what are your guys experience with rye? from what i hear rye grows very well in northern minnesota. i don't know if deer will benifit from it or even if they will be drawn to it. would i be better off using a blend of clovers, and if so, what type of clover. thanks

Rye is an annual plant that you would have to replant every year where clover is a perrenial that will grow multiple years. If you want something that might yield immediate results this year, rye would be a better choice than clover but depending on how far north you are, it may be a little late for it.



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Live: Oregon, IL
Hunt: Knox County, IL

i planted winter rye in augest,,,, its all gone!it never got above 3 inches,but it will come back in the spring

You might consider grain rye and then do a bit of frost seeding with a clover later in the season. I would stay clear of ryegrass. Some hunters have good luck with it, but if the deer don't eat it, it can be hard to eradicate.

But then, I am from the south and things might be different.

QDM is Managing Today for a Better Tomorrow

minnesota,
I planted a small plot of winter rye last year and it did really well.(I'm from northern Wisconsin) You don't have to worry about spraying for weeds (if you disc first that will kill off the weeds) because the rye will choke them out when it comes up. The deer really liked the rye and if you disc it after it gets ripe it will sprout again and probably even thicker than when you first put it in. You won't have to replant, just disc it down and let it grow again. If you have enough room I would plant half in rye and then the other half in clover.

Plant both. The rye will act as a nurse crop for the clover.

Dan O.