# Cereal Rye or Buckwheat for smother crop?



## Hot Spot (Nov 29, 2009)

_*(Consideration for below post - No Till / No Drill / Broadcast only)*_

If Rye grain is planted in Sept with grazing throughout fall, will it continue to grow the following spring?

If the Sept planted Rye comes back in spring, can I just let it grow to maturity as a smother crop for Brassicas planting in Aug?

Or should I just kill the rye in spring & plant Buckwheat for a Brassica smother crop?


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

No matter how close to the ground your rye or wheat is eaten this fall or thru the winter, both will grow next spring and at least for a time will be eaten by deer after getting tall enough to eat.
You can do either for your brassicas. Several members posted threads with photos of crimped or rolled rye last month that had then been planted with brassicas and showing the small plants coming up thru the rye. 

L & O


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Hot Spot said:


> _*(Consideration for below post - No Till / No Drill / Broadcast only)*_
> 
> If Rye grain is planted in Sept with grazing throughout fall, will it continue to grow the following spring?
> 
> ...


Yes.
Yes.
I would.


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## Hot Spot (Nov 29, 2009)

Liver and Onions said:


> No matter how close to the ground your rye or wheat is eaten this fall or thru the winter, both will grow next spring and at least for a time will be eaten by deer after getting tall enough to eat.
> You can do either for your brassicas. Several members posted threads with photos of crimped or rolled rye last month that had then been planted with brassicas and showing the small plants coming up thru the rye.
> 
> L & O


Another question for you.........why do people crimp or roll a smother crop? Can't you just spray glyphosate on upright Rye or Buckwheat, leave standing upright. Then broadcast brassica seed in standing Rye or Buckwheat? And if crimping/rolling is necessary, do you still spray the crimped plants.......and do you spray before or after crimping/rolling. I know, lots of questions.


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## Dish7 (Apr 2, 2017)

Hot Spot said:


> Another question for you.........why do people crimp or roll a smother crop? Can't you just spray glyphosate on upright Rye or Buckwheat, leave standing upright. Then broadcast brassica seed in standing Rye or Buckwheat? And if crimping/rolling is necessary, do you still spray the crimped plants.......and do you spray before or after crimping/rolling. I know, lots of questions.


The flattened cover crop acts as a mulch to help hold moisture and kick-start your brassica germination.


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## smith34 (Feb 2, 2009)

Spraying kills all the plants you don’t want there (grasses or “weeds”). Crimping will kill the grain crop…if you don’t, it matures, not a biggie. Rolling and crimping put the thatch on the ground so that it helps hold the moisture and begin to decompose. Another benefit is it makes it easier to spread your seeds too. Many ways to skin this cat…


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## smith34 (Feb 2, 2009)

Dish7 said:


> The flattened cover crop acts as a mulch to help hold moisture and kick-start your brassica germination.


Ya, what he said while I was typing up mine!


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