Winter rye spring management?

[pointer]

All my plots have rye in them right now. If the plot wasn't seeded with clover in Sept. it will be getting frost seeded over the holidays. I don't have access to a mower, but I think I could get the plots mowed at least once. If I did that I think I'd wait until the rye had set seed. I do have a sprayer, so am thinking that a plot or a portion of one may be getting a grass specific herbicide early in the spring. Also considering letting some go to seed and then over seeding with something, probably a brassica, and just cultipacking it via a throw N mow type deal. Heck, I'll probably be doing some sort of all these options! :D

But, I'm curious as to what you do with the rye in the spring/summer, why you do that, and when do you do it?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I just let it sit there until I plant my fall crop, whether that be brassica's, or another grain mixture. The rye grows about 4 feet tall, and fawns use it for bedding, and food. Then I just disc it in and plant in it come late summer. You dont even have to disc, just toss the seed out, and mow it ontop of the seed. But I have a few stumps, and rocks that I like to clean out every year, because I can grow some decent sized rocks in my plot every year.

 

[Someday isle]

Great question pointer. I have rye on all of my trails with medium red and ladino clovers mixed in. I had planned on turning two trails into straight clover next year. I though I'd just let the rye mature and monitor any weeds. Once the rye dries down I hope to have straight clover. The more open trails will just get disced under in late summer for the same mix next year. I'm not sure there is a best thing to do so I'm going to mow some and not mow others and just have my own mini experiment.

 

[yoderjac]

All my plots have rye in them right now. If the plot wasn't seeded with clover in Sept. it will be getting frost seeded over the holidays. I don't have access to a mower, but I think I could get the plots mowed at least once. If I did that I think I'd wait until the rye had set seed. I do have a sprayer, so am thinking that a plot or a portion of one may be getting a grass specific herbicide early in the spring. Also considering letting some go to seed and then over seeding with something, probably a brassica, and just cultipacking it via a throw N mow type deal. Heck, I'll probably be doing some sort of all these options! :D

But, I'm curious as to what you do with the rye in the spring/summer, why you do that, and when do you do it?

It really depends on my purpose for planting WR. When I use it for a nurse crop for clover, each time it hits about a foot, I mow it back to 6"-8" (depending on the type of clover and conditions). This keeps it growing to keep weeds at bay while releasing the clover. I then let it die on its own. The reason I don't spray it with cleth is because I want it to live a long as possible to prevent summer weeds from taking hold until the clover gets a well established root system. When planted as part of a cover crop broadcast into standing soybeans and I plan to plant RR beans again the next year, I drill bean (with a light mix of corn) into the standing rye and then spray the field with gly after planting. When planted light as part of a fall mix with something like Crimson Clover (acts as a reseeding annual in my area) I let it head out over the summer to keep the ground covered until I'm ready to plant the next fall.

By the way, you don't mention your location. That can be a factor. You mentioned frost seeding over the holidays. Frost seeding is best done when night time temperatures are low enough to freeze the top inch of soil and daytime highs are high enough to thaw it completely. In my area in zone 7a, the sweet spot is usually early March. You generally don't want to frost seed on top of snow. It makes the seed quite visible to birds that can consume it.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[pointer]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

 

[scott44]

I let mine go and roll it down the first part of July after I've broadcast my brassicas into it. I usually spray with gly at the time of rolling, some of the clover will not get hit with the gly so you'll have some clover in your brassicas if you've added it to your rye, plus if the rye has matured you might get some volunteer rye coming back up. This has worked for me.

Before



After

 

[Fall's Legend]

If it is mainly going to be clover, and you used the rye as a cover crop, as I do frequently for clover, I wait until it matures and heads out. Then I mow which really releases the clover, but enough of the seeds will germinate in the fall to give some rye for the next season. I do it with wheat as well.

 

[yoderjac]

If it is mainly going to be clover, and you used the rye as a cover crop, as I do frequently for clover, I wait until it matures and heads out. Then I mow which really releases the clover, but enough of the seeds will germinate in the fall to give some rye for the next season. I do it with wheat as well.

Depends on the clover and the seeding rate of the rye. Clovers like Durana are very slow to establish and need to be released sooner with periodic mowing. Location plays a part as well. In the south where summer weeds are a significant issue we need pretty heavy seeding rates of WR for the nurse crop to battle weeds. I can see where if you are in an area where you can use light rates of WR, some faster to establish clovers may work out without mowing.

Thakns,

Jack

 

[Fall's Legend]

Jack,
No doubt you are correct. I use medium red and ladino when doing this. The red establishes faster as you know. I have waited several times to mow until the rye matures, and I have had beautiful clover plots, some of my thickest, after doing so. I agree conditions have to be right, yet I have had enough success with it to offer it up as others may want to try it. Having some volunteer rye or wheat come back the next fall is a bonus and a plus for hunting attraction extending the plot's use well into colder temperatures after the clover is less attractive.