Sand Farmer

I’m rather new to the food plot farming. I own 37 acres in southern Wood county. Currently I have two plots, both just under a half acre. The one in question was planted last fall with winter rye, which is now mature and I believe unless to deer. I bought a mix called buck bouya I believe to use this summer. My question is what to do with the standing rye. Do I put down my new seed, cut the rye and roll it? Or do I need to spray it and till it under, then seed and roll? I know it’s important to keep the top layer of soil with everything being Sandy. I appreciate any advice.

Wingbone

I'm right next door in southern Clark Co. I put winter wheat/rye in last fall and, like yours, it matured. It's an annual crop so there's no need to spray it. I just worked it in when preparing the seed bed. If some of the seed sprouts, its just additional to the stuff I planted.

Sand Farmer

Thank you very much. The reason I ask is that I’m hearing so much about not tilling and just spreading seed and rolling or crimping the standing rye. Using it as a “mulch”. Did you cut yours before working it into the soil?

Wingbone

No, I didn't cut it. My neighbor just disked it in. Frankly, it wasn't planted thick enough to act as an effective mulch. Afterward I spread the new seed and went over it with a garden rake to cover it. My neighbor then went over it with a cultipacker to insure good ground contact. This all happened just before a good rain. It couldn't have worked out better. I had phenomenal germination. And now I see that some of the worked in rye or wheat has germinated.

Sand Farmer

Well thank you very much for the help, much appreciated. I’ll see how it goes this July. I’ve got Buck Bouya from Deer Gro. Going to plant that where my Rye currently is. So far the only thing that really turned out was the rye. Deer loved it last fall. Good luck to ya!!

Wingbone

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