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Cover Crops Cereal Rye & Crimson Clover not tilled in....

Posted by emyers 8 SC (My Page) on
Mon, Oct 12, 09 at 21:21

Weatherman lied.

Spent all weekend tilling 5 acres and got a cereal rye/crimson clover mix broadcast at a relatively high rate per acre at dark last night. Intended to wake up and use a drag harrow on the seed to lightly cover it.

Well, lo and behold, the bottom fell out this morning and continued all day.... dog food bowls had about 3 inches in them!

Anyway, my field is pretty much a "swamp" now (little standing water but muddy) so little hope of getting tractor in there for the next day or so.

I walked it today and the seed still seems to be relatively in place, but it's definitely on the surface.

Combination Sand, Clay and Sand Loam.

What's gonna happen?


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Cover Crops Cereal Rye & Crimson Clover not tilled in....

Maybe someone else will come along who knows better, but I think they'll be ok. When I broadcast seeds like that, I don't do a very good job of covering them, and they still do ok. I also try to do it right before a rain on purpose to make sure they get a good watering. I think as long as they aren't in danger of drying out, then covering seeds is not as vital.


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RE: Cover Crops Cereal Rye & Crimson Clover not tilled in....

Thanks for the input.
Rained again today. should rain more tomorrow and maybe the next day. Looks like it will be overcast all week.
The rye and the clover has definitely germinated and is growing legs. Just hope they can burrow down.
We'll see!


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RE: Cover Crops Cereal Rye & Crimson Clover not tilled in....

I tossed out crimson clover two weeks ago. I did not cover it at all. Mine are mostly done sprouting and have their first leaves. If the soil is easily worked, you should be okay. If it's hard clay, you will probably get spotty germination.


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RE: Cover Crops Cereal Rye & Crimson Clover not tilled in....

Crimson Clover seems to be doing well actually. Rye is another story. It looks like it DEFINITELY prefers to be covered. All the seed that is sitting on top has roots growing out of it but appears rarely to be actually taking root.
That being said, there is some germination going on (little brown twiggy looking things) but it is no where near the amount as the clover. I'm wondering if the rye seed might be pulling itself in somehow.... seems unlikely with all the seed sitting on top, but when I walk out daily, there just doesn't seem to be as much seed sitting on the surface.

Will just keep checking.

Eddie


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