Sitka Gear
Winter Rye and rain?
Whitetail Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Hunt98 09-Sep-23
KsRancher 09-Sep-23
t-roy 09-Sep-23
Michael 09-Sep-23
Zbone 09-Sep-23
drycreek 09-Sep-23
gjs4 09-Sep-23
Backus 09-Sep-23
UPSTATE 13-Sep-23
KHNC 21-Sep-23
gjs4 13-Oct-23
KHNC 13-Oct-23
gjs4 15-Oct-23
Stressless 16-Oct-23
mattandersen 16-Oct-23
Mark Watkins 16-Oct-23
mattandersen 23-Oct-23
KHNC 24-Oct-23
From: Hunt98
09-Sep-23
Three weeks ago I broadcast winter rye in hopes of forecasted rain. It never rained. The temps has been in the 90’s for five days straight during that time. There has been some dew also. There is rain forecasted for today. Will the rye that I put down three weeks ago still grow if it rains today?

From: KsRancher
09-Sep-23
It should. Unless it rains just enough to get it sprouted but not enough that it's still dry underneath and it dries out. Hopefully it rains and drizzles for a few days.

From: t-roy
09-Sep-23
I’m assuming that the rye that you planted did not sprout since you broadcasted it. If no, then it should sprout just fine once you get enough moisture, but as KsRancher alluded to, hopefully you get enough rain to maintain growth in the plant and not get just enough moisture to get it to sprout, then run out of moisture again. We’re at almost 40 days since any precip in my neck of the woods :-(

From: Michael
09-Sep-23
Another problem that can arise is a little moisture can get it to sprout. But if there isn’t any future moisture the deer will browse it down to nothing.

From: Zbone
09-Sep-23
Have had a bit of experience with rye since working for a strip mine reclaimation outfit back in the day out of high school and have seen it grow in the back of a pickup... It's very hardy and reason it's the first seed applied to reclaimed dirt, it'll grow about anywhere and deer luv it...

I timed mine perfect this year, watched the radar, seeded during the day and it rained hard that night and it germinated and sprouts to about 2" by the 4th day, and had deer munching on those tender sprouts within a week... Since yours didn't received rain early, it may take it a little bit longer to sprout, but what the birds don't get will grow... Doves will eat the heck out of it before it sprouts...

From: drycreek
09-Sep-23
I have planted wheat in dust before with no rain for a couple weeks and it did fine. As others said, it more or less hinges on the amount of rain you get, and even more on how much you get after. I’m assuming rye won’t be any different. Before I retired, we planted Labor Day weekend because we could, weather be damned. The only grain plots I ever had to fail were because of army worms, not moisture. Nowadays, I like to get a rain before I plant so I can plant into moist ground and then get another rain in a few days. Timing is everything !

From: gjs4
09-Sep-23
Biggest issue ive seen with ungerminated cereals is turkeys....

From: Backus
09-Sep-23
Yep Turkeys Crows and Ravens cleaning it up when it sits too long.

From: UPSTATE
13-Sep-23
Lets not forget the dreaded starlings, I mean a hundred of them

From: KHNC
21-Sep-23
Looks like a good weekend to plant in Upstate SC coming up.

From: gjs4
13-Oct-23
So for those who had it laying there; Whats it look like now?

From: KHNC
13-Oct-23
Mine grew anyway in SC without any rain at all. Planted 9/23 , dry as bone and the rain didnt come until yesterday. About half my plots had greened up from dew im guessing. Thankfully the rain yesterday should salvage it im hoping.

From: gjs4
15-Oct-23
Hoping to head down to Ohio soon and see one of my layered seeding attempts growing....I have one cell cam that makes me think I just fed birds

From: Stressless
16-Oct-23
Figured I'd update with the rye and dry.

The rye example in dry conditions. I had some work done along Crescent Pond in Sep, coal mined spoil bank opened up - nasty shale, clay and rock. Spread rye and crimson clover 16 Sep.

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About 3 weeks later the rye germinated and rooted in less than 1" of rain from 1 Sept to 9 Oct, not so sure about the crimson clover.

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The difference between the rye growth in the plots where I overseeded into soil that had a crop growing, compared to seeded on bare dirt is, again just a observation, but I'd say 200-400% better in the overseeded areas.

Across all the plots the clover is getting dry and almost looks like it is going dormant the cereal grains are still producing. This is normally a great growing period for the cool season legumes. I am getting a little concerned about how fast the clover can react to a rain. Hopefully the oats and rye will really jump as well, we got a real good soaking rain of .85" on Oct 14th.

From: mattandersen
16-Oct-23
I broadcast 50lbs of winter rye on my somewhat failed turnips and clover plot 3 weeks ago and not a one sprouted. I just broadcasted another 50lbs over the very wet wknd we had. I think my problem is not enough/good seed to soil contact as I just broadcasted them into bare spots. But I have heard and read so many say it will literally grow in the bed of a pick up or on a cinder block so I'm frustrated...I didn't drag the seed because I do have some turnips and clover growing...didn't want to hurt them.

From: Mark Watkins
16-Oct-23
How’d it turn out Hunt?

Mark

From: mattandersen
23-Oct-23
Update my rye finally germinated. We have had some very wet weather and it finally sprouted. I'm hoping it will save my somewhat failed turnip plot. Hopefully Hunt98's rye is growing too!?

From: KHNC
24-Oct-23
All my plots in SC greened up thick in the last 10 days since we finally got rain.

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