Cover Crops

Dont be Caught with your Plants Down

Jim Burke Julie Flowers Lara Worden

What is a Cover Crop?

A crop whose main purpose is to benefit the soil or other crops in one or more ways, but is not intended to be harvested for feed or sale.

Defining Your Species:

Cover species selected should have many of the following traits:
Provide nitrogen Fast germination & emergence

Competitiveness
Tolerance to adverse weather & soil

conditions Ease of suppression Fertility benefits Low-cost establishment

Benefits of Cover Crops

Reduces fertilizer bill Fixed nitrogen Recycles nutrients Reduces soil erosion Reduces water

pollution Improves soil tilth

Benefits of Cover Crops

Reduces herbicide costs
Mulch Allelopathy

Reduces insect pests Reduces soil compaction Reduces disease organisms and

nematodes Produces higher annual crop production

Nitrogen fixation

Provides wildlife forage and habitat

N Funished by Cover Crops

Alfalfa, alone 80 lb Ladino clover 80 lb Red clover, alone 80 lb Common vetch 50 lb Hairy vetch 100 lb Cowpeas 40 lb Mostly grass 0 lb Alfalfa/grass 60 lb Crimson clover 80 lb Red clover/grass 40 lb Lespedeza 30 lb Winter peas 90 lb Soybeans 35 lb

Disadvantages of Cover Crops

Can be expensive to establish

Can be difficult to eliminate

Can become a weed Can compete with your crop Not a cash crop; lose income from crop
Benefits more indirect

Some have a very narrow planting

window

What are Your Goals???

How long do you need it? Is it for erosion control, or other

environment protection function? Will wildlife need it for forage, coverage? Weed suppression? Does the soil need organic matter? Pest suppression?

Cover Crop Establishment

No till seeding
No till drill
Broadcast into an existing crop Frost seeding

Conventional seeding
Plow/disk

Broadcast/drill

Cover Crop Establishment

Inoculate legumes
Fresh, species specific inoculant

Match species to goals & soil

type/conditions Soil test and follow recommendations Use good, live seed Control weeds as much as possible

pH Effect on Soil Nutrients

Soil Conditions Affect Plants

Droughty
YES: Alfalfa, Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Crimson Clover NO: Buckwheat, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, Small Grains, Ladino Clover

Wet
YES: Tall Fescue, Timothy, P. Ryegrass, Red Clover NO: All the rest

Soil Conditions Affect Plants

Low Fertility
YES: Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Timothy, Lespedeza, Ladino Clover NO: Alfalfa, Kentucky Bluegrass, Red Clover

Very Acidic (below 5.5)

YES: Lespedeza NO: All the rest

Legumes

Alfalfa
Perennial legume High nitrogen producer
80 lb/acre

Expensive to establish
High fertility requirements

Deep taproot can be hard to kill Does not tolerate acidic or wet soils Seedlings are not competitive with other

species Has pest problems

Annual Sweetclover
Annual legume Poor tolerance to cold Deep taproot Tremendous summer growth Seed in March, rate 10 to 15 lb/A Needs pH at or above 6.0 Soil builder, fertility source, subsoil

aerator, weed suppressor, erosion preventer Excellent for bees (honey)

Austrian Winter Pea

Winter annual legume

Vine-like growth, similar to vetch

High nitrogen producer, 90-150 lb N/A Has some disease problems Seed at a rate of 60-90 lb/A Weed suppression, soil building, & prevent

erosion

Cowpeas
Summer annual legume Good short season green manure crop Good nitrogen fixer, 40 lb/A Seed at a rate of 30-40 lb/A Sow after danger of frost Attract many beneficial insects that prey

on pests Suppress weeds, build soil, & prevent erosion Works well in sandy & clay soils

Crimson Clover
Winter annual legume Adapted to light, well drained soils

with adequate pH (above 6.0) Good nitrogen fixer, 80 lb/A Seed 20-30 lb/A in late Aug. thru Oct.
Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Susceptible to disease, especially if

too much fall growth occurs Will winter kill if planted too late in fall Excellent for beneficial insects, bees & wildlife

Red Clover
Short-lived perennial legume Very good N producer, 80 lb/A Seeding rate of 6-15 lb/A
Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Seed late March to early May, or mid-

August to mid-October Excellent food plot for beneficial insects & wildlife

White Clover
Perennial legume Ladino clover is a tall variety Common clover is lower growing Widely adapted, prefers higher pH 6.4 Long-lived with low maintenance Not very competitive with grasses unless

well managed Seed 3-7 lb/A Feb to Mar. or Sept to Oct.

Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Hairy Vetch
Winter annual legume Thick vines, climbing growth Great N producer, 100 lb/A Best suited to well drained

soils Beneficial insect habitat Tolerates a wide range of pH Seed 20-25 lb/A in Sept & Oct

Hairy Vetch
Mixes well with Crimson clover

Mixes well with annual cool season, tall growing grasses

Grasses

Annual Ryegrass
Winter annual grass Germinates quickly Vigorous, competitive Excellent forage Tolerates acidity (pH 5.5), low fertility,

and poor drainage Forms dense cover, sod can create short term planting problems Seed 20-30 lb/A in Sept & Oct Interplant with clover Reseeds often difficult to eliminate

Barley
Winter annual grass (small

grain) Not as tall as other small grains, but does produce an abundance of growth Not tolerant of wet soils, or late planting Seed 90-120 lb/A, mid-Sept to early Oct

Cereal Rye
Winter annual Grows rapidly in Spring, deep rooted Very tolerant of low fertility & pH Used as weed suppressing mulch Reported to have some alleopathy,

problem w/ some small seeded crops??? Most winter hardy of annual grasses Best at recovering (recycling nutrients) Seed 60-120 lb/A, in late Sept to late Nov

Oats
Winter annual Excellent forage Great for quick growth Used primarily as a

companion crop Good weed suppression Seed 90-120 lb/A in Sept through Oct Excellent food plot for wildlife

Orchardgrass
Perennial grass Competes well in mixture with

other grasses and legumes Excellent cover for wildlife Preferred conservation cover for fallow fields, helps to suppress weeds Easy to establish Seed 15-20 lb/A, late Aug to early Sept

Sorghum & Sudangrass

Summer annual grasses Includes Sudex,

sorghum x sudangrass Tall growing, living mulch Produces abundance of dry matter Improves soil structure Growth can be tough to deal with Has some alleopathic properties Seed 30-40 lb/A after the danger of frost

Wheat
Winter annual grass

Tall growing, living mulch

Can produce an abundance of

dry matter Seed at a rate of 60-120 lb/A from mid-Sept to early Nov Excellent food plot for wildlife

Other Cover Crops

Buckwheat
Summer annual (broadleaf plant) Has no frost tolerance Tolerates wide range of soil

conditions Grows rapidly, chokes out weeds

Out-competes perennial weeds

Seed 50-60 lb/A from Spring to Aug Turn in before seeds set Beneficial insect habitat Poor weed suppression Excellent food plot for wildlife

Brassicas
Rapeseed, mustard, radishes, turnips Grow on well drained soils, wide pH

range Rapid fall growth Great biomass production, decompose quickly Deep taproot (reduce soil compaction) Release toxins that work against bacteria, fungi, insects, nematodes & weeds Excellent food plot for wildlife

Grass/Legume Mixtures
Perennial Seeding

crimson clover, red clover, or white clover + annual or perennial ryegrass, or orchardgrass

Grass/Legume Mixtures
Annual Seeding Small grain + crimson clover Small grain + hairy vetch Barley + crimson clover

Cover Crops for Specific Purposes:

Organic matter (high C:N)
Sorghum/sudangrass, cereal rye, annual

ryegrass, wheat, barley

Nitrogen production
Cowpeas, winter peas, clover, hairy vetch

Require no herbicide to kill

Cowpeas, winter peas, oats, radish, turnips

Cover Crops for Specific Purposes:

Reduced compaction (deep rooted)
Sorghum/sudangrass, annual ryegrass, cereal

rye, sweet clover, brassicas, & oats

Prevent soil erosion
Most grasses and small grains, white clover, &

cowpeas
Alleopatic for weed suppression
Cereal rye, brassicas, oats, barley, buckwheat,

sorghum/sudangrass
Attract beneficial insects
Buckwheat, sweet clover, red clover

Warm Season Cover Crops

March July

Buckwheat Cowpeas Sorghum Sudangrass Sweet Clover

Cool Season Cover Crops

September - November
Barley Brassicas Cereal Rye/Ryegrass Oats Clover Winter Peas Hairy Vetch Wheat

Planting Cover Crops

Grain Drill

Planting Cover Crops

Broadcast Seeders

Killing Cover Crops

When to kill?
At least 2 to 3 weeks

before planting
How to kill?
Tillage Mowing Rolling

Living Mulch

Killing Cover Crops

Low biomass, quick decomposition

High biomass, slow decomposition

In Summary
Selection of cover crop
Goals?
Legumes N fixing Grasses organic matter, recycle nutrients,

reduce soil compaction Other crops weed suppression, attract beneficials, wildlife food plots

Cover crop establishment

Soil test and follow recommendations Inoculate legumes

When to plant and till under crops

Agencies Who Can Help With Cover Crops/Food Plots

NC Cooperative Extension (NCCES)
Gaston Co. Department of Natural

Resources Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Wildlife Resource Commission