Food Plots Cereal Rye Not Germinating

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Bayou Buck

Bayou Buck

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May 11, 2009
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Franklin, TN
Man I'm bummed out at the moment. Broadcasted about 500 lbs of cereal rye a few weeks ago and got several rain showers since then. Not a single grain has sprouted. Went and inspected during these storms and all the seeds are soft white mush inside. My oats were about 50/50 as well which isn't ideal. Not sure if the heat between rain events had anything to do with it or if it was bad seed from the Coop. Anyone ever see anything similar with rye grain?
 
Rye grain is usually very easy to grow, I have always had great germination with the rye that I have used. I prefer Pennington's wintergrazer rye, but I have used others as well.

I broadcast forage wheat from coop on Monday, and I already had germination this morning.
 
That almost sounds like the seed was submerged for an extended period of time, or it wasn't able to dry out. That seems insane that you would have that kind of flooding though.

When I plant rye right before a good rain I normally expect it to be several inches tall by that time next week. Granted army worms destroyed my rye, but I put more out a few days ago and it's germinating already.

If I were you I would go get some more seed and get it out, and I would probably go to a different location than where you got the last seed from.
 
We had one field last year with rye and crimson. None of the rye ever came up. Full of crimson. Never had that happen in all the years we've planted it. We wrote it up as a bad batch of rye. It was a single batch just for that 2.5 acre field. The other bull batch of rye was for all the other fields and it that batch came up just fine.
 
I'd vote bad seed as well.

Had that happen to me 5 or 6 years ago. Got about 10% germination of rye on my blend, while the brassicas and clover planted with the rye were gangbusters that fall.

As an aside...the potential for bad seed is why I never plant a monoculture.
 
Bayou Buck said:
Man I'm bummed out at the moment. Broadcasted about 500 lbs of cereal rye a few weeks ago and got several rain showers since then. Not a single grain has sprouted. Went and inspected during these storms and all the seeds are soft white mush inside. My oats were about 50/50 as well which isn't ideal. Not sure if the heat between rain events had anything to do with it or if it was bad seed from the Coop. Anyone ever see anything similar with rye grain?
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I planted 11 plots (Wheat, oats, Cereal Rye) this year, all before the first tropical storm came through three weeks ago. The Wheat and Oats germinated and are very lush already. The clovers are growing great as well. My two cereal rye plots did not germinate even after 3" inches of rain spread over two days. Maybe they will germinate and grow after this weekend's 4" of rain.

Just in case, I top seeded wheat over the bare cereal rye plots last Thursday before the storms hit...

For what it's worth, I bought my seed at MidSouth Ag in Paris
 
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maclet24 said:
That almost sounds like the seed was submerged for an extended period of time, or it wasn't able to dry out. That seems insane that you would have that kind of flooding though.

When I plant rye right before a good rain I normally expect it to be several inches tall by that time next week. Granted army worms destroyed my rye, but I put more out a few days ago and it's germinating already.

If I were you I would go get some more seed and get it out, and I would probably go to a different location than where you got the last seed from.
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This is on a hillside so definitely did not flood. Thank goodness I had a mix of seed in most fields but I am definitely going to have to top seed before the next rain event.
 
Ski said:
Here's rye I put down Friday morning, two days ago. It's already got leaders searching for soil. That's how rye has always been for me. I'm thinking you got soured seed.
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Just called the Co-op and let them know and give them a chance to make it right. Of course they said they haven't heard of anyone else having issues. Sent them a bunch of pics and let them know every other type of seed germinated. Will see what they do. I'll be throwing more seed out whenever the rain event may be to fill the gaps I guess.
 
Bayou Buck said:
Well was told I am out of luck. This was from the Williamson County Co-op by the way. I gave them a chance to make it right in some way but they refused. Just a heads up. I'll be taking my business elsewhere in the future.
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Get some more rye somewhere else. You have at least 4-5 weeks where it will sprout and grow. Last year I sowed some in December and it grew. That was on the plateau which is colder than your location. You still have plenty of time for a good rye plot.
 
348Winchester said:
Get some more rye somewhere else. You have at least 4-5 weeks where it will sprout and grow. Last year I sowed some in December and it grew. That was on the plateau which is colder than your location. You still have plenty of time for a good rye plot.
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Probably have even longer than that. I broadcast all winter and it grows whenever the temp is above freezing. Even when it freezes it doesn't die. It just stays stagnant until temp comes up and it grows again.
 
Ski said:
Probably have even longer than that. I broadcast all winter and it grows whenever the temp is above freezing. Even when it freezes it doesn't die. It just stays stagnant until temp comes up and it grows again.
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My turkeys wouldn't allow that.
 

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