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I have been reading up on cover crops and I know how beneficial they are. Since we have been getting moisture and I have a new tiller to get fields prepped to plant, I decided to try to start using them to build our soil, more than I was before. I am using a variety of crops.

The "field" in this picture was planted with a blend of Hairy Vetch and Rye. It is up and growing well. I just can't find the new picture.

In another 2 patches I have Oats, Tillage Radishes with Austrian Winter Peas. They are just coming up now. I am really excited about them and can't wait to see what happens next year.

This post was edited by jrslick on Tue, Sep 16, 14 at 0:28

Comments (18)

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Here are the oats, peas and tillage radishes. Sorry about the sideways pictures.

    This post was edited by jrslick on Tue, Sep 16, 14 at 0:25

  • cole_robbie
    9 years ago

    I want to try some groundhog radish to break up my clay,

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    That is what I planted. I hope they get a good growing season in this fall.

  • little_minnie
    9 years ago

    There is a webinar next month on cover crops.

    Here is a link that might be useful: webinar

  • randy41_1
    9 years ago

    that looks great. i found hairy vetch hard to get plowed/tilled in. the vines are long and tough.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Randy: how did you end up incorporating them? That is one of the reasons why I decided to plant Vetch only in this location, if I need to borrow a bigger tractor to get the job done, this is one of the only locations I can easily get it to.

    Jay

  • cole_robbie
    9 years ago

    Are cover crops typically planted in rows? That looks like a lot of work. I thought I would just sow seeds by hand, or with a push seeder like what is used for seeding new lawns.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Cole_Robbie: It wasn't hard planting with the Earthway seeder. I felt like I was able to get an even stand and I knew what my seeding rate would be when I compared it to the tables on the link I shared.

    You can just broadcast the seed, that does work. You would just need to either rake it in, disk it in lightly or lightly till it in to ensure good soil to seed contact. I was also worried, slightly, that the birds and rodents would pick up my seeds.

    Jay

  • randy41_1
    9 years ago

    i hit the vetch with a bush hog. it really needs a flail mower to chop it up into smaller pieces. when i tilled it it wrapped around the tine shaft.
    there's a way to use it as mulch and plant tomatoes in it. you have to kill it with herbicide and then flail mow it and then plant the tomatoes right in it.
    i just broadcast cover crop seed but what jay did looks like good way to save expensive vetch seed and the result will be a jungle either way.

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I was planning on building a roller/crimper to roll the crop over and either plant into the mulch or plow it under and till it in.

    I also thought about using an old sickle bar mower to cut it down.

    At my parents farm, they have an old swather with 4 or 5 foot crimper rollers. I was thinking about removing them, put them on a frame with some bearings and mount it to a 3 pt. Then I could run it over the cover crop (driving in reverse) and crimp it. While not as aggressive as some of the other crimpers I have seen online, I could drive over it a few times, if needed and see what happens.

    I wouldn't be out much money, just some scrap tubing, welding and a few bearings (most expensive part)!

    Jay

  • Mark
    9 years ago

    That stand looks great but I do agree that the earthway seems a bit time consuming. I broadcast all my cover crops which are mostly rye, austrian pea, common vetch for the winter and buckwheat for summer. I stopped using oats in the winter because they usually winter kill (which I once tried to use in my favor and then we had a warm winter, duh.)

    After broadcasting i've found the easiest way to cover the seed is to drive the tractor over the field with the rototiller rolling on the ground, but not engaged. This seems to keep the birds from eating seed and also get it buried about the right depth. The seed always germinates first in the tire tracks.

    If you till the cover under in the spring before flowering, it usually doesn't need a mowing first. If the soil is too wet, or you need it to go longer, the brush hog works well. I also found that the hairy vetch is harder to mow so now I just use common.

    -Mark

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    That is a good idea of dragging the tiller with it not engaged.

    I used oats to get a good cover for this fall and also to stretch out my Austrian Field Peas, I didn't order enough and I wasn't going to wait to reorder. You live and you learn!

    Broadcasting is much faster, I agree. The Earthway was just much prettier and would give me a much more even stand. I am hosting a field day in October for winter crops, so I wanted to have everything looking neat!

    Mark,

    Tell me more how you use Buckwheat? I am interested. I have read it is very quick growing. I was wondering if it would be a good alternative to plant it before those later seeded succession plantings. Also use it after early season crops are out?

    Jay

  • Mark
    9 years ago

    I seed buckwheat in areas where I don't plant till mid-summer, usually after i've turned in the winter cover crop. For example, one field I use is very heavy clay so it can't be worked till it dries out in late june. Buckwheat goes in after tilling the winter cover, needs only a little irrigation and then incorporates in time for late summer plantings.
    Buckwheat takes 40-60 days to grow 3ft, adds a lot of organic matter and also mines some micro-nutrients to make them available for the next crop. It also smothers weed competition and if left to flower for a little (not too long or it it's harder to incorporate) provides a great food source for pollinators.
    Keep in mind that it grows best in warmer weather and will frost kill easily.

    Hope this helps a bit. I'm sure someone else can add more.
    -Mark

  • jrslick (North Central Kansas, Zone 5B)
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the information Mark. I will see how I can work Buckwheat into a rotation.

    If you only have 30-40 days between between seeding and time to incorporating it, is that good enough or even worthwhile?

    Jay

  • little_minnie
    9 years ago

    I have wanted to do that but our season is too short. I can barely get in some cover crops this time of year. This year fall came early so I can do some crimson clover now.

  • Mark
    9 years ago

    If planted in late spring or early summer buckwheat might grow fast enough to be worth it. The seed is cheap anyway...

  • little_minnie
    9 years ago

    I have the seed and have used it a little but not like I want to. However I have lots of stuff for beneficials.

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