I would like to use winter rye as a cover crop for a very large vegetable bed that will remain empty until spring. I assume I am past the point of starting from seed. Does anyone know where I can get winter rye seedlings in the lower mainland? Thanks.
A lot of farmers around here are still planting their winter cereals now, so it should be OK, even with seed.
Rye is a grain crop, never planted from seedlings. Instead of rye use red annual clover single or double cut. It germinates quickly and is an excellent cover crop. In the Spring it can be weed-whacked and rototilled and not a plant will grow during the summer, and it fixes nitrogen. I have no idea why people still use rye as a cover crop. It does little for the soil, except maybe add a little fiber, and is a misery to plant in if not completely broken down in the Spring. The stems also jam a rototiller, so it is best plowed, which is not likely in a small vegetable plot.
Understanding Why Rye Works as a Cover Crop, posted Oct 16, 2009 from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service.
A lot of if's in the article. Much more work must be done. Weed control for me consists of removing all weeds before they can seed, and cultivation to disturb emerging weeds to some degree. I have no weeds in my garden, which was commented on when a Master Gardener came to do a write-up in the local paper. But it takes a bit of minor effort to keep weeds under control; in my case, it is mostly by mechanical and elbow grease means. I have grown rye in the past, but prefer clover for various reasons. For reasons unknown, I tend to dislike bare ground.
Edgeworth2 : I am on southern Vancouver Island so my conditions are similar. I planted winter rye about 2 weeks ago and it is nicely up. It germinates quickly. We likely won't have a frost for a number of weeks yet so I believe you still have lots of time. Buckerfield's sells winter rye in bulk and it's inexpensive.
