Buckwheat
06-20-2006, 06:12 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SE Wisconsin
Posts: 448
RE: Buckwheat
Yes, planted buckwheat last summer and this summer. It is more of a soil builder and something cheap ($19 for 50lb bag) to put in for the summer when you really want a fall plot in that location. Buckwheat pulls up alot of potassium and makes it available to the next crop after you til the buckwheat under. Buckwheat makes the soil nice an loose too.
My buckwheat is about 4 inches tall now. An hour ago I found a spot about 3 ft round a single deer ate every plant down to the stem last night.
I also have a white clover, RR soybean, winter wheat and white clover, RR corn plot, and a strip of sunflowers near by. The deer prefer all of these to buckwheat. In farm country buckwheat is low on the preference list, but deer will pound it hard in remote areas.
My buckwheat is about 4 inches tall now. An hour ago I found a spot about 3 ft round a single deer ate every plant down to the stem last night.
I also have a white clover, RR soybean, winter wheat and white clover, RR corn plot, and a strip of sunflowers near by. The deer prefer all of these to buckwheat. In farm country buckwheat is low on the preference list, but deer will pound it hard in remote areas.
06-26-2006, 05:14 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 22
RE: Buckwheat
New to Buckwheat also. We Planted it@ 2 weeks ago. Currently @6" high. We are using it as a soil builder based on others advise. We have been over planting clover and want to start rotating. Our soil is not great and it is also a harder clay. I hope after tillage we will notice looser and more fertile ground. We are in an area of North East Pa with not alot of Ag. country so I hope the Deer take to this new introduction. We will be following up in early August with a planting of Brassica. What is Buckwheats nutritional Value? Can we use Buckwheat in the same plots yearly or is there a point when you use something else as a summer plot for rotation?
06-26-2006, 09:09 PM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 845
RE: Buckwheat
Found this on the web...
"Buckwheat is similar to oats in nutrient composition with a protein content of approximately 12.0 percent, a crude fiber level of 12.8 percent, and a digestible energy level of 1,360 kilocalories per pound. The protein quality of buckwheat is reportedly among the highest in the plant kingdom. Buckwheat has a higher concentration of essential amino acids than other cereal grains (Table 1). Particularly important are the levels of lysine and threonine, the first and second limiting amino acids in most cereal grains. "
I've never tried it but, I'm interested in how it works in the south.
"Buckwheat is similar to oats in nutrient composition with a protein content of approximately 12.0 percent, a crude fiber level of 12.8 percent, and a digestible energy level of 1,360 kilocalories per pound. The protein quality of buckwheat is reportedly among the highest in the plant kingdom. Buckwheat has a higher concentration of essential amino acids than other cereal grains (Table 1). Particularly important are the levels of lysine and threonine, the first and second limiting amino acids in most cereal grains. "
I've never tried it but, I'm interested in how it works in the south.
06-27-2006, 05:17 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Oct 1998
Location: Hughesville, PA USA
Posts: 18,322
RE: Buckwheat
I understand from many that deer love Buckwheat and they recommend planting it with clovers. It offers good cover for the clover to get started and like mentioned above, good soil builder and cheap....
06-27-2006, 09:06 PM
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 22
RE: Buckwheat
Hawgnman, Thanks for the facts. I am also interested as to see how the whitetails respond to this first planting ever in my area. Just wish I had it in a month earlier. Now if it will just stop raining and let some sun shine hit the plots!
06-27-2006, 09:27 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: cazenovia, NY USA
Posts: 2,973
RE: Buckwheat
We've tried buckwheat several times - its an odd plot - definitelya soil builder.
We've had it grow only 1 ft tall on bad soil - and over 3 ft tall on good soil. It likes Nitrogen and responds well in growth to N applications.
Our deer liked it when it was young (6" tall) and when it was crazy big and the seeds were in the Milk Stage, but not at other times. Come hunting season - the deer - and little else wanted anything to do with the buckwheat seeds - and it DIED wicked fast with the first frost.
I most often hear buckwheat used as a first year plot - on newly formed plots - like old pasture, or log landings. It has extensive roots that "pull up" nutrients from deep in the soil.
I won't trash it - because it has its place - but feeding deer isn't up there on the list.
FH
We've had it grow only 1 ft tall on bad soil - and over 3 ft tall on good soil. It likes Nitrogen and responds well in growth to N applications.
Our deer liked it when it was young (6" tall) and when it was crazy big and the seeds were in the Milk Stage, but not at other times. Come hunting season - the deer - and little else wanted anything to do with the buckwheat seeds - and it DIED wicked fast with the first frost.
I most often hear buckwheat used as a first year plot - on newly formed plots - like old pasture, or log landings. It has extensive roots that "pull up" nutrients from deep in the soil.
I won't trash it - because it has its place - but feeding deer isn't up there on the list.
FH
