fertilizing rye and ryegrass?

[Copenhagen & Shiner B]

It has just rained a few inches and I am considering fertilizing my rye and ryegrass today or tomorrow. I want to try to give the grass a little kick because I am gonna need it soon because I will run out of hay in 3 weeks. I have usually planted most of my pastures in ryegrass instead of rye, but this year I planted them either in rye/ryegrass combo or straight rye. I have always spread my 34-0-0 towards the end of February on ryegrass, but the rye seems to grow better in colder weather than ryegrass and therefore I am considering fertilizing it earlier. Are there any negatives to fertilizing after a rain? I have always fertilized before a rain came. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Angus Cowman]

if the ground has enough moisture to disolve the fert before it can evaporate you should be ok
I have applied it before when we were just getting heavy dew in the morning after a rain and I could see the benefit

 

[novatech]

It may do a little good just because the leaves will absorb some melted fertilizer. Unfortunately most of it will vaporize when the sun beats on it. It just will not go deep enough into the soil. Any evaporation will take the N with it. Cold weather helps but you certainly are not going to get everything you paid for.

 

[agmantoo]

I believe the ground temps are too low for the nitrogen to have the benefits you are anticipating.

 

[jedstivers]

I would wait till it's dry, then try to get in front of a rain.

 

[Kingfisher]

I would wait till it's dry, then try to get in front of a rain.

Right.........if you could get it deep at just the right time. I see a field of what I guess is rye coming out of Brownwood that looks really good right now. I know the cat did something to juice it at just the right time and it looks like the cows are diggin it. I just aint sure if it is rye ......i just know its green!

 

[jack1234]

No direct experience, but from everything I've heard, the roots of rye, in particular, are like a nitrogen vacuum. Good on lower fertility soil and as a cover crop because it's real hardy and sucks up every last drop of available nutrients.

That being said, it might be able to tide itself over (or maintain it's growth rate) until fertilizer application makes more sense. All depends on the particulars of your situation, of course.

On a side note, there haven't been many pasture pics this winter. C'mon folks. Post up the good, the bad, the ugly..anything. I'm living in the city and enjoy living vicariously though yall.

 

[1982vett]

No direct experience, but from everything I've heard, the roots of rye, in particular, are like a nitrogen vacuum. Good on lower fertility soil and as a cover crop because it's real hardy and sucks up every last drop of available nutrients.

That being said, it might be able to tide itself over (or maintain it's growth rate) until fertilizer application makes more sense. All depends on the particulars of your situation, of course.

On a side note, there haven't been many pasture pics this winter. C'mon folks. Post up the good, the bad, the ugly..anything. I'm living in the city and enjoy living vicariously though yall.

Nobody wants to own up to the crappy pastures....I'm sick of seeing them!

 

[Douglas]

If you have time consider half now half later. Spreads the risk and with some cool weather remaining, it can only use so much. I would not think it is early at all for rye in SC, the long range forecast is warm after the next 7 days in the southeast. I say go for it.

 

[Copenhagen & Shiner B]

If you have time consider half now half later. Spreads the risk and with some cool weather remaining, it can only use so much. I would not think it is early at all for rye in SC, the long range forecast is warm after the next 7 days in the southeast. I say go for it.

I went and researched this site and forgot that I made a similar post this time last year and you replied and posted a link to the Georgia Forages website article. I read that article and it suggested to spread nitrogen on rye and ryegrass in late January or early February and so I went ahead and spread the fertilizer this weekend and I am hoping for the best. BTW, are you a UNC, Duke, N. C. State, or Wake fan?

 

[jack1234]

Nobody wants to own up to the crappy pastures....I'm sick of seeing them!

Well that's understandable. I'll hold out hope that there will be some good before/after pics 6-8 wks from now!

 

[1982vett]

Nobody wants to own up to the crappy pastures....I'm sick of seeing them!

Well that's understandable. I'll hold out hope that there will be some good before/after pics 6-8 wks from now!

