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Torrance, Ca.

Whats your favorite cover crop and why??


Its getting that time of year again :)

9/5/2012 5:20:47 PM

Colorado

sudan grass-fast grower and has anti fusarium properties.In southern cali. prob. do a blend that has vetch in it also cause you can keep a cover crop all winter.The napa boys really do great cover crops-maybe leonardo,jose or pete can chime in.The sudan grass would have to be topped(3 or 4 ft tall) off so it doesnt form seed heads.

9/5/2012 6:33:20 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Winter Rye

9/5/2012 7:06:15 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I love you Tom :)

9/5/2012 7:18:53 PM

Rhode Island

if you have the time weather wise? or just resting an area for a season or so? i like mustard grass early spring, till under in late july, wait three weeks and grow some sudan grass,then till that under late fall and apply a winter rye. repeat the next year if resting the area.

ps heres a tipe that ron and i were very successfull with this year
1. only ammend (to soil test results) a 20ft x 20 ft area where your mini greenhouse will be erected and seedling planted. plant a spring crop of winter rye and mico around the rest of the patch.
2. just before greenhouse is removed and before roots grow to far out, add ammendment ingredients to the rest of the patch,then till under that rye/mico/ammendment mixture.

this methos keeps growth products available in the soil longer and also saves wasting money on product that could be washed away with spring/early summer rains.it works.

pap

9/5/2012 7:52:03 PM

Mass

I cant say its a favorite (yet), but I just ordered some Dover Blend (Tiller radish and oats). and some Winter Peas from Cover Crop Solutions. (Both winterkill) I might add in some Crisom Clover also.

9/5/2012 8:14:49 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I've never done a cover crop, but have only grown a couple years. What are the benefits?

9/5/2012 8:40:48 PM

East Jordan, MI

Cover crops improve soil health and yield potential over time by increasing organic matter, soil microbiology, earth worm populations, and when they break down, the nutrients within the plant are incorporated back into the soil. The roots increase soil porosity and aeration, and reduce compaction. Cover crops also reduce erosion and control weeds by choking them out.

9/5/2012 9:02:21 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Thanks Cecil! Now back to the original question...

9/5/2012 9:08:29 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I like to grow oats. They work great for a cover crop and are cheap. I took last year off from growing pumpkins and planted them four times. I have to say they really worked for me as I have a lot less weeds this year.

9/5/2012 9:58:37 PM

Omaha, Ne.

you beat me to this question Chris. Thanks for asking it.

Do any of the crops became a problem growing in the summer as a weed.

9/5/2012 10:45:48 PM

canal winchester ohio

I like using winter rye mixed with vetch.

9/5/2012 10:46:50 PM

canal winchester ohio

Rye roots deep to loosen the soil. Grows thick for a lot of organic matter. And adding vetch helps raise nitrogen levels in the soil.

9/5/2012 10:53:05 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Wow, thanks everyone! Pap, your idea seems like a lot of extra work. I've learned though,,,,, with a lot of work,,,, comes great rewards!!!

Thanks so much everyone!


Good stuff Cecil!!

9/5/2012 11:17:08 PM

Nottingham, UK

I second what pumpkin brat says in that I have far fewer weeds on the patch that had rye grown on it and the soil has a lovely texture once all the rye had been dug in and broken down. Hard work but worth it!

Using a 50:50 mix of rye/vetch this year

9/6/2012 7:41:26 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

winter rye, it's the only thing i can get to germinate come late october/ early november I've tried hairy vetch and clover but the germination rate in the cold aint so great.

9/6/2012 9:48:33 AM

South Hero, VT

I agree with you, Glenn. I started tillage radish 2 weeks ago because I'm not growing this year. The stuff has foot-long roots and decomposes by spring planting, sucking up potassium and nitrogen along the way. At least that's what the brochures say. lol

9/6/2012 10:24:46 AM

Torrance, Ca.

Is the taproot radish and the tillage radish the same thing????

9/6/2012 5:35:33 PM

South Hero, VT

The general name is forage radish. Tillage Radish, Groundhog Radish, and Nitroradish are all registered trademarks.

