Durana rate

Bigeight

Active Member
Debating on giving Durana a try this fall for plots in Northern Ohio and southern MI.
I usually use Kopu II, Alice, and Jumbo Ladino. I've been super happy with it, but cant ignore the amount of people talking up the Durana variety.

What rate would I plant the Durana/acre ? I see its suggested 5#/a re as a stand alone. Is that the rate that everyone is planting at ? I was going to add about 75# of winter rye at planting around September 1st
 
I know the soil benefits of rye, however I would consider switching from cereal rye to wheat and staying at the 50 lbs/acre rate. The reason being is that you don't want things too thick, to shade out the clover and give it, it's best chance to grow before the heat of the summer.

The other reason to switch from rye to wheat, for your perennial crop establishment, is that rye will start start growing quicker and get taller in the spring, than wheat will. Again, not wanting to over shade the clover.
 
I know the soil benefits of rye, however I would consider switching from cereal rye to wheat and staying at the 50 lbs/acre rate. The reason being is that you don't want things too thick, to shade out the clover and give it, it's best chance to grow before the heat of the summer.

The other reason to switch from rye to wheat, for your perennial crop establishment, is that rye will start start growing quicker and get taller in the spring, than wheat will. Again, not wanting to over shade the clover.

I second this. In fall 2016 I planted rye with Durana and come spring time the rye overwhelmed the clover. Last fall I went with wheat at a lighter rate and had the best clover plot I’ve had yet.
 
That's interesting. I've had the opposite experience between rye and oats. The oats I always had weedy plots, the rye gave me very weed free plots. I chalked it up to the allapalophic (sp) effect given off by the Rye???
Obviously a lot of variables come into play, but that was my assumption.
I'm excited to see how the Durana compares to the the mix I've been using for the past decade or so. Hope its comparable or better !
 
I would've guessed that your oats, woulda, shoulda, maybe, probably, coulda froze out in MI and OH? I am assuming a fall planting?
 
I would've guessed that your oats, woulda, shoulda, maybe, probably, coulda froze out in MI and OH? I am assuming a fall planting?
Yes. 100% ! ....so should I stick with the Rye then like I have been ? Seed it even lighter ?
 
No oats up there, then .....

Wheat at 50 lbs/acre would be my first choice, for it's simplicity. You can leave it standing and have the seed heads available for the deer and turkey.

If you have a comfort level, in using cereal rye, go ahead at 50 lbs/acre and if you see it getting 2 feet tall, next spring and getting way ahead of the clover, kill it off. I know it will try to get 5 feet tall, but don't let it get there. Make sense?

Durana and white clover in particular, focuses it first 6 months in trying to establish a good root system to become heat tolerant and drought hardy. You want to let it do that, as best you can. A good stand of clover is good weed control, in and of itself (it also has some allelopathic benefits). You'll find, that with proper ph and grass control, your Durana will out compete a lot of things.


Allelopathy.JPG
 
So, is there much difference in the allelopathic effects of rye vs. wheat? I had always heard to plant rye.
 
Cereal Rye is better, hands down for allelopathy, unless you had a very thick stand of wheat, which would shade out/smother most weeds.

In this case, I'm just suggesting wheat vs rye, because the Durana (or most perennial white clovers) are very slow growing when they get started. They focus on putting in "roots" vs top growth, but cereal rye will start growing sooner in the spring and grow taller than wheat will. A slower starter and slower grower, like wheat, will help Durana get better established.

Sometimes a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words. http://www.growingdeer.tv/#/over-15-tips-for-the-best-food-plots-and-nutritious-native-browse
 
I certainly use WR and WW and sometimes a mix for new plantings. My problem with WW is that it tillers much more than WR which can be a problem if using tillage with rotation the next season. WW seems to be liked by deer in the fall somewhat more than rye.
WR tills up much more easily. I like WR because it definitely does best with suppressing weeds and grasses in a new planting. I always overseed my perennials each fall with it to help suppress grasses and weeds and eat up some excess N besides providing winter feed.
As for smothering clover, I don't agree. With a healthy deer population, they tend to feed on the new plant growth early. By hiding that new clover somewhat with the rye, the clover has time to make its root efforts then when you mow the rye at end of its lifespan, late May to mid June for me, the clover explodes with growth and is well enough established to handle the deer browse. Picky thots as either WR or WW is a win /win for fall plantings.
 
Cereal Rye is better, hands down for allelopathy, unless you had a very thick stand of wheat, which would shade out/smother most weeds.

In this case, I'm just suggesting wheat vs rye, because the Durana (or most perennial white clovers) are very slow growing when they get started. They focus on putting in "roots" vs top growth, but cereal rye will start growing sooner in the spring and grow taller than wheat will. A slower starter and slower grower, like wheat, will help Durana get better established.

Sometimes a picture (or video) is worth a thousand words. http://www.growingdeer.tv/#/over-15-tips-for-the-best-food-plots-and-nutritious-native-browse

I'm sure he knows what he's talking about, but man is he one of the dumbest sounding doctors I've ever seen. Maybe he got his phD from the University of Phoenix. Didn't have to remove the syrup from his mouth the entire 18 months, and has kept it there ever since.


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I was going to add about 75# of winter rye at planting around September 1st

I would only do about 50 lbs of the rye

Be sure and factor in browsing pressure - if I planted at 50# - or even 75# - per acre I would never make a stand of grain to nurse the clover. I planted my most heavily utilized plot at 115#/ac (rye and oats) last year and it was kept eaten so low that it looked like a mown lawn. I did read somewhere keep the rye to no more than a bushel (57#) per acre or it will be to thick in the spring. I plant the balance in oats which usually winter kills even this far south.
 
Yes. 100% ! ....so should I stick with the Rye then like I have been ? Seed it even lighter ?
Have you tried winter oats? I planted Whitetail institute winter oats last year and them thangs stayed green until this summer, when I decided to terminate them. Brassicas are STILL going from last fall too. I just want to see how long them suckers will last. It gets below freezing here in North Ga a good bit is why Im asking
 
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