Get Ready for Cover Crop Seeding
Posted: July 24, 2012
Tanner Frankenfield displays radishes planted with rye in late August, photo taken in mid-October.
What’s your goal?
Nitrogen fixation (legumes)
nitrogen scavenging (grasses taking up and storing leftover N from soil)
soil building (organic matter and soil structure improvement)
erosion fighting (soil-holding ability of roots and vegetation)
weed fighting
forage/grazing
quick growth
alleviate compaction
reduce nematodes
attract beneficial insects
What goals cover crops achieve.
Grasses
(Nonlegumes)
most scavenge nitrogen
improve soil organic matter and soil structure
fight erosion
provide forage
have relatively quick growth.
Legumes
fix nitrogen
improve soil organic matter and soil structure
fight erosion
provide forage
typically have slower growth than grasses.
Brassicas
scavenge nitrogen
improve soil organic matter and soil structure
fight erosion
provide some forage
have relatively quick growth.
When should you plant?
Late summer, late August and early September, is an ideal time to plant most cover crops in southern regions of Pennsylvania. This allows them to develop sufficient growth in the fall to achieve the goals you set out to accomplish. Control weeds with tillage or with glyphosate prior to planting to ensure a weed free seed bed.
If you can’t plant until early October annual ryegrass and winter small grains like triticale, wheat and rye are the best options.
For more information refer to the SARE Managing Cover Crops Profitably and the “Summer Cover Crop Seeding” article from the Penn State Extension Field Crop News.
http://extension.psu.edu/field-crop-news/news/2012/07/summer-cover-crop-seeding