Hey,I did get to graze my $85 an acre oats yesterday...for and hour...and the second time since it was planted last September....

 

[Douglas]

If you have time consider half now half later. Spreads the risk and with some cool weather remaining, it can only use so much. I would not think it is early at all for rye in SC, the long range forecast is warm after the next 7 days in the southeast. I say go for it.

I went and researched this site and forgot that I made a similar post this time last year and you replied and posted a link to the Georgia Forages website article. I read that article and it suggested to spread nitrogen on rye and ryegrass in late January or early February and so I went ahead and spread the fertilizer this weekend and I am hoping for the best. BTW, are you a UNC, Duke, N. C. State, or Wake fan?

Go Heels! Lucky enough to be an Alumnus as well
Tigers for you?

 

[Copenhagen & Shiner B]

If you have time consider half now half later. Spreads the risk and with some cool weather remaining, it can only use so much. I would not think it is early at all for rye in SC, the long range forecast is warm after the next 7 days in the southeast. I say go for it.

I went and researched this site and forgot that I made a similar post this time last year and you replied and posted a link to the Georgia Forages website article. I read that article and it suggested to spread nitrogen on rye and ryegrass in late January or early February and so I went ahead and spread the fertilizer this weekend and I am hoping for the best. BTW, are you a UNC, Duke, N. C. State, or Wake fan?

Go Heels! Lucky enough to be an Alumnus as well
Tigers for you?

I am a Clemson Tiger fan, but I did not go to school there. I am going to Littlejohn saturday to watch Clemson play UNC in basketball. I hope that UNC beats Duke tomorrow night because I want the UNC/Clemson game to mean more in the scheme of things in the ACC. I wish that UNC had not removed South Carolina from their football schedule this past year because I would have loved to have seen the Heels beat the shamecocks.

 

[Douglas]

We play them in columbia the first game in 2013. No one i dispise more than OBC. It still amazes me the support SC has in football to have pratically no success in the past. We play at your place next year but not again till 2015, ridiclious.
I noticed what seems to be new growth on my rye yesterday, and with the warm weather expected next week we should be good to go. I wish now i had gotten some fertilizer out this week, the predicted small snow tomorrow would been perfect. Good luck and let me know how your rye/ryegrass works out.

 

[1982vett]

We play them in columbia the first game in 2013. No one i dispise more than OBC. It still amazes me the support SC has in football to have pratically no success in the past. We play at your place next year but not again till 2015, ridiclious.
I noticed what seems to be new growth on my rye yesterday, and with the warm weather expected next week we should be good to go. I wish now i had gotten some fertilizer out this week, the predicted small snow tomorrow would been perfect. Good luck and let me know how your rye/ryegrass works out.

I guess you can do that when you can reasonably expect more moisture anytime in the next 3 months.... Just a bullet in the foot around here these days. I don't think our 70% chance of precipitation is dripping off the roof...but it is more than 3 out of the last for chances produced.

 

[Copenhagen & Shiner B]

We play them in columbia the first game in 2013. No one i dispise more than OBC. It still amazes me the support SC has in football to have pratically no success in the past. We play at your place next year but not again till 2015, ridiclious.
I noticed what seems to be new growth on my rye yesterday, and with the warm weather expected next week we should be good to go. I wish now i had gotten some fertilizer out this week, the predicted small snow tomorrow would been perfect. Good luck and let me know how your rye/ryegrass works out.

Yes, South Carolina fans can be obnoxious and they hate the ACC with a passion because of reasons dating back to when they were in the conference. They despise Tobacco Road teams worse than they do Clemson and that is a lot. I miss the old ACC myself. We sold our soul to the devil (conference expansion) just to be a major "football" conference (and how is that working out?). We use to know that we were going to have a home basketball game with both Duke and UNC each season and play each NC ACC team in football each season. The Miami thUgs and the Free Shoes University Cremenoles bring down the ACC. I will get off my soapbox and hope that grass gets greener and grows the next couple of weeks.