Last years rye plot

[Se Ia T-Bone]

I have an acre of rye that I planted last year by itself and I'm not sure as for what to do with it now. It has came back up this spring and looks good. Should I till it under and plant something else? What would you plant?

 

[6x6]

If you want rye again, let it mature, mow it, then lightly disc and drag or cultipack, late august-beginning of september. Otherwise spray or mow it before seeding out, then plant brassicas mid july.

 

[Tim Hull]

I would just mow it before it goes to seed and plant brassicas mid to late july.

 

[Daver]

I have some experience with previous years rye fields...

Anymore, most times I just leave them be. I kind of stumbled into this "strategy" in previous years when I simply ran out of time to handle the rye plots in the early spring. The rye will provide forage in the early spring and then grow like thunder here in about a month and you will have a sea of 5' tall rye sometime in June.

Pros -
1. The tall rye can serve as fawning or nesting cover.

2. In very dry years, you will be amazed at the moisture retention in the soil underneath a heavy rye canopy. If you plan to plant brassicas in this same area in late July or so, there is no better way to preserve soil moisture than to just leave the rye there in June and July.

When you are ready to plant brassicas, or whatever, just mow the then mature rye down and plant...easy, peasy. Uhh, provided you have a pretty stout mower that is, the zillions of dead 5' tall rye stems are a little tough on light duty mowers!

As others have said, it is better to mow the rye before the seed heads mature if you are switching the field to something else. If going back with rye again, then wait a little longer to mow and let those seed heads work for you this year too.

 

[stevep]

Is discing rye under, enough to "kill" it, or is it better to spray if I'm planning to plant something else. I was going to plant some sunflowers in a few weeks. Should I spray the rye to make sure I get a good kill, or will discing it be enough?

Thanks

Steve

 

[StickersNKickers]

I have some experience with previous years rye fields...

Anymore, most times I just leave them be. I kind of stumbled into this "strategy" in previous years when I simply ran out of time to handle the rye plots in the early spring. The rye will provide forage in the early spring and then grow like thunder here in about a month and you will have a sea of 5' tall rye sometime in June.

Pros -
1. The tall rye can serve as fawning or nesting cover.

2. In very dry years, you will be amazed at the moisture retention in the soil underneath a heavy rye canopy. If you plan to plant brassicas in this same area in late July or so, there is no better way to preserve soil moisture than to just leave the rye there in June and July.

When you are ready to plant brassicas, or whatever, just mow the then mature rye down and plant...easy, peasy. Uhh, provided you have a pretty stout mower that is, the zillions of dead 5' tall rye stems are a little tough on light duty mowers!

As others have said, it is better to mow the rye before the seed heads mature if you are switching the field to something else. If going back with rye again, then wait a little longer to mow and let those seed heads work for you this year too.

Let me preface this with saying that I know almost nothing about winter (cereal) rye...if you let it grow this spring and then mow, can you harvest it for hay? And, if not, would you need to remove the mowed rye anyway, or just let it lay?

 

[Se Ia T-Bone]

I'm thinking about leaving it to mature and reseed itself, but come in late July and mow it all down and till under part of it and plant turnips.

Is my timing for mowing and planting turnips correct?
Once I mow it down will I need to remove the mowed Rye?

 

[Se Ia T-Bone]

I'm thinking about leaving it to mature and reseed itself, but come in late July and mow it all down and till under part of it and plant turnips.

Is my timing for mowing and planting turnips correct?
Once I mow it down will I need to remove the mowed Rye?

Anybody have any input?

 

[Central Iowa]

Mow it a couple weeks earlier disk it 3rd week in July and plant your turnips.