Buckwheat

[risto2351]

Just wondering if any of you have planted buckwheat early on and will now be tilling it up to plant your winter and fall crops.
One question that I have is do you cut the buckwheat first, bale it and then disk it in or do you just cut it and disk it in or just disk it in? It is a very tall plant and I do not know if it will just disk in. How long will I have to wait to plant the fall crop after I disk it in.

Thanks for your help.

 

[dbltree]

[ QUOTE ]
Just wondering if any of you have planted buckwheat early on and will now be tilling it up to plant your winter and fall crops.
One question that I have is do you cut the buckwheat first, bale it and then disk it in or do you just cut it and disk it in or just disk it in? It is a very tall plant and I do not know if it will just disk in. How long will I have to wait to plant the fall crop after I disk it in.

Thanks for your help.

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The best bet is to plow the whole plant under so it can decompose and provide compost in the form of "green manure" but discing it under or mowing/chopping and then discing or tilling will work just fine.

It's better to till it under while it's green though...don't mow it and let it dry out...till it right under.

If you plant a fall crop right away it may require a little heavier dose of nitrogen become decompisition will suck some nitrogen up.

Eventually the added humous will help the soil fertility and need less fertilizer.