They all have long taproots, some longer and with more side roots than others. Taproots decompose over the winter, increasing organic matter, facilitating soil drainage, and releasing nutrients captured during growth.

Here are some links: http://ohioline.osu.edu/sag-fact/pdf/Oilseed_Radish.pdf

http://www.growingproduce.com/article/14049/tillage-radishes

http://www.covercropsolutions.com/products/tillage-radish.php

http://www.wcax.com/story/19193065/how-giant-radishes-help-vt-farmers-make-better-milk

9/6/2012 6:02:17 PM

South Hero, VT

This my first time using a forage radish. I usually sow winter rye in the fall due to low germination rates for other cover crops.

I plan to use a variation of the Wallace technique next spring. Greg Montgomery in Ontario highly recommends spreading myco on the patch and tilling it in. He grew a 1641 his third year of growing.

9/6/2012 6:10:47 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Thanks Steve! I also like that technique and will be spreading myco with my cover crop :)


I can't wait!

9/6/2012 6:36:09 PM

Indiana

So here is the question I have about cover crops
Ssy you plant winter rye and tillage radish mixed together this fall. The radish is killed off by the frost, next spring the winter rye uses up all the nutients from the decomposed radish. Would it be more of a benefit to plant the tillage radish in early spring since it can tollerate cold temps. Then kill the rye and radish at the same time and plant your pumpkins no-till into the dead rye and that way the pumpkins will use up the nutients from the radish?

9/6/2012 9:04:08 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Planting the forage, groundhog, tillage radishes, you have to plant them like two weeks ago. I planted them again this year and right now there about 4-5 inches tall. I planted mine last year in the middle of September and they were ok but, not much size to them by winter. They are good to plant in a area you have set a side all ready for the next year. If you clean your patch out after the weigh-offs, they grow fast but they will be small.

9/6/2012 9:42:07 PM

South Hero, VT

Yeah, the radish needs to be planted mid-August when the temps start to cool off. It takes 8 weeks or more to get the maximum root depth. I tried planting them after the beginning of October 2 years ago and wasted my money.

Winter rye and radish would have to planted together at the same time. Good if you're not using part of your patch.

9/7/2012 8:17:06 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Plus these type of radishes are to be planted in the fall. Not in the spring or summer

9/7/2012 11:03:35 PM

Anchorage Alaska

what would a grower due for a cover crop ...if 6 weeks or so after your weigh off.. the ground is frozen...should one till in shredded leaves ..straw .. or grow some kinda cover crop till it dies, then till in the spring.. I'm open to any ideas ..thanks

9/8/2012 12:31:35 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

The thing with a cover crop the way most growers do it is called a green manure. Dale you need to add a balance of carbon(leaves and straw) and nitrogen(manures, green things) for them to break down properly. Dale you must have access to some of those salmon carcasses...that would be an awesome source of nutrients

9/8/2012 7:30:47 AM

Muddy Waters

I would roll those salmon guts in my compost pile for 2 years then till in soil.That would be great compost.

9/8/2012 8:15:51 AM

South Hero, VT

Dale, you will have to contact someone(U of Alaska?) who knows about specific cover crops suitable for the part of Alaska where you live. For example, "bebral" is a variety of winter rye developed for Alaskan winters.

This article may be of help: http://www.alaskacommunityag.org/content/turning-hayfield-vegetable-production-area

Here's hoping you can find someone in AK to help you.

9/8/2012 8:33:18 AM

Anchorage Alaska

Thanks for the replies ..Linus and Mark ..yeah the salmon carcasses work great except for the smell and all the animals they attract ..lol.. Steve .. thanks for your research time ..never read that article before . I have a chance to get some organic fed goat manure ...probably mix that up with my shredded leaves and such and mix it in...I don't think a cover crop is going to work for me this year ..

9/8/2012 11:45:57 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Dale, with the monsters you grow,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I think your doing just fine without a cover crop!


Your an awesome and humble man for sure!!


We'll all be watching for that big one in 2013!!!

9/9/2012 1:04:59 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Winter rye here Chris....easy to grow, adds lots of OM and provides that green-manure that we are looking for.

Has worked for me, cant change now...lol...

9/9/2012 5:09:39 PM