LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
I know Paul swears by themm mixed with red clover and peas I believe, we're going to believe him and give them a shot this year too! Rye will live longer through the season when oats are toast, also rye makes an early green up for shed and turkeys
dbltree
Super Moderator
You bet! That's one of my favorites!
Take a look at my thread on cereal grains for more info
Cereal Grains and Cover Crops
Cereal rye is higher in protien then wheat and is a nitrogen scavenger as well as an awesome soil builder that will stay green and attractive all winter long.
Oats are just a little addition that one could do without but deer do love oats so I always add them but don't waste money on "fancy" high dollar oats. Any common spring oat will do but I also have had good luck with forage oats such as Frank Forage oats and they are only a dollar more per bag.
I like to add peas and field peas are less expensive then austrian winter peas, although AWP's may survive longer into the winter (I sense a "test" coming up
)Peas are just "candy" and deer will lap them up like you won't believe!
Clover is optional, you can sow white clovers at this time if wish to have along term stand of clover but I usually so an inexpensive red clover that will grow like crazy in the spring. This not only feeds deer in the early spring and summer but also is fixing nitrogen the whole time and can be tilled under that summer/fall for the next crop of rye or brassicas for instance. Alta Swede Mammouth red clover from Welters works real well and it's only a couple bucks a pound.
I NEVER leave my soil bare, always keep it working and attracting wildlife!
Don't plant fall grains to early, last week of August thru Labor Day is usually perfect!
Check out that thread, ton of pictures and ideas in there...
bowhuntr311
IowaWhitetail Addict
I planted oats/rye mix in half of one plot, and straight rye in the other half last year on Laborday weekend.
The oats/rye mix was definatly grazed harder than the other half, but they never let either get more than a couple of inches tall at very most.
The oats/rye mix was definatly grazed harder than the other half, but they never let either get more than a couple of inches tall at very most.
dbltree
Super Moderator
good information right there!
Now last year I sowed some rye a few weeks later, next to pure oats and they mowed the rye to the ground. I'm sure this was just because the rye was more tender and succulant then the older oats and another reason why we don't want to plant too soon!
Some folks have been continually adding new rye seed to their plot so there is always new growth coming up within the same plot well into fall.
They kill mine bad enough as it is so I haven't tried this but it would be easy to try by just broadcasting fresh seed every couple weeks til mid October perhaps...