is the start of the crimp with the vegetation high. Because of the drought last year I barely had any rye to crimp. I get the set up on the crimper was jenky but we got a great plan to add weight and stability.

I bet you had plenty of PSI on your edges. Even if that thing only ways a couple hundred pounds, I bet there isn't more than a square inch of edge pushing down at any time. For what we're doing here, I don't think killing anything is important, and I suspect it could even be worse because it'd trigger new grass to replace it. That's just a theory for now, so dont' think you've got to get rid of the crimper.

What I would watch out for though, is that crimper could and likely will take out your chicory next year. Whether some more follows it or not, I do not know.

 

[SD51555]

I’d like to know how this plan works out for you. Sounds good on paper.

I'm gonna do my other two plots for sure this weekend. I got so wrapped up in prepping for bear hunting, I forgot to order zucchini. Well that finally came in today. So I'll be throwing and rolling winter trit, zucchini, and beans this weekend. I think I've got radish seed to go with it too. Gonna see if those larger seeded brassicas don't have enough fuel on board to push through the duff.

 

[homerj]

This year is the first year I'm going bigger time with winter trit. Sometimes, I can get flighty and forget some ideas I had. I ended up with a little trit I planted in 2023 that ended up mixed with rye somehow, and suddenly the lesson was right in front of me. The winter trit was taller than the rye, the straw was thicker than the rye, and the seed heads were awnless.

Now, most of those things aren't different to such an extent that anyone could argue, "You must switch." I just like farting around with new stuff.

I think I've reached the upper limit of biomass with these plantings. I just don't think small seeds can get through to sun before they run out of energy. So, the grocery store dry beans experiment is very important, as well as the zuchinni experiment. If I can get the big beans to go and put up hundreds of pounds of zuchinni, who needs brassicas? I certainly don't. My deer aren't that picky.

Won't zucchini be mush after the first hard frost?

 

[TreeDaddy]

SD this is the start of the crimp with the vegetation high. Because of the drought last year I barely had any rye to crimp. I get the set up on the crimper was jenky but we got a great plan to add weight and stability.

Now THAT....... is an East Texas rig

nice work

bill

 

[Telemark]

Won't zucchini be mush after the first hard frost?

I've harvested them pretty late into the fall, even after the leaves and stems have gone mushy.

But I've never seem a red deer eat a zucchini. Not sure how whitetails relate to them.

 

[Skeeter]

SD, what have you seen on maturity timing with trit vs rye? Also, is the biomass of trit always ahead of rye for you or does it take until later in the season to pass up the rye? In my area I am having to get my plots done around mid July or the township starts to threaten me over the amount of thistles I have. It's a small window getting them cut back before they all go to seed, yet late enough that they don't come back and reflower.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

This year is the first year I'm going bigger time with winter trit. Sometimes, I can get flighty and forget some ideas I had. I ended up with a little trit I planted in 2023 that ended up mixed with rye somehow, and suddenly the lesson was right in front of me. The winter trit was taller than the rye, the straw was thicker than the rye, and the seed heads were awnless.

Never planted trit. Do deer eat it? Is it as forgiving / no fuss as rye? Does triticale mix well with other plot varieties?

 

[matinc]

I have to say I was looking forward to trying tritacle this year per sd advice but couldn't wait any longer for the seed to be harvested so I went back to rye and finished planting yesterday. Here is another field picture I took today.

 

[Foggy47]

I have to say I was looking forward to trying tritacle this year per sd advice but couldn't wait any longer for the seed to be harvested so I went back to rye and finished planting yesterday. Here is another field picture I took today.

All your deer came to my place as they despise the food you make them eat. Tsk...tsk. (huge grin)

With all due respect to SD (and he is my friend).....I'm gonna bet 10 to one...the deer do not give two hoots in a tin can whether they eat triticale or rye. It is what it is....my 2 cents. Grin.

 

[SD51555]

SD, what have you seen on maturity timing with trit vs rye? Also, is the biomass of trit always ahead of rye for you or does it take until later in the season to pass up the rye? In my area I am having to get my plots done around mid July or the township starts to threaten me over the amount of thistles I have. It's a small window getting them cut back before they all go to seed, yet late enough that they don't come back and reflower.

If I had to guess, I’d say trit is a little slower than rye to finish. Rye certainly surges faster on the front end to get tall and drop leaves first. Which gets dry first, I’d guess rye might beat it by a week or two at most.


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[SD51555]

Never planted trit. Do deer eat it? Is it as forgiving / no fuss as rye? Does triticale mix well with other plot varieties?

We’re gonna find out. Hard part is, so many variables shift at the same time. This season is looking different from the last in a bunch of different ways at my place that can and will likely skew this:

+ way more rain this year
+ way more deer this year

Those things could put pressure on it and make utilization better.

- way more browse this year
- way more soft and hard mast this year
- way more plot acreage this year

Those things could skew it the other way. I’m hoping because there are wheat traits in trit that it will get used more. I’ve had more years than not where I had nice stands of rye go unused almost the whole way to winter. But those were low population years and I also had big jumps in plot acreage while also being very aggressive on the saw right after season. Those years, the few deer there were, were more interested in eating ash tops than green rye.

I’m guessing It’ll be nearly unnoticeable in most categories, the differences between rye and trit. It will be later to bolt and head out coming out of spring. Will that affect its weed prevention powers? I’m not sure.


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[SD51555]

I’d like to know how this plan works out for you. Sounds good on paper.

The nice thing is, all my trit plots are going to be on the front end of the property, so I'll be able to keep an eye on them. It'll end up being in four different plots:

1. The new east plot, and that'll get planted very late, like early to mid september.
2. The road plot, that's also the sweet clover thread plot.
3. The yard plot, that's on the edge of the yard.
4. The yard plot expansion, that's next to the yard plot and will have a way cleaner slate to get going and be a more solid stand. That plot is meant to be the final blend after what I learned from the road plot. This time with trit, no hairy vetch, more alfalfa, an intentional introduction of red clover and balansa, and some bonus flowers.

 

[matinc]

SD you got me pondering now what's your thoughts on using a crimper first to crimp and pierce soil off the crimper fins and then using a cultipacker to flatten the plot or is that overkill?

 

[SD51555]

SD you got me pondering now what's your thoughts on using a crimper first to crimp and pierce soil off the crimper fins and then using a cultipacker to flatten the plot or is that overkill?

Too complicated. Get the seed out there and knock down the grass.


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[Cool Hand Luke]

Agreed.... I think it is written somewhere in the Bible: blessed be the habitat experimenters for they are the salt of the earth. (or some such thing). Grin

Amen!