Rye keeps coming up...
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: c5ken
21-May-24
I planted Ladino clover and Rye as a cover crop last August. Both looked good in the fall. This spring the rye came up again. I cut it when it was about 12/18" tall several weeks ago. I checked the plot today & the rye came up again & it has seed heads. I really want the clover to take over the 3ac plot. Should I mow the plot again or wait to the rye seeds develop & drop off?
From: JohnMC
21-May-24
Plant a banana tree in the middle and a kumquat on east side
From: sticksender
21-May-24
Yes that's pretty much how all those winter grains work....wheat, rye, oats. But if you mow it again after seed heads form, that'll do it. You may get some volunteer growth later from the new seed.
From: drycreek
21-May-24
It will die on its own when it matures and the heat gets to it.
From: c5ken
22-May-24
If I let the rye mature, do the seeds have any nutritional value for deer, turkeys, etc?
From: Catscratch
22-May-24
It's nutritious if they'll eat it at your place. I plant awnless wheat for that purpose. Use it as a nurse crop for clovers, then green forage in the winter, then in July deer hammer the head. It's cool to watch a deer strip heads for an hour. Lots of protein during lactation and antler growth.
From: Catscratch
22-May-24
Oh man that would be costly! My CO-OP just orders what I need and puts it on other shipments. I think I usually end up paying around $18 total per bag. Not sure my guys had heard of it either. I think triticale is mostly awnless...
From: c5ken
22-May-24
What is the down side if I don't mow the rye and let the heads mature?
From: Catscratch
22-May-24
Downside might be weeds that could be controlled with mowing might take hold.
Otherwise if you don't mow it'll head out then die. This fall you'll likely have quite a bit of volunteer WW come up from that seed. Deer will graze your clover either way (mowed or not mowed). A plus is that does often feel comfortable enough with WW cover to keep their fawns in it.
From: Zbone
22-May-24
I mowed my rye off May 2nd, and just went out and looked and it has not come back...
From: Stressless
24-May-24
Highly recommend letting the rye go to seed then cutting. while growing the rye has an allelopathic effect on weeds. Making the thatch is great for building the organic matter.
Try to wait to cut until the fawns get a couple weeks old. As stated - you'll hit them in the cover if they're just born- 10 days or so.
Click the image below for the .gif to run if it doesn't.
From: fdp
25-May-24
The rye will quit growing when the weather changes.
