No till buckwheat vs summer blend

[matinc]

Curious what the panel believes would be the best way to begin a no till plot this spring by either planting a monotone buckwheat plot or planting a summer blend plot. Also is anyone in michigan purchasing summer blend to cost share with others here in michigan to reduce shipping costs

 

[gunfun13]

IMO, your best course of action would be using this summer to kill the weeds multiple times with herbicide then start your fall planting.

What summer blend are you referring to?

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I would mix in some annual or biennial clover. A glyphosate and simizine application in late April/Early May should do the trick for weeds. Weeds will always be a bit of a problem for food plotters. I'd say just do the best you can with what you have available and use a higher than normal seeding rate to give the weeds less room to grow. That and timing your spraying and planting when the soil is above 65 will really help your plot get a jumpstart on the weeds.

 

[jsasker007]

Rye will be helpful to suppress weeds and make the ground easier to work but works best in the fall planting. Buckwheat matures in 45 days roughly so you can double crop that if you want. Like ST said above with planting heavy rates--you'll create a good smother crop with thicker seeding.

 

[SwampCat]

If your deer density is fairly high, probably wouldnt do buckwheat

 

[matinc]

Thanks for the response. I did broadcast plant 200 pounds of winter rye last fall per acre. Not sure how much actually germinated. Their was some weeds but lots of dirt showing. I will soon have a roller crimper for next year. This is a picture of the fields. Deer density is above 20 per mile. I wonder if buckwheat alone will not make it. As for the summer blend it would be oats sunflower peas buckwheat n radish. I slso will have a sprayer for glycophate.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Thanks for the response. I did broadcast plant 200 pounds of winter rye last fall per acre. Not sure how much actually germinated. Their was some weeds but lots of dirt showing. I will soon have a roller crimper for next year. This is a picture of the fields. Deer density is above 20 per mile. I wonder if buckwheat alone will not make it. As for the summer blend it would be oats sunflower peas buckwheat n radish. I slso will have a sprayer for glycophate.

Buckwheat and clover would be easy and would prepare you for your fall plantings. I wouldn’t worry about the buckwheat getting over mature. The seed produced will germinate and provide some fall food that won’t over crowd your fall plantings because the first frost will take it out.


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[omicron1792]

When I first started I tried the broadcast buckwheat thing sturgis recommends. It was a total failure. If you broadcast it almost has to be so thick the ground is solid buckwheat.

I do mix in all my plantings now at 5-10lbs and acre for the phos mining. I always see a little bit in there.

 

[bigboreblr]

Seen a few summer blends with buckwheat. Kind of wondering what to do myself, both at the house and at camp.

Where you get your buckwheat, can you get anything else?

I always put clover in anytime I seed. It's slow to start, and it will start when its ready. Seen vetches, sunflowers, millet, hemp, various peas. IF you can source some it locally, or order some of the lighter lbs / acre stuff.

Also, you havent mentoned your problems or goals. Certain plants give and take things to the table. Weed supression, biomass, getting nutrients from the air or deep in the soil. You doing this for a better fall plot, or need to provide summer food for deer.

You can put rye or oats in as soon as the ground thaws, then do a summer blend in may.

Whats been in the foods plot before in the sumer.

 

[jsasker007]

Throw it, then mow it. Helps with moisture for germination.

 

[Brian662]

Buckwheat broadcast on the soil has been a failure for me too. It needs to be broadcast and then cultipacked, ideally doing this process onto moist soil would provide the best results.

 

[matinc]

I'm curious if you broadcast buckwheat or even a summer release seed and then roller crimped existing duff on top of broadcasted seed would a purchasing a cultipacker coming over the top of the seed and roller crimped duff help with germination.

 

[omicron1792]

Cultipacker alwaye helps from what I have seen.

 

[TreeDaddy]

I can't bring myself to destroying a beautiful fall plot in April by planting a summer blend that will ultimately be nuked by summer heat in July

bill