Already planted the brassicas but the grain portion of the LC Mix I’m thinking of putting in Tuesday here in Connecticut. Average frost is Oct 11-20. I ideally would like to plant it a week into Sept if I could pick a date for it to rain. Our winters around here are changing over the last few years and not as much snow and not as cold. The plot is only 3/4 acre with 3 acres of brassicas right next to it. I’m worried the Rye may get too long and rank. There is no rain in the forecast around here up to Sep 10, but this Tuesday they are calling for 1/4 inch with 70-80 per. Plant or wait? Maybe it’s such a small plot the deer can keep the Rye/oats short? Good deer density. What you guys think?
Plant the grain portion or wait longer ?
- Thread starter BobinCt
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Apologies to BobinCt ----
How tall do you guys want your rye in October and November?? We've had rye about 2 to 3" tall and the deer ate it to the dirt. Maybe we had it too thin??
All ears for advice. Maybe your responses / info will help BobinCt too.
FarmerDan
5 year old buck +
I'm not too concerned about the height issue. Rye will only tiller in the fall. My experience is limited but I've never seen it get much past 6-inches before winter dormancy. Most of the vegetative growth should occur late winter early spring.
I do have a couple of gantry ideas buzzing around in my head that probably have no impact on planting for food plots. I can't help it.
There's this insect called Hessian Fly. Right now it's in it's reproductive stage. It loves to deposit eggs in wheat, barley and rye stems. Around here the "Hessian Fly FREE" date is about October 1. Again, I know, should we care? I dunno.
My other problem is heat and dryness. I'm an advocate of planting regardless of rain outlook...but it's got to be in the right timeframe. See Bob's comment about outlook for a quarter inch of rain and then none. Who knows how it will turn out. But - and again I know rye is easy to grow - a little rain followed by hot and dry is a possible disaster scenario. A quarter inch of rain is probably enough to kick start germination. The question is will there be enough moisture to finish it?
Bob - I think you need to weigh and measure the situation. Are you broadcasting or planting? Into thatch or soil? Fertilizer?
I'm overthinking it but that's what i do!
HESSIAN FLY
I do have a couple of gantry ideas buzzing around in my head that probably have no impact on planting for food plots. I can't help it.
There's this insect called Hessian Fly. Right now it's in it's reproductive stage. It loves to deposit eggs in wheat, barley and rye stems. Around here the "Hessian Fly FREE" date is about October 1. Again, I know, should we care? I dunno.
My other problem is heat and dryness. I'm an advocate of planting regardless of rain outlook...but it's got to be in the right timeframe. See Bob's comment about outlook for a quarter inch of rain and then none. Who knows how it will turn out. But - and again I know rye is easy to grow - a little rain followed by hot and dry is a possible disaster scenario. A quarter inch of rain is probably enough to kick start germination. The question is will there be enough moisture to finish it?
Bob - I think you need to weigh and measure the situation. Are you broadcasting or planting? Into thatch or soil? Fertilizer?
I'm overthinking it but that's what i do!
HESSIAN FLY
FarmerDan
5 year old buck +
This rye you reference. Is it at your camp in Northcentral PA? Is it Potter? If you want more fall production my simple answer is to throw some nitrogen on it. But this assumes a lot about soil and how much and how you planted....
If you think your stem count is low - for whatever reason - prove it to yourself. Get a hula hoop and throw it down a couple different places in your planting. Pull of the stems inside it and count them. A kids hoop is 28-in in diameter. The area is 3.1416 multipled by the radius squared. Divided the area of the hoop by the same area units in an acres. See where I'm going? Compare your sample stem counts to what a good stand should be. Then you will know!
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Wind Gypsy
5 year old buck +
My first frost avg is 9/24 and Labor Day seems like a good rye broadcasting target date here.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Yes - the rye is at camp (NC Pa. mountains - not Potter - but not far from Potter) in our food plots. Soil is pretty good overall. Been planted many times over the years.
I think our seeding rate was too low. Too much soil showing. If I try the "hoola-hoop" thing, the camp members will hang ME from the meat pole!! They'll say, "We'll just seed it heavier" and pop some beers!!
