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Old 09-07-2004, 01:01 PM
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NorthJeff
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Munising MI
Posts: 501
Default RE: Fall 2004 Rye Cover Crop - planted

Annual rye is great choice for a fall attractant, and if you have a way to work them in, oats can be a great addition. What I to do is to plant annual rye, Buck Forage Oats(will stay green about a month longer and highly prefered by deer), and a combination of clover.

What happens with a rye/oats/clover planting is this:

They rye is your "sure thing". It will grow the best under the conditions and is basically fail proof. The oats are your "candy" and are much preferred over the rye...but it's very important to buy Buck forage oats or similar cold weather variet, not just MI oats. BFO are made to be cold tolerant and have multiple shoots for grazing. What will take place is that the rye and oats will be your targeted fall attractant, with the clover starting to become established. If you planted all rye and no oats though, your clover will have a harder time competing in the spring, but by planting the oats, 1/2 your grain crop(oats) will freeze out and die during the winter, so you are left with only a 1/2 covering of grains in your field next year which will help your clover to become established. At the same time, the rye will be the forage that is available the earliest in the spring for your returning deer....usually a couple weeks before even a well established clover field, let alone a new one planted the previous fall.

On that planting I the frost-seed in the same clover mix, with the addition of a good brassica mix in the spring. I then take the same planting, and a few weeks before it's anniversary I kill the worst 1/2 and re-plant with the same fall attractant(rye/oats and clover). You end up planting each 1/2 of the field on a rotational basis every other year, but you always maintain a strong base of clover, with your planting efforts each year targeting a great fall attractant for your enjoyment during hunting season. The addition of the frost-seeded brassica offers a great variety and substantial nutrients to your clover field and if they last into hunting season, great, if not, your deer still had the added benifit of the plant throughout the year.

This year most of my plantings were 100#'s BFO per acre, 25#'s annual rye per acre, and the recommended amount of clover or Imperial Extreme per acre, all planted on 8/8. Looking great so far!

I used to go with more of a clover/rye blend, but the rye is a pain to deal with the following summer and in limited quantities, coupled with the oats, it does not have a noticable effect on the growth or establishment of the clover throughout the spring and summer months.
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