Food Plots How much rain needed to plant?

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lafn96

lafn96

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SE TN
Looks like about 1/2" of rain in the forecast about 10 days out. Hasn't rained for a week, but my plots were saturated at that time. Sprayed gly and 24D right after that last rain. If we get that 1/2" in 10 days, that should that be enough for the seed to germinate? I'll be broadcasting, mowing, then using a cultipacker.

If the ground is dry, what is the minimum amount of rain needed for germination?
 
1/2" is plenty IMO. That said I think it matters how it rains almost more so than how much. A 1/2" rain could come in a short thunderstorm that dumps it all at once then it runs off as the sun comes out to dry up the ground again. Or it could set in a good soaker drizzle that lasts all day into the night. Both could be 1/2" but I like the drizzle better if I had a choice, but I don't so I take whatever I can get!
 
megalomaniac said:
I like to plant when I have 3 days in a row of 60% or better chance for rain all 3 days.

It will germinate fine with a half inch...

The real killer is if it germinates, then no rain for a month after that. But that is out of your control
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Triple this! That's why I look for a forecast with more than just one rain. maybe two rains two or three days apart.
 
Only percent percent chance 2 different days here in the forecast. And its been longer than 5 days since we had rain. Hoping this doesn't turn out to be a drought like last year, but I'm watching the forecase and on ready if the rain chance looks good.
 
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Well, west TN got some rain, all the way to Nashville. I was in Nashville, but some guys on my least in Fayette put out some seed on Saturday. Fayette got an inch. They should get some germination, but it looks to be dry for the next couple of weeks, so I'll still be waiting for another chance for raing.
 
I planted yesterday, forecast was just over 2 inches from Sun - Wed. Just checked the forecast now, and it's saying 3 inches today. I may have to re-plant as that will likely wash the seed away.
 
Andy S. said:
I got .3" at my house Sunday morning and a buddy got 1" at his house near Oakland from same event. Exposed soil in my yard was pretty much dry at dark last night. It soaked that .3" up in no time.
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"I'm outside of Oakland and I got almost an inch of rain. Pretty sure that was like pissing on a campfire.
 
BigAl said:
Where are you at that you're expecting that much rain?
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Looks like the weather app had a glitch, or the forecasters were wrong - just looked again and it's back to 1.5" over the next couple days. I'm just east of Watts Bar Dam
 
we got a popup shower at my house in south MS yest eve.... 0.1in. First rain in 6 weeks. So far in August, we have only had 5 days less than 100 degrees. Set a record for yesterday at 106deg. Never seen heat/ drought like this ever.
 
Planted my plots and got 7 inches within the 2 week period .. steady over the course of a few days then downpours plot of Brassicas and one clover/buckwheat plot is booming
 
Only got .3" yesterday and last night; and forecast is for .4" today; hopefully that turns out to be true - although given the recent inaccuracy I don't have a lot of faith in it.
 
We got a great (but unexpected) rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday (1.15"). However, I'm glad I didn't plant. No rain in the 15-day forecast would kill newly germinated seed (in my soils).
 
BSK said:
We got a great (but unexpected) rain Saturday afternoon through Sunday (1.15"). However, I'm glad I didn't plant. No rain in the 15-day forecast would kill newly germinated seed (in my soils).
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So I had some spare time today so I went ahead and till'd the plots today. If I wait several weeks until we get rain, will I need to till again or can I just broadcast on top of what I just tilled?
 
I hope this storm in the Gulf brings us some rain within the next week or so . The rain we just got wasnt in the 10 day forecast I believe .
 
The hurricane is going to cut east, out into the Atlantic. Perhaps East TN gets a little out of it, but nothing for Middle or West TN. Still nothing solid for Middle/West TN in the 15-day forecast.

I think September - at least out to mid-September - is going to be very hot and dry. And that's fairly common. September is traditionally our driest month.
 
BSK said:
The hurricane is going to cut east, out into the Atlantic. Perhaps East TN gets a little out of it, but nothing for Middle or West TN. Still nothing solid for Middle/West TN in the 15-day forecast.
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Been constantly watching the forecast, and I'm surprised there's zero rain in the 10 day forecast here in E. TN. Thought we'd get some from the hurricane.
 

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