Why We Recommend This

Cereal rye can tolerate and germinate in lower temperatures than most cover crops. It is fast growing and secretes allelopathic chemicals that make it excellent at suppressing weeds and a great producer of biomass. It is good at breaking up soil compaction and is an aggressive N scavenger. Cereal Rye does better in sandy, low moisture or infertile soils than other grasses.

 Things to Watch Out For

Cereal rye's high C:N ratio causes nitrogen to become more available later in the season; consider applying nitrogen earlier or using subsurface injection to account for nutrient tie-up that may occur following termination. Cereal rye should not be used in rotations with cereal crops. Small seeded or grass species can be affected by the allelopathic secretions up to a month after termination. Cereal rye also competes heavily for water and should be terminated early when water availability is a concern.