Author Topic: Grazing Rye  (Read 2227 times)

MervF

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Grazing Rye
« on: November 27, 2014, 23:03:51 »
For the first time ever, I have sown green manure.   I sowed late September and October and was going to strim off just before Christmas and leave it as a mulch for a month before starting to dig it in ready for the new season.   Any advice?

goodlife

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Re: Grazing Rye
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2014, 23:33:19 »
I would leave it be as it is over winter months...as it will help holding onto nutrients in the soil...bare soil will loose lot over winter rain. Come early spring..dig the whole lot in and rye will then return the goodness back into soil what it has been 'holding on' all those months.
The microbial and 'greepy crawly' activity will slow when the soil is cold and wet too...so nothing much get processed or it is quite slow process...in spring, with just little bit of temperature change things will speed up again. You can see few new green grass blades starting to emerge and that is sure sign of life picking up...time to 'turn over'.. :icon_thumleft:

BUT...this is just how I see it...others no doubt have different views about it... :icon_cheers:

MervF

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Re: Grazing Rye
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2014, 11:19:54 »
Thanks goodlife for the reply.   I have always had manure up to now but we can no longer get it so thought I would give this a try.   In some ways I think it is better - keeps the weeds from growing, stops the rain washing nutrients through and when you strim it, puts that into the ground when you dig.

Dandytown

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Re: Grazing Rye
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2014, 20:26:03 »
Completely agree with Goodlife.  Letting the rye grow helps to build your soil.

Decide when you need the ground free for planting and then work back 4 weeks from there.  That's when you want to start your work.  Rye can be hard work to dig in but i you have the energy then it's a great thing for the patch. 

4 weeks before you need the soil I suggest mowing/cutting down and then covering to ommit the light.  Every year I cover with carpet for two weeks which is enough to kill it.  I then cut the ground into squares and turn it over and break up the lumps.  Aerates the soil very well.

When I have a tiller to hand I opt for it instead.  If you do not cover the ground with something first to kill the rye off you can still turn it over as mentioned above but you'll need to do it again for the little bits that pop up here and there.

My rye grows on my pumpkin patches and I tend to dig it in segments, just before the pumpkin plant roots spread into the soil where the rye is and therefore some of my rye doesn't get dug in until June.  The only trouble with this is the rye can be a lot tougher and take longer to break down.  I sow rye in October/November but if I can not do it all then I do some in Feburary as well since I do not need the soil until June time



 

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