Cover Crops: Winter Wheat

Table of Contents

1. Description: Family
2. Growth Habits
3. Control Options
4. Sensitivity to Herbicides: Weed Control
5. Benefits and Concerns
6. Getting Started
7. Related Links

Description

Figure 1: Winter wheat in head

Family

• Grass

Growth Habits

Top Growth

• Rapid fall growth - not as fast as rye at low temperatures
• Slower maturing than rye

Root System

• Fibrous root system - not as aggressive as rye

Overwintering

• Does not winterkill

Site suitability

• Tolerates a moderately wide range of site conditions
• Does not thrive well in saturated or droughty soils

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Control Options

• Needs to be controlled early in spring to avoid excessive drying of soil

Sensitivity to Herbicides - Weed Control

• There are many herbicides registered for use in wheat but good weed control for a cover crop should not be expensive and may not be needed. Establish a vigorous crop canopy to smother out weeds.

Benefits and Concerns

Nutrient Management

• Nitrogen uptake is only half of that of rye in the fall
• Nitrogen uptake is high in the spring

Soil Moisture

• High water use in spring

As Feed

• Grown as a cover crop and food crop
• Green growth can be harvested as forage

Getting Started

Establishment

• Can be overseeded in growing crop (e.g. beans, tomatoes ?);
• Should be planted by the end of September for an effective cover crop

Cost & Availability

• Seed easily available and inexpensive

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Related Links

• Cover Crop Seed Suppliers
• Cover Crop Seeds Available
• Soil Management and Fertilizer Use: Cover Crops
• Soil Management
• Soil Water Management
• Publication 75, Guide to Weed Control

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