spring planted rye for fall/winter food plot??

[bornagain62511]

Has anyone tried planting winter rye in the spring and letting it grow as a food plot for the following fall and winter? if so, how did it do? How tall did it get before the next winter? and was it attractive to deer and if so during which months of the fall and winter did it attract them most? if I understand correctly, spring planted rye will not get really tall and seed out until going through winter and the next spring/summer it will seed out, correct? Just thinking this might be a good fall/winter food source here in Wisconsin if it gets about 12" tall or so and does not seed out until the following summer.

 

[weekender21]

I planted some a few weeks ago along with MRC. Even if it did live through the summer I think it would be far too mature to be desirable for your deer. I planted it just to get something growing immediately on a few newly cleared plots.

I’m planning to overseed those plots and possibly mow this fall.


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[Bill]

I’ve heard it won’t go to seed if it doesn’t winter over but I’ve never tried it so? Can’t say for sure.

I used it one spring as a nurse crop for clover because I had left over. I killed it once the clover was doing well. It had not made a seed head but it was pretty tall. 18” and going.

 

[Rit]

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/spring-planted-winter-rye.108/

 

[weekender21]

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/spring-planted-winter-rye.108/

Great read. To summarize, rye can be beneficial planted almost anytime.


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[bornagain62511]

http://habitat-talk.com/index.php?threads/spring-planted-winter-rye.108/

Thanks, that is exactly the kind of info I was looking for!

From the above thread
"Rye eaten to the dirt a couple weeks ago in my garden. Ya my garden, and there are few deer around my garden. Haven't ever had to fence it off. 100s or acres of corn beans and lush alfalfa/ clover. The deer are still eating rye that was planted almost a year ago.
Be careful Steve I'm not the only one now.
Enlighten us on your failed planting scenarios? When were your failed planting dates?
My guess is you have never planted it early Steve. Rye planted now will be around the same height as a lot of the stuff I see in lickcreeks pictures. In good soil you can get a foot of growth in a couple months. Especially the further south you go, it is warmer longer. it only gets so tall and it dies......than it sends up new shoots like a tree suckering.....than it dies....eventually forming a clump of organic material, long and short shoots.
I don't have any understanding with you cause you were flat out wrong in that debate we had. You tried to say the stuff gets stemmy. In fact there is more tender growth in planting it earlier cause of the additional shoots.
Like I said plant one seed in a pot and see what happens. I know what happens been growing it for years. For those that don't, just like that seed company, dare to compare. Haha"

 

[bueller]

^^^That's got to be a dipper quote. The good ole days .

 

[weekender21]

Yep, that's basically a dipper thread. With a little Steve B sprinkled in.