From

Location

Message

Date Posted

What is the better of the cover crops to use for the pumpkin grown area?

10/6/2023 6:00:59 AM

Syracuse, NY

Something low-growing that you would not have to mow.
My criteria are low-growing, preferably perennial and with the ability to be killed by Roundup, cheap as heck and low temperature-sprouting.
Site Search at the upper right
cover crop
or (space)cover crop(space)
---probably similar but you CAN use text fragments like that in search efforts.
It has helped me many, many times, especially when there are dozens or a hundred+ results.

I have what is called Marsh Horsetail that is creeping into my main patch and
is impervious to Roundup, butt I don't mind and am OK with it filling in -
***Not 'recommending' it, but I think I will like it as a 'Here I am - Deal with me!';

My CC of choice, thus far, is Dutch White Clover based upon my criteria above.
Not recommending it as 'the best' or anything, but all the above applied to ME. I need to be adamant about which it is @ ordering more - DWC or maybe I got 'Marco Polo', which is a larger variety (Ewww!!!), whereby the smallest available is MicroClover and very expensive.
It did NOT start well in the spring at 60-70 F butt filled in leisurely over the last 2 years,
so, maybe it sprouted at 90 F, lol, and I really like it.

Temporarily a no-till grower, I mow right up to my plants and 'lo-gro' is the weigh to go.
NO, it is not a problem at ALL with moisture, 'disease' nor additional slugs nor insects.
Kinda fun to walk on and sort of a weight distributor even with sneakers on.

There are mixes, there will be tons of recommendations and I don't want to have to 'actually'
mow what is supposed to be a simple weed suppressor otherwise, if it were lo-gro enough.

All vital food for thought.

PS - Per my experience this year, ALWAYS grow your fruits on some type of material suitable for it, and see to it that it extends a foot+ beyond the fruit, stem and vine it protrudes from, to keep the CC or weeds away from it.
Some that were not on material rotted underneath and ones that were on i

10/6/2023 8:21:20 AM

Syracuse, NY

t...did not! eric g

10/6/2023 8:25:46 AM

Syracuse, NY

That was weird...
Par four the course, I guess!
Good Luck--eric g

10/6/2023 8:27:27 AM

Washington State

We use winter rye. It's available on our website

10/6/2023 9:15:31 AM

Syracuse, NY

http://www.hollandsgiants.com/grow.html#winterryecover

You've got me thinking about it, too, Joel! eric g

10/6/2023 9:48:33 AM

Deering, NH

Having had foot surgery, I took the summer off to biofumigate my patch and do a cover crop in the fall. Being rather new at growing and after doing a lot research, I decided to do successive crops this summer. Each planting was comprised of a mix of Caliente Rojo mustard and buckwheat. Mustard for biofumigation/organic matter and buckwheat for phosphorus. Each succession was covered with plastic. This fall my cover crop consists of winter rye, hairy vetch and some buckwheat (winter kill). Good green manure and the hairy vetch fixes nitrogen from the air. Never did hairy vetch before and I hope it is not a PIA to till this spring. I wanted to shy away from composted cow manure due to antibiotics/pesticides and diseases. Last summer, the area of my patch where I applied cow manure, the 1619 lb had fusarium which stopped its growth around August 12th. The other pumpkin did not have fusarium (no cow manure applied). Just a heads up and sooo much to learn. I will probably be 147 years old when I can say I know a lot about growing giants!

10/6/2023 4:18:04 PM

Syracuse, NY

Ruger, I think that if that 1619 is your PB, or even not, you certainly have a handle on it...and a great head start!
You have no diary so if you could email me I promise to be brief and I just have a question about your 1619.
pumpkinpal@msn.com
Painless.
No sweat if you don't do so. Thanks - eric g

10/6/2023 10:58:33 PM