Ok so I've read this whole topic. What I've gathered is : the purpose is to create organic matter or biomass during the spring and summer. When it's time appropriate mow all this down and spray with gly(personal choice). Plant around 2 weeks later by throwing seed and not tilling.
Assuming that's all correct, I have an area that's subject to erosion, From bulldozer work that was done over Christmas time. (Before all the rain now It's staying very wet right now)I have planted some winter rye about a month ago that looks great and helping with erosion for now. My question is what can I do/plant to prevent from having to till again before the rye dies? I did throw out 10lbs of bahaia grass with the rye. I'm aware that I need to do a soil sample which I will get done.
I'm very new to planting food plots and I'm not very familiar with terminology. I did my first plots last year (always had a buddy that did them and never worried with it) with no soil testing with Crimson clover and a three blend mix from the feed store. So type slow or dumb it down if you will.
I'd play it by ear. Just let it keep growing right now. Watch and see if some natural vegetation starts coming back from the seed bank. If so, then I'd just mow the rye and throw out some fert/lime this summer. In an infertile situation where all the organic matter is gone....it is easier in the beginning to just grow the plants that were put on this Earth for the purpose of reclaiming those areas. As an example of what I mean.....I had a lot of crabgrass come back in my field in the beginning. It thrived in the very poor conditions while other things that I tried to plant suffered and were much more finicky to the infertile soil. You would be just as well off in the first couple summer rotations to grow the plant that will thrive and produce biomass to get the process turned arouund....rather than trying to grow something from a bag that just suffers or grows half arse. I see a lot of folks want to grow this, that, or the other and end up still behind the eight ball when the summer ends because it failed or was eaten up.
