Sugar grass food plot

[*Hawaii5joe*]

Has anyone heard of something called sugar grass? Apparently it's used in pastures in places warmer then MN. It's a perennial that comes up extremely sweet and loved by deer. I heard its kind of like a rye grass, but since it can't survive the winters, plotters are planting it like an annual. I don't know... Just what the seed shop guy told me Saturday. The guy said he ordered over 1000 lbs for some other food plotter earlier in the month.

 

[sandbur]

I have seen some ads for super sweet rye grass.

Perhaps it would be OK in your area, but I can not see the purpose of it's use in farm country or even in an area where you could grow clover.

Variety is good, though. Give it a try and let us know.

 

[sandbur]

Sucraseed rye grass? Mo can probably explain the details of it.

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

Yes Art, perhaps something like the attachment I posted. He did say many people down in Missouri use it for cattle. They have seen cattle put X amount of weight when feeding on the stuff from the High sugar ???? I don't know. Yes, MO you can probably explain better.

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

I'm thinking it could be something extra mixed in with a Fall rye grain mix.

 

[biglakeba$$]

I know a guy that's put a lot of it in the past 2 years up in OTC, and absolutely raves about it. He is switching over clover to it.

I was going to try it this spring, but I had already enough seed to do everything I needed, so I am going to try it next year.

Fleet sells the seed. Its about $70 a bag. I think a bag does a half acre. So not cheap compared to other seed.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Maybe we are talking about 2 different things/blends.

Sucraseed Sweet Spot is what I am referring to.
http://www.outsidepride.com/seed/deer-food-plots/sweet-spot-northern-mix.html

 

[fuldraw]

I thought everyone always said not to plant rye grass or is this something different?

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

This is my only concern too. If there is such thing as a Rye Grass blend that can't survive Minnesota winters and it's very attractive to deer, I would consider planting it. The guy at the seed store said its not used up here much because it can't survive. It would be a waste to plant it for cattle because it will not come up the following year. I may have to try a small spot somewhere and find out more about it for myself.

 

[West Branch]

I talked to a neighbor this past Saturday and he was saying that he did a plot with a couple sections to buck forage oats and annual rye to see how the deer like each one. He didn't remember what the annual rye was though, I asked if it was winter rye and he said he was pretty sure it wasn't a grain and it looked more like a grass seed. Maybe it is some of this sweet rye grass. I guess I will have to ask him how it turns out and see if he still has the bag around.

 

[sandbur]

Yes Art, perhaps something like the attachment I posted. He did say many people down in Missouri use it for cattle. They have seen cattle put X amount of weight when feeding on the stuff from the High sugar ???? I don't know. Yes, MO you can probably explain better.View attachment 1523

Joe-Did you have an attachment in the first post? I did not see it or else do no know how to find it.

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

Nope Art.... Just in the 2nd response. I just googled it and posted a pic for a reference.

 

[THunter]

We worked with sucraseed to develop deer mixtures (Sweet Spot) containing the perennial High Sugar Ryegrass for northern areas and the annual variety for the south. Deer HAMMERED it.

 

[*Hawaii5joe*]

THunter- did the plots hold up to grazing pretty good or did they wipe them out and leave?

 

[wiscwhip]

This is my only concern too. If there is such thing as a Rye Grass blend that can't survive Minnesota winters and it's very attractive to deer, I would consider planting it. The guy at the seed store said its not used up here much because it can't survive. It would be a waste to plant it for cattle because it will not come up the following year. I may have to try a small spot somewhere and find out more about it for myself.

We worked with sucraseed to develop deer mixtures (Sweet Spot) containing the perennial High Sugar Ryegrass for northern areas and the annual variety for the south. Deer HAMMERED it.

So THunter, your saying that this ryegrass will definitely overwinter in the northern areas like MN and N WI correct?:confused:

 

[THunter]

Plots help up well. Deer certainly didn't wipe them out. The annual high sugar ryegrass faded out in early summer and left me with plots of white clover for 4 years or so (it was in the mix).

Don't know about northern MN and WI, but it does in Nebraska. I think they said it would, but it was the perennial variety. I had some survive our summers down here but not much. The perennial variety doesn't like heat.

Here is a picture of the plot that was planted in 2007 in the Southern Sweet Spot: