Winter broadcasting NWSG into Cereal Rye????

[SWIFFY]

After winter seeding my switch last year and having the trouble with invasive weeds this year i've been thinking....

Ive read, and experienced, so much good from fall seeding Rye. Using it as a nurse crop, spring food source, soil health weed control... the list goes on.

Here's the scenario im thinking about...

I have plots currently in corn/beans that are mostly "clean". I'm thinking of seeding them down heavy now with rye to prepare for next years no-till planting. EXCEPT this winter in February I would broadcast NWSG into the corn/bean stubble. Next spring the rye will come in and keep the weeds at bay (while providing other benefits), then before the rye comes to seed I will roll it down allowing my young, warm season switch to grow on the rest of the summer in a thatch filled, weed free environment!

Has anyone thought of trying this or tried it??? It almost sounds too good to be true? So what am i missing? Your thoughts?

-SWIF

 

[KDdid]

I actually pondered this very thing today while walking with the division of forestry agent today. I'm following along on this one...


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[j-bird]

My concern would be the competition the rye would be for the young switchgrass. Rye for me can get tall - 3 or 4 feet and it does it early. That would be my concern.

 

[TreeDaddy]

In the south, non native grasses would be my concern with this otherwise very intriguing idea

Common bermuda thrives here and is almost impossible to eradicate once it gains a step

Rye tillers and dies here ~June and patches of bermuda explode

You may not have that issue in minnesota

bill

 

[j-bird]

if you want to use the rye for weed suppression, I would suggest spreading/drilling your NWSG and then terminating the rye to reduce that competition - sort of like a throw and mow/spray/roll sort of situation. Just a thought.

 

[SWIFFY]

My concern would be the competition the rye would be for the young switchgrass. Rye for me can get tall - 3 or 4 feet and it does it early. That would be my concern.

I get that J-bird, but that big growth is early... before the switch would be "actively" growing yet., right?? My thought is the rye would just nurse the NWSG as it out-competed the weeds and other cool season grasses. Then about the time the switch would boom, you'd be mowing/rolling the rye.

I have no idea if it would work this way??? It just seems logical. It seems now, from May thru July, a guy just mows and sprays to keep weeds and cool season grasses at bay. Why not let the rye work its magic at that time and then let the switch benefit once it gets hot....

I appreciate the comments so far! I may be doing a test strip here to experiment with how this could work. Nothing to loose I guess!

 

[Dipper]

I would strongly suggest not doing this. I have planted nwsg in rye and in some places gotten zero germination. On one field the rye set me back 3 years compared to more conventional planting methods.

 

[scott44]

The NWSG's I've started i killed the summer and fall before frost seeding them, I remember LC saying that planting NWSG's into a clean soybean field was the best circumstance because you already have everything killed. Sounds like you have a good start, not sure what the rye would do. I might try a small area like you said, good luck!

 

[SWIFFY]

I would strongly suggest not doing this. I have planted nwsg in rye and in some places gotten zero germination. On one field the rye set me back 3 years compared to more conventional planting methods.

Good to know... Like j-bird said. I suppose it competes. hmmm...