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Should I burn my rye?
Food Plots
Messages posted to thread:
BagginBigguns 13-Jul-18
sticksender 13-Jul-18
t-roy 13-Jul-18
jingalls 13-Jul-18
t-roy 13-Jul-18
Ucsdryder 13-Jul-18
grubby 13-Jul-18
t-roy 13-Jul-18
drycreek 13-Jul-18
Duke 13-Jul-18
Ole Coyote 14-Jul-18
Bou'bound 14-Jul-18
Duke 14-Jul-18
jingalls 14-Jul-18
ACB 14-Jul-18
Deerplotter 14-Jul-18
BagginBigguns 16-Jul-18
Babbling Bob 19-Jul-18
Babbling Bob 19-Jul-18
t-roy 25-Jul-18
t-roy 25-Jul-18
BagginBigguns 07-Aug-18
grubby 07-Aug-18
Deerplotter 08-Aug-18
Deerplotter 08-Aug-18
Deerplotter 08-Aug-18
BagginBigguns 09-Aug-18
Deerplotter 09-Aug-18
BagginBigguns 20-Aug-18
Deerplotter 25-Aug-18


Date:13-Jul-18

I neglected to keep my rye plot from last fall trimmed down this summer, and it has become a banner crop of useless, mature rye. I would like to replant the plot with a brassicas mix, but I first need to get rid of the rye, which is tall, thick and impossible to manage without plowing (prefer not to spend the money), cutting/raking (tons of work) or burning (easiest of the cheap methods).

My questions are: 1) Is there any reason why burning my standing rye plot is a bad choice? 2) If I choose to burn the rye, should I first hit it with roundup to prevent regrowth, or is burning sufficient to prevent competition with a freshly planted brassicas mix? 3) If the plot has been burned, can I immediately disc and plant my replacement crop? Or does the ground need to rest for a time before discing/replanting?

Thanks!

Date:13-Jul-18

Burning should get rid of most of the seed, maybe not all. Spraying the mature standing rye with roundup would be a waste of time, since that would have no effect on re-growth of rye from seed.

I've got a couple acres of mature standing rye myself. I can't burn it....too close to the woods. The plan is to mow it, let it sit a few weeks, then spray if needed, and then disc and proceed with my fall plot. I may get some volunteer rye but it'll be quickly overwhelmed by the daikon radish. But for your plot, if burning is an option, I say try that first.

By: t-roy
Date:13-Jul-18

1) I can’t think of any reason that would be a bad choice other than a possible fire hazard to the adjoining area. 2) Roundup won’t do any good because the plant is dead already. The regrowth of the rye will come from the seed heads. I wouldn’t worry about any of the volunteer rye that comes up when you plant your brassicas. It’s just a bonus attractant in your plot. 3) You can disc and plant immediately after with no issues, but it’s just a touch early to plant brassicas, IMO. (Maybe not in Wisconsin though)

Date:13-Jul-18

I've burned rye patches many times. Just be cautious, once it goes it can be like a bomb going off!

By: t-roy
Date:13-Jul-18

Jingalls.....I’m curious about your experience with burning rye off. Do you see much volunteer rye come up in the subsequent plot, or does the fire zap the seed pretty well?

Date:13-Jul-18

Take a video!!!

By: grubby
Date:13-Jul-18

I don't think you are really going to get it hot enough for long enough to destroy seed. I also think there are far worse problems than some volunteer rye. Burn it off and enjoy yourself doing it.... fires are fun.

By: t-roy
Date:13-Jul-18

t-roy's embedded Photo

I agree, grubby, but it really depends on where you’re at. My buddy came within a mile of losing his house, hay, equipment, etc., in Oklahoma this spring. This is some CRP that I burnt off early this Spring in Iowa. It adjoins some timber. Here, I don’t think you could set the timber on fire if you tried. There’s just not enough fuel in the understory to maintain the fire long enough get the trees going.

Date:13-Jul-18

As a guy who has burned many, many piles of timber (with a dozer working), fires ain't fun if they get away from you. I can recall three over a thirty year period out of the dozens I've burned that were terrifying. Never burned anyone's house or buildings down, but I did have to get in the woods, and in the fire (with the dozer) to put a couple out. If you light it up, you can make sure the wind will switch and blow twice as hard ! Good luck !

By: Duke
Date:13-Jul-18

I’ve burnt mine in the past... No problem with volunteer seed, but as stated above—-be careful! Plan ahead, watch wind, have h20 backpack and shovels on site, and have help on deck with you as it can really go if it is dry enough. Put in a control line!! Can’t beat a well planned fire as you’ll be putting good nutrients back in the ground immediately!

Date:14-Jul-18

I have burned a few and I invite the volunteer fire department to attend our local guys love to work the edges and put them out as needed to protect the very close pine forest! We usually have a cookout after the burn and a great day is had by all!!

Date:14-Jul-18

here...............hold my beer while I light this dry field on fire.

By: Duke
Date:14-Jul-18

No beer necessary, but I’m sure it’d taste great after a good burn. Perfectly safe with the right precautions, bou. It expedited the entire decomp process and is much easier on machinery.

Date:14-Jul-18

We always had some volunteer come up. But not a big deal. Deer love it.

By: ACB
Date:14-Jul-18

What John said . There are a lot of BTU’s in a mature rye field . Have good fire breaks and start on down wind side .

