Fall Plot Planting and Rain Forecast

[Native Hunter]

It's been a little slow around here, so I will pose a hypothetical question for you.

I like to plant fall plots in my area within the first two weeks of September, but we've had years that fall droughts were a serious problem for plotting. I consider right now too early to plant fall plots, but our drought just broke, and we just had two drenching rains. Starting on Monday, the Weather Channel is giving 11 consecutive days of rain in the 50% range. This makes me feel that all the rain right now could mean another fall drought near the preferred planting time. With that said, I have the following questions for you:

With this forecast, would you go ahead and plant now?
Would you change your mixture in any way due to early planting?
Would you worry about cereal grain being too mature before prime time in November?
What other things might you do differently due to early planting?
PS - My typical plots are a mixture of various clovers, chicory, very light brassicas and a good dose of grains - mostly wheat and oats.

 

[George]

yes, less brassica perhaps, no, make sure that the snakes are happy, but you already knew the answers.

G

 

[SwampCat]

I dont plant here until end of Sep/first of Oct - so no, I would not plant even with rain now. The only thing I can offer input - I have seen reduced usage of wheat that is large in stature - a ft tall. Yes, I would be concerned about that - but my deer did go ahead and eat that big, wooly wheat in early winter.

 

[BenAllgood]

Steve, I thought something was messed up with my rain alerts up there. It said 2" on one of my alerts and over 4" on another. Those were 24 hour alerts. I'm headed up there tomorrow to do some rushed last minute work before season. I'd probably be planting if I was going to this year just because of the good moisture. I have had oats get so high from an early planting that the deer didn't touch them until late season. I don't know if I'd plant the cereal gains, but I was pretty sure brassicas needed a freeze cycle in order to bolt. I'd be hard pressed not to plant something like radishes over the next few days up there.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Here I'd consider rye along with the oats, and a little heavier on the radishes and rape, less turnips.
Planting right now is almost guaranteed to be a certain failure in PA, and if it accidently rains multiple times and the mix grows, the cereals would be way too tall before the first frost. A 50% chance of rain here in July or early August almost certainly means none. So I guess KY is a lot different than our area and therefore any advice that I have is worthless in KY.
One thing that I do here sometimes that has worked well in the past is to put out the brassicas in June before it's dry, then add the cereals on Labor day. This makes for a much better brassica stand that lasts into the winter. Or are you in army worm territory?

 

[SwampCat]

Do you folks not have army worms? IF I could get anything growing in September, good chance the army worms would get it. Next door neighbor row cropper just had to spray his beans for army worm infestation

 

[George]

My brassica will get eaten by army worms but regrow after the onslaught,

G

 

[Native Hunter]

No army worms here, but I know they are in the state. I consulted my snakes and made a decision. I will give the long winded response tonight. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Native Hunter]

Steve, I thought something was messed up with my rain alerts up there. It said 2" on one of my alerts and over 4" on another. Those were 24 hour alerts. I'm headed up there tomorrow to do some rushed last minute work before season. I'd probably be planting if I was going to this year just because of the good moisture. I have had oats get so high from an early planting that the deer didn't touch them until late season. I don't know if I'd plant the cereal gains, but I was pretty sure brassicas needed a freeze cycle in order to bolt. I'd be hard pressed not to plant something like radishes over the next few days up there.

it’s true Ben. We have actually had that much rain.

 

[Native Hunter]

Well, I decided to take the Warren Buffett approach and diversify my risks. I went ahead and planted about 1/3 of what I was going to plant this fall but held off on the rest. Plan was as shown below:

• The places I planted were very old plots that needed reworked due to smartweed and other undesirables taking over. I had Gly sprayed them a few days ago, because the smartweed was starting to make seed and perilla had already sprouted.
• I went heavy on the chicory and clover and backed off a little on the grains and brassicas. With all the soybeans in the neighborhood, I really don't need a nurse crop right now, and hopefully by planting early, I will have a great fall stand of chicory and clover. If I do decide to mow the grains later, that will be no problem.
• I have two nice clover plots that I went ahead and mowed high - just enough to scatter the clover heads that have matured. All of the rain had got them very green again, and I felt that scattering the mature seed would be good. These plots were not that weedy, but the mowing also top clipped what weeds I had.
• On one of the existing clover plots just mentioned, I also overseeded (before mowing) a smorgasbord of several things to soak up the extra nitrogen and provide extra attraction.
• On the 2/3 not planted, I will continue to watch and take care of any weed seeding issues up until the time of planting - hopefully mid September.
• My snakes said to plant anything I wanted, whenever I wanted - but just make sure George keeps his snake in Norther KY.

So, there you have it. If I end up with a mess on the first 1/3, at least it won't be too bad, and I will be a wiser man for the future.

