Cereal Rye Secale cereale

Rye is an annual grass grown as a cover crop, forage, or grain. The home gardener is apt to grow rye, which is a member of the grass family (Poaceae), as a fall-sown, winter cover crop. Rye was domesticated in Turkey, but as a modern crop, it is cultivated worldwide. The species epithet is Latin for “cereal.” Rye or cereal rye should not be confused with the ryegrasses (Lolium spp.) used for turf.

Rye grows best in full sun. It is adaptable to a variety of soil types, as long as the soil is well-drained. The best results are on moderately fertile soils, not subject to flooding. Because rye is not a legume, it does not fix nitrogen; however, it produces strong root and top growth and is excellent for preventing wind erosion. Rye can also be grown as a cover crop in combination with hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), which is a nitrogen-fixing plant.

Rye is a suitable cover crop for a vegetable garden, fruit orchard or permaculture garden. Rye is the preferred small grain cover crop for sandy, coastal plain soils. The benefits of a cover crop are the prevention of erosion, the suppression of weeds and the addition of organic matter to the soil. Rye is the highest biomass-producing winter cover crop that can be grown in North Carolina. Rye is also excellent at smothering and outcompeting weeds, perhaps because it releases alleopathic chemicals into the soil. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious pests or diseases when grown as a cover crop.