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Otis Orchards WA.

Greetings,
I have a couple questions about planting my cover crop of "Winter Rye Grass". (1) Does anybody know about what temperature is needed to get it to germinate?. (2) I am going to be adding allot of leaves to my newly tilled patch but most of the trees in my area either have not started to turn yet or are just starting to turn. If I plant the Winter Rye now will I still be able to add my leaves this fall over the top of the Winter Rye after it comes up? or should I wait and add the leaves first and till them in and then plant the Winter Rye and "hope" it will germinate?, probable would be around early or mid November I'm guessing and it is quit cold around here then. Thanks Scott

10/12/2003 10:57:45 AM

Ontario

I would get the leaves into the patch first ,till it over and then add the winter rye on top. It will germinate in the spring with a few days of 50+ degrees.

10/12/2003 1:05:05 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

Scott...add all the manure,grass and leaves now ,till it in and add your winter rye last..last year the snow came alittle early for me and didn't add the cover crop...but had the manure down and tilled..in the spring it was all broken down nicely and i added finished compost to top it off...

10/12/2003 1:23:14 PM

Cape Cod

I agree that you want to get the leaves tilled in this fall. If you just put them on top, they likely will be unchanged by spring. Last fall I put in winter rye, then when it was up, tilled in some manure, and then put another crop of winter rye on top. It all came up well.

I have found winter rye to germinate at temperatures approaching frost. It may not grow much after that, but it will pickup in the spring where it left off.

Those leaves you will be adding aren't oak, are they? While some may dispute it, I believe that uncomposted oak leaves contain toxins that interfere with the growth of some vegetables. It it not about the acidity they add.

10/12/2003 5:09:11 PM