Making the Fit with Cover Crops

Fall and cover crops go hand in hand together. Most horticultural soils should have some form of cover for the winter and as protection during the spring melt and rains.

Early fall offers a number of cover crop options like oats and oilseed radish that will produce a lot of biomass in a short space of time and then winter kill, leaving a dry residue mat to deal with in the spring. These types of cover crops are a good option after early harvested crops, particularly if there is a significant amount of nitrogen left in the soil. They produce a large root system that can help to build soil structure and reduce compaction.

As the fall moves along, cover crop choices become more limited. It is the natural time for planting cereal rye and winter wheat but even those plantings dates can get stretched to the point where you get cover crops that are thin and wispy going into the winter. At that point you start to question whether it is money well spent or not. The amount of crop residue and the slope of the field will determine whether erosion is a big concern over winter.

The key to getting cover crops established and getting the most out of the money and time you invest in them is "Plant early - plant often!" A dedicated drill or spreader that is full of seed and ready to go as soon as a new part of a field has been harvested can help ensure that timely planting. Drilling in seed can help to get faster emergence but at the cost of speed across a field.

But what about those late harvested crops like rutabagas, cabbage or potatoes? Crops that are coming off in late October, November and possibly later some years - those are a real cover crop challenge! Do you really need to till that field after harvest? Consider over seeding into the standing crop. Rye will establish under crops like brussel sprouts and cabbage before harvest. This way you can get enough cover crop growth to provide erosion protection and possibly pick up some of the residual nitrogen as the crop is harvested.

Cover crops can make the fit into the harvest season with some planning. The benefits of cover crops in terms of erosion protection, soil structure and building resilience to weather stresses make them worth the effort.