Overseeding Rye into Brassicas [With Results] 

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I use a small bucket that fits in the earthway bag and cut the bottom out. It'll hold the sides up for you so you dont struggle with pouring seed alone.

Rye grain grows very easy on most soils. Top seeding rye grain works good no need to drag in.

What would you recommend planting for late season? I have about a 1/4 plot. Thanks

That layered in rye should certainly take the pressure off those brassicas. Looking good. Bow season is just around the corner.

I skipped pure brassica plots this year. Big woods deer mow it down, nothing left 2 weeks after they find it. Rye or Wheat stays mowed down but keeps growing.

Winter rye will grow virtually anywhere. Definitely a nice option to have in the lesser soils

Why isn’t there more hunting of the feral deer. Thought it was more regularly eaten. It was not in Australia. But we are now being overrun because of protection and severe hunting/gun restrictions.

You might have seeded the brassica a tad to early although weather determines that more than dates do. Looks like the deer raided a candy store!

Buy a cheap 3 gal plastic mop bucket. Cut the bottom out and place it in spreader bag when filling. When full pull it out with the handle. Perfect size for the Earthway bag. No spillage.

The winter Rye grand will come back in the spring and be an early season food source as well I have been doing it for the past four seasons

Same thing happened to me and I did the exact same thing. I think the problem is we planted a bit too early.

Great tip on weight!

I thought Jeff said do not plant Rye with Brassica. It does well with clover over seeding it a couple weeks after clover but it will overtake the brassica. Hopefully, it works out for you there.

Alternate title: How plants work

Glad it's working out. I have tried seeding brassica and beans/peas the last four weekends as the forecast was for rain, which never came. Rye looks to be my saving grace this year as long as I get some rain in the next two weeks. I'm in the mountain ground of West Virginia, so the soil is super light and dries out quickly. The rye should help next year as I can crimp it down and spray it before I plant my summer cover crop. I follow Jeff as well as Josh from Whitetail Driven Solutions and they both highly recommend rye. Hope your season is successful.

Rye will grow on a wet cinder block don’t worry about it working it in

i just did what you said and im hoping it works thank you

Crazy that they have been hitting your brassicas so hard this early in the year, must be very little food around you. My experience with rye is that it likely won't "rescue" your brassicas as it will take from them and probably be the death nell for it - even if the deer shift to eating the young rye. It's also pretty early and by season, you might find it's a little too long and I find the deer don't browse it as much. I plant mine in early to mid-Sept in central Michigan. Hope it works out for you, but that's my finding after almost a decade with cereal grains and brassicas. Good luck this year!

Nice save! What did you set your earthway spreader at for the rye?

Next time when you plant the brasica, add some buckwheat to the mix. I had that problem too and buckwheat helped with the radish growth.

I had the same problem filling my seeder and spilling a lot of seed until I cut the bottom and top out of a 2 1/2 gal rinsed out chemical jug. The cut jug fits inside my seeder bag and holds the bag up to put in seed. Remove the jug when ready to go. I know this will help!!.

Did you plant too early?

How much do you pay for a bushel

How Many woodchucks ya got out there? They will destroy! Rye will work. It’s my fail safe in WNY. My brass didn’t do too well this yr…..every time I roll in there I run chucks off. Deer will def hit the brass before the “first frost” too… As long as the rye is in bare soil, you’ll be fine. Only issue I’ve had is hard rains plus a slope can carry seed off. As temps cool this time of year(in my area) the dew is enough to Gettem going. On a slope, I prefer no rain for a few days until they take root. Lastly, if I’m not mistaken, rye grass looks like grass seed….very small. Rye grain is like a football shaped pea….. Good luck I wouldn’t sweat the plot, it’ll be fine!

Nice work and well thought out video and plots. I am working on my 1st round of food plots but they are several (5) micro plots about 1/8 acre with clover feeding trails leading from plot to plot on my small 11 acre parcel against large age in Nebraska. Can't wait to see the updates in the next few weeks to see if your brassicas make a come back! You don't talk about what blend you use? In Jeff's videos he talks about the how hard and early the Brassica get hit up north because of the lack in AG. Curious to know what they seem to be hitting the most this early?

Rye grass is a much smaller seed as well.

I planted 1 plot of rye in June after planting 1 in May of wheat nearby. Very sandy soil as long as it has a decent pH is ideal for this approach. I had to do the rye cuz it was later. I believe the wheat seed is softer but larger. The deer hit my wheat hard but I had just enough rain in central MN to till it under 10 days ago. The last week of the wheat the rye it was getting hit harder. I mowed the rye to keep weeds down in July & up until planting. The deer hooves helped me out cuz I only had to till about 1/3 of the rye plot. The part I tilled had thick weeds that I had to kill with Roundup. Only the 3rd gallon I've had to use in 25 years doing this. Always like to do things right with good planning. Those 2 plots r seeded with Domain Big Sexy & a blend of turnip seed I added cuz it was so awesome last fall. I have pasture land that I broadcasted 2 types of clover just b4 a rain 2 weeks ago along with rape & a little bit of my leftover Big Sexy. U might want to have an area with that u could do this to take some of the night pressure off your plots. I don't like to mix rye with wheat. Planting them a month apart helps since the animals will choose what they like & usually take whatever is new & it will take the heat of an early fall plot like u have there. All things equal I like wheat for palatability ➕️ the stem splits so it's like a 2 for 1. Any tips about sandy soil I've conquered so p.m. me anytime 😊.

Was wondering what size your plot(s) are that they got eaten out so bad? I did the same on Aug 29 for the same reason. I have two approximate 3/4 acre plots. The brassica never got as big as yours even. I will check on them this weekend coming up. Hoping for a good return. I used winter wheat on one plot and rye on the other to compare. Thanks for the video.

Turkeys are like vacuums on that seed. Looks like your plot is big enough that a good amount of it will survive.

Great video man! At 9:04 I notice your screen in the background. What are u using and how long ago did you plant???

Great idea, the exact same thing is happening to my food plot and I know a solution now! Also a great quality video!!!

Looks at the time you solved your problem. I was wondering if it had good enough results to enable you to hunt at gun season?

Are you in a big wilderness area or no AG land around ya? I’ve seen deer over browse plots in areas like that cuz it’s the only real food in the area, rye or wheat is def an option, hope it works out for ya

I’ve had to give up on Brassica plots here in the UP. They have consistently destroyed them before October everytime.

What's your soil ph? Will watch your plot progress updates if you post them 👍

Good luck

Electric fence some off. Brassicas will regrow new leaves

I would consider mixing in some wheat with the rye for sweetness. This is a good example of why all brassicas don't work.

I had winter rye 8 to 12 inches high last year and the deer still ate it down once the other brassica was gone. I also took a 2 gallon pail,cut the bottom out and I put it in the earthly spreader before filling. Much easier to fill up.