Lack of rain, what do you do

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Maybe .5” in August. July was pretty dry too. I’m throwing and mowing some plots. Way too dry and honestly at this point time consuming to disc. I can go Wednesday but I wonder if it’s worse to get some germination and then turn off dry again for an extended period. Or do you plant Wednesday when there may be some soil moisture to try to get the seed contacted with the soil and hope the cooler nights, dew and hope for rain enough? Clovers and cereal rye

 

[buckdeer1]

Darn I thought everyone was getting some rain.We have been getting rain every few days of some sort.I have only had to water trees twice this summer

 

[Turkey Creek]

Personally I would wait. Both will readily germinate at cooler temperatures and at this point I don't think your clover is going to eastablish well enough to do any good this Fall and may struggle not to Winter kill. Though I do not know what your location is. Rye only takes about 3 weeks to germinate and look pretty decent here.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Personally I would wait. Both will readily germinate at cooler temperatures and at this point I don't think your clover is going to eastablish well enough to do any good this Fall and may struggle not to Winter kill. Though I do not know what your location is. Rye only takes about 3 weeks to germinate and look pretty decent here.

Kentucky. Yeah I’m leaning that way too. I hate to put several hundred dollars worth of seed down, a ton of time, only to have it start to germinate and die. May wait till we cool down and see some significant rain

 

[matinc]

Dog last fall in michigan we didn't get rain for basically 90 days and my rye if it did germinate or did not germinate was non existent this year to crimp. Better to wait but I will say this it appears a major heat wave will be on the way in two weeks it appears. Its getting to the point in michigan if we don't get rain with this cold front, im worried my rye will perish again.

 

[SwampCat]

I would wait. I usually plant mid oct, but I am farther south. All that open bare ground was lush, green japanese millet a month ago. That is what hot, dry weather will do for you.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

So it got up and then died due to the hot and dry conditions?

 

[Westwind]

I was struggling with this question. Ground was powdery dry even though we had a good summer. I got most of mine done Thursday and was putting tractor back in the shed. I was complaining to myself about how it was getting dark early, went in the house and jumped in the shower. Came out and sat down in front of the tv and damned if it wasn’t sprinkling. Thought “well I need more than that”. Then we got 1.5” of un-forcasted rain. I would have been pissed if we got that with seed still in the shed.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

Am I crazy or have forecasts been less reliable lately? We weren't supposed to get rain until Sunday/Monday in MO and it started raining Saturday afternoon (less than a 0.1, but I am not a choosing beggar). There were also a few fronts in August that were 100% that never hit.

Dawgs, for what you are seeding, I would wait if you can. I have spread both the last week of September and have had great stands. I would also check out weatherunderground. I like that they forecast precipitation amounts as well, not just percentage of rain. Higher volume estimates tend to be a better predictor of at least some rain. Also, I would gamble more on a coin toss if I knew the volume was higher.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Am I crazy or have forecasts been less reliable lately? We weren't supposed to get rain until Sunday/Monday in MO and it started raining Saturday afternoon (less than a 0.1, but I am not a choosing beggar). There were also a few fronts in August that were 100% that never hit.

Dawgs, for what you are seeding, I would wait if you can. I have spread both the last week of September and have had great stands. I would also check out weatherunderground. I like that they forecast precipitation amounts as well, not just percentage of rain. Higher volume estimates tend to be a better predictor of at least some rain. Also, I would gamble more on a coin toss if I knew the volume was higher.

I’m leaning toward that way. I shouldn’t be in a hurry when I have the flexibility to plant later. Plus my beans got planted very late, 7/5, so they are still attractive. I was going to do ladino, red or crimson and rye or wheat most likely. I think rye may do better top sown.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I’m leaning toward bat way. I shouldn’t in a hurry when I have the flexibility to plant later. Plus my beans got planted very late, 7/5, so they are still attractive. I was going to do ladino, red or crimson and rye or wheat most likely. I think rye may do better top sown.

