Rye Grass vs. Buckwheat

Omaha · 07-16-2009, 01:02 PM

Getting conflicting opinions regarding what to plant in and around my pond once we're through digging. I plan on planting one of these two seeds in the basin and on the banks to prevent erosion and provide initial vegetation instead of weeds. What's the general consensus or opinions on these two plants as starters for a new pond?

Laramie · 07-16-2009, 05:19 PM

Annual Rye or buckwheat as a cover/companion crop? Not much experience with buckwheat I regret. Annual rye would do well I would even suggest oats. Go with 0.75 bu/acre on oats in early spring and drill it with your grass mix cheap and effective.

Omaha · 07-16-2009, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laramie

Annual Rye or buckwheat as a cover/companion crop? Not much experience with buckwheat I regret. Annual rye would do well I would even suggest oats. Go with 0.75 bu/acre on oats in early spring and drill it with your grass mix cheap and effective.

How about fall.

Digging right now so I'm looking at probably the end of summer or so to begin planting.

Laramie · 07-16-2009, 09:06 PM

Well...Im relatively sure annual rye would be a good late summer/fall seeding, oats would not. You could do something else...Dormant seeding of cool/warm season natives and then mulch with prairie hay OR dormant seeding with annual rye.

The mulch route is a little more involved though...
You would need a no-till drill, bale buster (OR manure spreader works great) a few bales of CRP hay (legal CRP bales!) and a disc (set kind of high) to crimp the hay mulch into the soil. Provides fast cover for fall rains and early spring rains too. Have to be carefull you don't get big clumps in the mulch, it will inhibit the grass stand.

No matter which way you do it you will get weeds...but in about 3 years you will have a really nice stand.

Any thoughts on a grass seed mixture?

Omaha · 07-17-2009, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laramie

Well...Im relatively sure annual rye would be a good late summer/fall seeding, oats would not. You could do something else...Dormant seeding of cool/warm season natives and then mulch with prairie hay OR dormant seeding with annual rye.

The mulch route is a little more involved though...
You would need a no-till drill, bale buster (OR manure spreader works great) a few bales of CRP hay (legal CRP bales!) and a disc (set kind of high) to crimp the hay mulch into the soil. Provides fast cover for fall rains and early spring rains too. Have to be carefull you don't get big clumps in the mulch, it will inhibit the grass stand.

No matter which way you do it you will get weeds...but in about 3 years you will have a really nice stand.

Any thoughts on a grass seed mixture?

Oh, I know I'll get the weeds. It's woods so there will be weeds. I just want to control them to an extent and get the erosion issue addressed right away. Right now leaning towards annual rye.

I am intrigued by some of these seed mixtures, like this one - Water's Edge Mixture A Combination of Grasses and Forbes. More expensive, obviously, but if done properly, could be a real benefit. What grass mixture might you suggest?

07-16-2009, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Omaha Omaha is building a pond. Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 311 Thanks: 145 Thanked 57 Times in 43 Posts	Rye Grass vs. Buckwheat Getting conflicting opinions regarding what to plant in and around my pond once we're through digging. I plan on planting one of these two seeds in the basin and on the banks to prevent erosion and provide initial vegetation instead of weeds. What's the general consensus or opinions on these two plants as starters for a new pond?

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07-16-2009, 05:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Laramie Laramie is looking forward to bow hunting this week and next Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Omaha Posts: 102 Thanks: 21 Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts	Annual Rye or buckwheat as a cover/companion crop? Not much experience with buckwheat I regret. Annual rye would do well I would even suggest oats. Go with 0.75 bu/acre on oats in early spring and drill it with your grass mix cheap and effective.

07-16-2009, 09:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Laramie Laramie is looking forward to bow hunting this week and next Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Omaha Posts: 102 Thanks: 21 Thanked 24 Times in 23 Posts	Well...Im relatively sure annual rye would be a good late summer/fall seeding, oats would not. You could do something else...Dormant seeding of cool/warm season natives and then mulch with prairie hay OR dormant seeding with annual rye. The mulch route is a little more involved though... You would need a no-till drill, bale buster (OR manure spreader works great) a few bales of CRP hay (legal CRP bales!) and a disc (set kind of high) to crimp the hay mulch into the soil. Provides fast cover for fall rains and early spring rains too. Have to be carefull you don't get big clumps in the mulch, it will inhibit the grass stand. No matter which way you do it you will get weeds...but in about 3 years you will have a really nice stand. Any thoughts on a grass seed mixture?