MJR10

I am going to be planting some buckwheat this weekend in NY. The soil pH is 6.5. Will I need to lime and fertilize when planting buckwheat? Never have planted this before. Thanks.

lunchbucket

Fertilize... use the soil sample recommendations.

MJR10

What type of fertilizer should I use? I used a 0-20-20 for my clover plot, but should buckwheat get?

wigmap

I planted buckwheat around the same time last year. It grew fine we did lime and fertilize. Depending on what you want it for it will be gone by August. Buckwheat takes 10 weeks to mature. Good luck

NorthJeff

Had 5#' s of leftover buckwheat and planted it May12th with clover and rape on a new field. It came up immediatly, got to about 2" high, and died with the frost we had the last 2 nights. I thought it might, it also died during a frost in July 2 years ago, but oh well, wasn' t going to use the seed otherwise.

Don' t plant if there is still a good chance of frost.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan

farm hunter

Jeff' s right, buckwheat cannot handle a frost, at all.


If you do not know otherwise, use a balanced fertilizer like 15-15-15 and apply 200 lbs per acre. A soil test can tell you exactly what to use, but, buckwheat will grow in cruddy soil, even at low Ph. 6.5ph is very good, I' d be tempted to overseed with clover with that good a Ph!.

In most cases, you cannot Over fertilize. Without a soil test, for example, you could be applying K when you do not need to, and thus be throwing $$ away, or you can be underapplying P - thus the recommendation for a balanced fertilizer.

Buckwheat likes Nitrogen, and the more you have available, or apply, the taller it will grow. The best thing about Buckwheat in my book is the extensive root system, that helps the soil when it breaks down. Buckwheat and Rye are often recomended for first plantings of fallow fields for this reason.

Good luck.

MJR10

Thanks for the help. I do plan to plant 3 fields of buckwheat this year and then come in with some clover and alfalfa next year in the same fields. I was told that buckwheat is anatural herbicide and that the weeds should not be as big a problem in the fields next year. I picked up some 15-15-15 fertilizer last night at the feed store and plan to plant tomorrow. The forecast for the weekend is rain, rain, and more rain here in NY so it will be nice to get it in this afternoon and tomorrow. THanks again..

NorthJeff

If your soil is already a ph of 6.5, how are your fertility levels?

Your Buckwheat will die with the first frost, and you won' t be left with much for hunting season. If you are trying to use buckwheat to build up the soil, plant it for the summer, till in August/September for a fall planting of a brassica/clover mix, or oats/clover. Your oats or brassica will die out over the winter, and you will be left with a good stand of clover in the spring you can frost seed with a brassica mix, clover mix, or both, to fill in any bare spots.

The fall of 2001 I had a new plot bulldozed-a 1/2 acre. In September I planted rye and fertalized. I was holding off on the lime until the following spring-big mistake! The rye came up, about 2" high, and died, completely. In the spring my soil had a ph of 4.1 and was on the low side for all fertality levels, so while the ground still had frost in it, I applied 4500#' s of lime, and then a month later applied the recommended fertalizer and ended up with a great stand of clover that recieved very regular use. My soil test this year showed a soil ph of 7.3, and fertality levels were med to high-all in 1 year.

My point is....your ph is already there were you need it. Plant buckwheat, let it grow for 2 to 3 months, herbacide if weeds are showing, till it under and plant the good stuff. My personal favorite is a clover/brassica mix, with the Biologic Premium Perinnial being what I' m currently using.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan