Cereal rye Food Plot Guide

Overview

Cereal rye (sold as winter rye or grain rye) is the toughest of the fall cereal grains. It germinates in soil in the 30s °F, survives winters that kill oats and slow wheat, and grows on acidic, sandy or worn-out ground where other crops struggle. That makes it the safety net of fall food plots: if you are running late or working rough ground, rye still comes up. Deer usually prefer oats and wheat early in the fall, but rye keeps growing in cold weather and is often the greenest thing on the property in late winter and at spring green-up. Don't confuse cereal rye with annual ryegrass. One is a grain with seed the size of wheat; the other is a fine-seeded forage grass, planted at a different rate.

New to food plots? Read our beginner's guide for step-by-step planting instructions, or use the Cereal rye seed calculator to plan your plot.

Soil & Growing Conditions

Check our planting calendar for the best planting window in your state.

Planting Tips

1. 1

   Plant from about six weeks before your first fall frost to several weeks after it. Rye is the one grain you can still plant in late October across much of the North.

2. 2

   Broadcast 100–120 lbs/acre and cover lightly, or drill 75–90 lbs/acre.

3. 3

   Add rye to oats, wheat, crimson clover or brassicas. It stretches a fall blend's grazing into late winter.

4. 4

   Topdress about 50 lbs/acre of urea at spring green-up for a flush of new growth.

5. 5

   Use it as a cover crop ahead of a spring soybean or corn plot. It holds soil and smothers weeds. Kill it 2–3 weeks before planting the next crop.

When to Plant Cereal rye by State

Planting windows from each state's average frost dates. Colder parts of a state plant fall crops earlier and spring crops later; open a state for its frost dates and every crop.

Soil Test, Lime & Fertilizer

• Rye produces at a pH as low as 5.0, so it is the crop to grow while you lime a new plot toward 6.0 or higher for clover.
• 250 lbs/acre of 13-13-13 at planting is plenty for most plots. Rye needs less than wheat, but nitrogen is what makes it leafy.

Weed Control

• A thick rye stand smothers most fall and winter weeds, and rye residue suppresses many small-seeded weeds after it dies.
• In a rye-only plot, broadleaf herbicides labeled for small grains (2,4-D or dicamba products) work at the growth stage the label allows. Don't use them on mixes with clover, peas or brassicas.

Herbicides are named by active ingredient as examples, not endorsements. Read and follow the label of the product you buy: it sets the crops it is safe on, the rates, and any grazing or harvest limits, and registrations vary by state.

No-Till & Throw-and-Mow

Rye is one of the best throw-and-mow crops. Kill the existing cover with glyphosate, broadcast rye just ahead of a rain at the high end of the seeding rate, then mow the dead thatch down over the seed. Its cold-soil germination forgives a rough seedbed.

How Big Should a Cereal rye Plot Be?

Any size. Cheap seed and tolerance of heavy grazing make rye a good base for large plots and small kill plots alike.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Recommended Cereal rye Seed Products

Best Paired With

These crops complement cereal rye in a food plot rotation or mix:

Frequently Asked Questions