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No-Till: Making It Work
Cover Crops

Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 28 May 2002
Last Reviewed: 06 May 2004
Some producers are trying to work cover crops into their no-till system. Where residue cover is consistently high, cover crops may simply not be necessary. They may overcomplicate the system because of the likely interaction with so many other system components (nutrient management, residue management, weed control, insect and disease management). However, where there is a need to add broadleaf or grass crops to the rotation or in areas where there is insufficient residue (on erodible soils), cover crops can be beneficial.

Cereal strips in tomatoesCover crops can help to make a no-till vegetable system work. No-till in vegetables needs a number of modifications to make it work, such as the use of cover crops in a partial or temporary no-till situation to create ground cover and wind strips around strip-tilled areas.

Vegetables are tricky but not impossible to work into no-till crop rotations.

Cereal strips in tomatoes provide additional
erosion protection.

Hort Tip: Use the low rate (0.75 to 1.25 L/ha) of Roundup on rye cover crops to get a slow kill. It could take up to three weeks for the cereal cover crop to die. Meanwhile, it has successfully protected the young tomato or potato plants from blowing soils, and won't require a separate application later in the spring.

When selecting cover crops in no-till, ask yourself the following:

  1. Do you need the protection or the flexibility in the rotation?
  2. Killing of cover crop: Does it die over winter? Or does it present a residue management or moisture problem in the spring?
    Note: Cover crops should be killed at least two weeks prior to planting.
  3. Residue management: Will it form a dense mat?
  4. Nitrogen management: Will the crop add nitrogen (legume)? Will it trap nitrogen and release it later in the season? How will this affect interpretation of spring nitrate results and timing of nitrogen application?
  5. Weed control: Will it become a weed? How much weed control does it provide? Will the spray program need to be adjusted?
    Note: Cover crops will not provide complete weed control in no-till.
  6. Insects and diseases: Does the cover crop carry or encourage insects or diseases which may affect subsequent crops?

FarmerFor more information regarding cover crop management, see OMAFRA Publication 811.

Jack Rigby of Kent County has these tips:

  • don't disk wheat stubble because it makes the soil too rough
  • keep red clover in the rotation, but manage with care


Available in Published Version of No-till
  • Opportunities and Challenges - chart

  • Troubleshooting - chart

| Introduction | Soil Management | Residue Management | Planting Equipment | Weed Control |
| Insect Management | Disease Management | Nutrient Management | Crop Rotation | Cover Crops |
| Varietal Selection | Case Studies | Table of Contents |

 

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