Buckwheat question?

[Barebowyer]

For those of you that have done it, Can you mow down buckwheat to kill it? I know you can broadcast into it and use a roller or cultipacker. I am curious if I can broadcast into it and then mow it an the seed will germinate through the thatch. I used to till it in and plant a week or two after. If I don't need to break the soil then i don't want to have to. Thanks in advance.

 

[sportsman94]

For those of you that have done it, Can you mow down buckwheat to kill it? I know you can broadcast into it and use a roller or cultipacker. I am curious if I can broadcast into it and then mow it a the seed will germinate through the thatch. I used to till it in and plant a week or two after. If I don't need to break the soil then i don't want to have to. Thanks in advance.

I’ve never tried throw and mow with buckwheat, but in my experience it doesn’t seem to last long enough to create a very good thatch layer. I think mowing would make it disappear very quickly. Hope someone with more experience will be able to give a better answer

 

[Canuck5]

I think if you plant buckwheat in May and 12 weeks later broadcast more buckwheat, then mow it down and 12 weeks later you "might" be in reasonable shape to broadcast your fall crop, if that is what you are thinking?

Mother Nature will have to be on your side. Buckwheat is mainly water, so that can help.

Jeff Sturgis does the throw and roll, but he is up in Wisconsin and timing is a lot different for him up there.

 

[mattb78]

Your method will work but you have to kill the buckwheat with herbicide. Cultipacking it creates a more even thatch layer than mowing.