Date:14-Jul-18

I plant several acres of WinternRye every year. The following spring early is best to cut it down but if you procrastinated and now it’s seeded out cut it anyway. It cuts easy. You may have to go over it a couple times but disc the remains in the soil and don’t worry about reoccurring rye in your brassica. I planted Dwarf Rape where I disc the rye in and it looks perfect with no rye regrowth. Burning will work if you are comfortable doing it. Disc it under and plant when ready. In MN here I plant most all Brassicas by mid July with good results. August tends to be dryer then July and gives the crop a chance to catch some rain and get a good start. The Rape is ankle high now. Good luck.

Date:16-Jul-18

I chickened out. The risk was just too high, given my inexperience, and the fact that the rye looked to me like it was primed to be a raging inferno in a matter of seconds if I lit a match to it while it was yet standing.

So I mowed it. Took my time, went over it about 4 times total, and then swept the stalks up with a lawn sweeper. It worked very well. Much better than expected. I tried burning what remained, and I could barely keep it lit, even with diesel fuel applied. And that's ok. I'm going to apply roundup (there's a good amount of weeds on the north end) tomorrow afternoon, then disc it this weekend. I think it'll turn out just fine.

Thanks for the advice, fellas. I took some pics before/during/after. I'll try to post them up later on, in case anyone is curious about what I was working with.

Date:19-Jul-18

If you can not do a controlled burn and have to use use chemical herbicides for control, an application of glyphosate alone may not do it. Some of the ryegrass, especially mature ryegrass with seedheads, will have some glyphosate resistance, so additives, such as a small amount of ammonium sulfate, or a spreader sticker surfactant will need to be added. If it is a dry year, complete kill without several applications will not happen. Kill will also be significantly reduced if there is no soil moisture or a rain sometime after spraying (not immediately after) to enhance getting the herbicide up into the plant. The use of glyphosate on ryegrass is the way researchers get glyphosate resistant offtypes to use for ryegrass weed research.

Date:19-Jul-18

If you can not do a controlled burn and have to use use chemical herbicides for control, an application of glyphosate alone may not do it. Some of the ryegrass, especially mature ryegrass with seedheads, will have some glyphosate resistance, so additives, such as a small amount of ammonium sulfate, or a spreader sticker surfactant will need to be added. If it is a dry year, complete kill without several applications will not happen. Kill will also be significantly reduced if there is no soil moisture or a rain sometime after spraying (not immediately after) to enhance getting the herbicide up into the plant. The use of glyphosate on ryegrass is the way researchers get glyphosate resistant offtypes to use for ryegrass weed research.

By: t-roy
Date:25-Jul-18

t-roy's embedded Photo

Burned some off last weekend.

By: t-roy
Date:25-Jul-18

t-roy's embedded Photo

I think you’re right, grubby. Lots of seed heads laying on the ground after I got done burning. Doesn’t look like they got scorched very much all.

Date:07-Aug-18

BagginBigguns's embedded Photo

Looks like the rye has survived my killing and tilling. In hindsight, I'm not surprised. But now I wonder if this might be bad for my brassicas crop. Any thoughts on my unintended rye crop that's coming on strong? Should I mow it before the brassicas grow up past my mower's highest blade setting, in an attempt to prevent the rye from crowding out the rape, turnips and radishes?

By: grubby
Date:07-Aug-18

I really don't think I would worry about it, mowing is an option or you could treat it with round up in a weed wiper. (I haven't ever done this but I am considering buying an applicator so try it and let me know how it works)

Date:08-Aug-18

I would mow it and let the Brassicas come with it. I plant winter rye with my Brassicas frequently at the same time and let it go. The rye doesn’t choke the Brassicas out that I experienced. I will try to take a picture of my winter rye-Dwarf Rape and post it. Planted a couple weeks ago.

Date:08-Aug-18

Deerplotter's embedded Photo

Date:08-Aug-18

Deerplotter's embedded Photo

Date:09-Aug-18

Thanks for the pics, Deerplotter. Is there any chance that the rye will mature too much and become unpalatable before the end of the growing season, given that it was planted fairly early (July 29th)? Does mowing delay maturity? As much as choking out the brassicas, I was concerned that the rye would no longer be appealing to the deer at the time (Oct/Nov, SE Wisconsin) that it matters most. Is that possible?

Date:09-Aug-18

If it Heads out maybe but hopefully your brassica shades it out enough that it knocks it back. If not raise the mower deck above the brassica and cut it off a few inches. My experience has been that when it freezes and the deer are on the brassica heavy they will knock the rye down anyway and eat it. By keeping it longer, when light snow cover comes, they will find it easier and more poundage of forage for them too. Good luck.

Date:20-Aug-18

BagginBigguns's embedded Photo

Well, the plot is growing like crazy. Oddly, I don't think any of it is rye. What I thought was rye is actually just weeds (I think). I'm not sure which of the three seed types I planted is predominant, but I think it's turnips. Any thoughts on what is actually growing here? Note: I planted turnips, radish and rape.

Date:25-Aug-18

Larger darker green the Rape. The grass green color radish and the turnip should be a rougher textured leaf darker green but the picture clarity doesn’t allow me to see that —my eyes are older. Nice plot, good job that’ll work fine.


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