 

[dogghr]

I planted my brassica mix 2 wks ago based on chance of rain. Paid off and I found growth beneath the thatch today. It’s a gamble always. I’ve watched brassica fail in my droughts.

I left the clover intact and didn’t spray. Just spread and mowed the dead WW. Grass is there but I’m pleased w results.

I’ll overseed them w grain late Oct.


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[Native Hunter]

I planted my brassica mix 2 wks ago based on chance of rain. Paid off and I found growth beneath the thatch today. It’s a gamble always. I’ve watched brassica fail in my droughts.

I left the clover intact and didn’t spray. Just spread and mowed the dead WW. Grass is there but I’m pleased w results.

I’ll overseed them w grain late Oct.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey dogghr, what kind of brassicas are you planting these days?

 

[dogghr]

It varies each year but this year I went old school, in part as my local feed store had all seed needed. Now that farmers do no till rotational plantings my brassicas don’t get the odd stare at the store any more. I’m glad.
Any way it was PTT 3#, DER 2#, Forage radish 5#. I’ll overseed with WW or WR once leaves are browsed off usually late Oct. , early Nov. Field is already covered with WC from previous rotation.

 

[Drycreek]

Like SwampCat, I won’t plant until late September probably. Army worms are a real threat here. Once you have them, unless you kill them early, you will always have them. At least that’s my experience. One year they cut my wheat down to the ground. I didn’t give them a chance after that. Besides the army worms, it seems like we don’t get as much rain in September as we used to, so there’s that.

 

[George]

Well, I decided to take the Warren Buffett approach and diversify my risks. I went ahead and planted about 1/3 of what I was going to plant this fall but held off on the rest. Plan was as shown below:

• The places I planted were very old plots that needed reworked due to smartweed and other undesirables taking over. I had Gly sprayed them a few days ago, because the smartweed was starting to make seed and perilla had already sprouted.
• I went heavy on the chicory and clover and backed off a little on the grains and brassicas. With all the soybeans in the neighborhood, I really don't need a nurse crop right now, and hopefully by planting early, I will have a great fall stand of chicory and clover. If I do decide to mow the grains later, that will be no problem.
• I have two nice clover plots that I went ahead and mowed high - just enough to scatter the clover heads that have matured. All of the rain had got them very green again, and I felt that scattering the mature seed would be good. These plots were not that weedy, but the mowing also top clipped what weeds I had.
• On one of the existing clover plots just mentioned, I also overseeded (before mowing) a smorgasbord of several things to soak up the extra nitrogen and provide extra attraction.
• On the 2/3 not planted, I will continue to watch and take care of any weed seeding issues up until the time of planting - hopefully mid September.
• My snakes said to plant anything I wanted, whenever I wanted - but just make sure George keeps his snake in Norther KY.

So, there you have it. If I end up with a mess on the first 1/3, at least it won't be too bad, and I will be a wiser man for the future.

I'll trade you one breeding pair of timbers for a pair of drop tines.

G

 

[Native Hunter]

I'll trade you one breeding pair of timbers for a pair of drop tines.

G

I just ran this deal by the snakeholders (...er...I mean stakeholders) of the farm, and we think we would be better buying Bitcoin shares from Elon Musk - but thanks for the generous offer!!

 

[KSQ2]

I'm in a little bit of a quandary about fall plotting. It's so hard to get motivated this year for me for some reason, I think it's the heat and drought. We actually had pretty decent fall plots back in the '11 and '12 droughts, but I was plotting conventionally then and we didn't plant nearly the amount of plots spread out over several properties. It's about time to begin ordering seed, so that will get me motivated I guess, we'll see.

 

[Native Hunter]

I'm in a little bit of a quandary about fall plotting. It's so hard to get motivated this year for me for some reason, I think it's the heat and drought. We actually had pretty decent fall plots back in the '11 and '12 droughts, but I was plotting conventionally then and we didn't plant nearly the amount of plots spread out over several properties. It's about time to begin ordering seed, so that will get me motivated I guess, we'll see.

Good luck on your plots.

PS - our rainy forecast has actually increased. It’s supposed to start tomorrow and for about 11 days straight the chances are near 60% most days. I hope they are right. Accu-weather is actually giving higher percentages. Four of those 11 days average in the 90 percentile range.

 

[George]

Not good for my barn raising but good for my plants and setting up for some more chanterelles.



G

 

[Native Hunter]

Not good for my barn raising but good for my plants and setting up for some more chanterelles.

View attachment 24188

G

I threw some beans, cowpeas and lab lab in my mix at one spot, and they are already 3 inches high from all the rain in the last few days. I also see clover and chicory already germinating. Will get some pics in a day or two.