Oats a bust?

[Creeksidelc]

Well with virtually no rain in central Texas this fall there are a lot of oats sitting in dry power right now and a whole lot that havnt been planted yet. It seemed like a lot of guys were planting towards the end of September and since then but with no rain since and none in the forecast is there any chance of having a stand of grazable oats or ryegrass this winter? Really hoping the seed I planted wasnt a waste of time and money.

 

[fenceman]

Everyone around here is all in . we still have a chance to get something . the problem is 3/4 inch followed by nothing for a couple of weeks on the dry soil , and you'll lose them. We're used to having them up by now. Last year we turned cows on knee high oats on Nov. 7. Aint gonna happen this year,. Oats will germ down to about 50 degree soil temp. So we still have a chance. But at this point if I was to decide to replant Id use wheat. I don't usually put ryegrass out until November anyway. Its more of a spring thing and it dosnt tolerate heat when its young.
I spoke for 100 rolls of milo hay I didn't think I'd need . did it just to keep a door open. Now I'm starting to think I'm going to need it.

Maybe vette will weigh in and give us direction :help: :cboy:

 

[1982vett]

In 2011 planted late September after a couple inches if rain. Some of it, that not planted in the dryer natured soil, came up. The rest laid their till Christmas when we finally got rain to finish bringing it up. At least 50% of what came up survived. The rest came up after that Christmas rain. Oats

Oats seems very resilient. If it was planted in a decent seedbed and came up it can suffer a long time if their was a little moisture under it. It will also lay their till it gets the moisture if it's dry. Another bright spot in this is the gulfcoast ryegrass hasn't had an opportunity to germinate and die under this heat. We should get a nice volunteer stand out of it should it begin to rain. The problem is as fenceman said. We are not going to have a thanksgiving meal ready for the cows come turkey day.

In 2011 I had 27 cows and a 2 bulls. I planted 20 acres for them. Luck had it when it rained I also had 30 acres of volunteer oats come up in January. This was ground I had tried to no till hay grazer into grazed out oats but I only had 30 head and didn't need to plant 50 acres. I cross fenced with electric fence and began grazing before February. By mid March I was buying young cows needing something to eat.

I wouldn't give up on it unless you have seen it come up and then die.

 

[TexasBred]

Only thing I've seen green around this area was the picture of Fenceman's broomweed. :hide:

 

[fenceman]

Thanks vette. Very good point about the ryegrass. We had alot go to seed with the wet spring. No reason to think we shouldn't get a good volunteer stand.
I've started pouring the feed to em to get em to winter condition. Hopefully will get to use the oats on the backside.

Only thing I've seen green around this area was the picture of Fenceman's broomweed. :hide:

Broomweed is a amazing plant its ashamed cattle don't eat em cause I can sure grow em. :cboy:

 

[TexasBred]

Only thing I've seen green around this area was the picture of Fenceman's broomweed. :hide:

Broomweed is a amazing plant its ashamed cattle don't eat em cause I can sure grow em. :cboy:

Ain't that the truth. I don't have any but about a mile down the road is a beautiful field of them. :lol: :lol: Nothing else but lots of broom weed.

 

[wacocowboy]

In 2011 I planted early OCT but didn't get rain until the week of Thanksgiving and that was some of the best oats I ever had. Grazed them in 2012 and still got a lot of hay off of them and never put any fertilizer on them. I still haven't planted mine yet waiting on tractor to be fixed then I think I am going to put some oats and rye out.

 

[bird dog]

You better hurry. This week is our best chance of rain since June. I gambled and put mine out Saturday.

 

[greybeard]

My wife says is gonna try to get some out this week, 50/50 oats ryegrass.
We shall see. The disc just wants to bounce along.
Been awhile since I have seen the ground this dry in mid Oct.

 

[1982vett]

Well with virtually no rain in central Texas this fall there are a lot of oats sitting in dry power right now and a whole lot that havnt been planted yet. It seemed like a lot of guys were planting towards the end of September and since then but with no rain since and none in the forecast is there any chance of having a stand of grazable oats or ryegrass this winter? Really hoping the seed I planted wasnt a waste of time and money.

How is it looking now. Snuck mine in last Thursday. It started showing itself yesterday.

 

[Creeksidelc]

They are looking good with all the rain we've had! It took it a while to get here but once it finally did it came in hard. Guess the old saying when it rains it pours is pretty accurate.