I've had better luck with rye than wheat top sown. Coincidentally, I just overseeded some thin areas of a perennial plot with ladino and crimson clover this past Sunday. I also had some alfalfa and chicory in the mix to match what was drilled in May.

 

[farmlegend]

Am I crazy or have forecasts been less reliable lately?

Whenever I see some know-it-all comment "be sure to plant your seed just ahead of a good rain" I know the author is a know-nothing blowhard.

When I completed 9 acres of throw & mow on Sunday, our forecast called for 70% likelihood of rain on Tuesday. Within hours, they adjusted it down to 5%. Extended forecast looks sahara-like. Hoping for that to change.

Damn, do you know how long it takes to mow nine acres with a 5' bush hog?

 

[hillrunner]

Whenever I see some know-it-all comment "be sure to plant your seed just ahead of a good rain" I know the author is a know-nothing blowhard.

When I completed 9 acres of throw & mow on Sunday, our forecast called for 70% likelihood of rain on Tuesday. Within hours, they adjusted it down to 5%. Extended forecast looks sahara-like. Hoping for that to change.

Damn, do you know how long it takes to mow nine acres with a 5' bush hog?

I thought I was the only one that happened to! A couple weeks back I held off on seeding because of a dry forecast. The next day I got 2.5 inches of rain.
I think I was better off before I had a weather app in my pocket. I can't tell you how many times that things tells me 100% chance of rain and then got nothing. Unless you're in middle of an actual drought, I think the best is to just plant by the calendar and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Kdog]

There is never a bad time to spread lime. As far as planting plots, you are from GA, so you already know what September and October are like. I never plant until early October unless there is significant rain late September continuing into October.

 

[Mortenson]

If you guys get a chance watch the morning Nutrien - Eric Snodgrass videos. You can skip around. They're usually 30 min long. He's better than the guys on your evening news channel or the apps.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

If you guys get a chance watch the morning Nutrien - Eric Snodgrass videos. You can skip around. They're usually 30 min long. He's better than the guys on your evening news channel or the apps.

Gamekeeper had him on a podcast recently. It was worth the listen

 

[Turkey Creek]

Am I crazy or have forecasts been less reliable lately? We weren't supposed to get rain until Sunday/Monday in MO and it started raining Saturday afternoon (less than a 0.1, but I am not a choosing beggar). There were also a few fronts in August that were 100% that never hit.

Dawgs, for what you are seeding, I would wait if you can. I have spread both the last week of September and have had great stands. I would also check out weatherunderground. I like that they forecast precipitation amounts as well, not just percentage of rain. Higher volume estimates tend to be a better predictor of at least some rain. Also, I would gamble more on a coin toss if I knew the volume was higher.

The number of times we have had a 70-80% chance of rain in the forecast and got nothing is too numerous to count. I now wait until that is the forecast for at least a couple of days in a row to believe we even have a chance of getting anything.

 

[bigboreblr]

In The northern catskills about 1500ft elevation, I know severla folks several times put down rye in early october and it still took..........

One person on here I think southern below virigina took rye, soaked it in water for a good part of a day, then spread it. IT germinated well.

Throw n mow is good, but light tillage does help germination. I took my little 1/2 acre home plot and sprayed it yesterday, 2 quarts 41% gly /acre with 5lbs/100gal AMS. I am experimenting a bit. 1/3 of the plot spread seed, then 2 passes with a tow behind ATV discs heavier ones. the other 1/3 till then spread, the last 1/3 no till onlly. 1/3 of the plot is mowed clover with plantain. 1/3 is 5-6 year old food plot. the other 1/3 is 2nd year foodplot with woodchips added year 1. Results of all 3 options will be seen in each kind of setting. No farming pHD, just heartbreak ridge food plotting......

Late summer / fall is dry here in NY. Putting in a flower bed for the wife, stuff is powder dry....... Watering 1st year apple trees twice a week still, 2 year olds light watering twice a week, 3 year old trees weekly. Trres look ok, besides curly leaves.