Buckwheat double crop

[Creek chub]

I am hoping to plant a buckwheat plot Saturday since rain is forecasted this weekend. This is a new plot that was wooded but cleared enough to allow enough sunlight.

If I let the buckwheat go to seed, can I mow it and expect a decent second crop? Or should I add more buckwheat seed before I mow the first buckwheat crop?

 

[ncnat]

I can get 2 crops of buckwheat a year and i'm in the middle of NC. I have found that if you have a good stand of buckwheat that mowing works good. If the stand is thin, then lightly running a disc over it works better than mowing. Your second crop will mature faster because of the heat.

 

[Creek chub]

That’s good news ncnat!

I’m a little north of you in southwest VA so our spring/summer climates should be similar.

 

[Jeff H]

If your buckwheat is browsed heavily as mine was by both turkey and deer I'm afraid your second stand will be sparse. This has been my experience.

 

[USC country]

The first year I grew buckwheat it wasn’t browsed much if at all. The second year they hit it much harder but I still got a good stand. I haven’t planted any the last 2 years but plan to again this year. I’ve noticed fawns tend to spend a lot of time in it.

 

[JDunham]

On smaller plots they hammer my buckwheat, not much makes it to seed. Doing a couple larger fields this year. Interested to see how they do.