Interested in no-till production, but unsure of how to manage cover crops so they don’t become a problem for the crop that follows?

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By Mary Beth Miller, Lomax Farm Coordinator | Nov. 19, 2018 – 

By now, if you planned to incorporate fall cover crops in your field rotation this year, they are most likely already in the ground and well-established.

At Lomax Farm (CFSA’s education and research farm) in Concord, NC, we wrapped up the last round of cover cropping a few weeks ago. Lomax has a little over nine acres of production fields, and between our on-farm research, educational demonstrations, and field rotations, we do a lot of cover cropping throughout the year. This fall, we decided to experiment with making our own cover crop “cocktails” – specific blends that suit the needs and management objectives of each field.

Why use cover crop mixes?

Individual species of cover crops have different strengths and weaknesses. For example:

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Interseed cover cropsOne of the best ways to get the most benefit out of cover crops is to plant them while your summer crop is still in the field – that is, to relay-plant a cover crop into a growing cash crop. That way the cover crop is well-established by harvest, with live roots and good cover going into winter. That said, accomplishing this is not always easy, and success will depend on the combination of crops, cover crops, equipment, and the weather you’re working with.

However, new technology and methods are coming online to ensure successful establishment, and innovative growers and researchers alike are forging ahead to answer the next question: can it be done without decreasing your yields?

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by Mark Dempsey, CFSA Farm Services Coordinator

cover-crops

It’s mid-season in the Carolinas, and for growers this typically means spring crops are finished, summer crops are keeping you busy, and you’re starting fall crops. This is a good time to consider whether to plant cover crops in some fields this fall instead of all cash crops.

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by Mark Dempsey, CFSA’s Farm Services Coordinator | Feb. 5, 2016 – 

Rolling and planting at the same time. Credit: Clair Keene

With February here, most growers are spending their time out of the field planning next year’s crops, making now a great time to take a step back to assess soil conservation on the farm.

We all want to treat our soil well, keep it on the farm, and maintain or increase fertility. The current, best practices to increase your soil fertility and reduce erosion are to decrease the amount you till and increase cover cropping.  The best option is to try to integrate both of these practices to the extent possible on your farm.

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Hopefully, your winter annual cover crop has survived the frigid air masses that swept through the Carolinas in January. Those covers planted late may look a little edgy at this point. Small grains should be all right, but late-planted legumes such as crimson clover may have suffered. Ideally, we have a warm March/April period when most of the biomass production from winter annual cover crops takes place. Want more biomass? Let the cover grow as long as possible. (more…)