I’m often asked what my favorite cover crop is after wheat and why. That’s a hard question because there is sufficient growing season after wheat to grow just about anything in the book! Planting cover crops after wheat is a big opportunity to improve the soil, protect it from erosion, grow organic matter and natural […]
My Favorite Cover Crop After Wheat Read More »
Soybean Cyst Nematode is the number one pest of soybeans across the US causing more yield loss than the next five diseases combined.
Studies have shown that cover crops such as red clover, sunn hemp, crimson clover, cereal rye, oats, daikon radish, or ryegrass reduce the number of eggs in the soil and/or reduce the number of female SCN on soybeans in the following season.
Cover Crops vs. Soybean Cyst Nematode Read More »
Opinion Alert – From here on the lines between accepted agronomic best practices and the flavor of crazy that I prefer get blurry. Farming is an art as well as a science, so keep an open mind.
Virtual Cover Crop Tour – Spring 2024 Read More »
Planting corn next spring? Choose the right cover crop in the fall to give your crop the maximum opportunity for high yields.
An Excellent Cover Crop Mix Ahead of Corn Read More »
Austrian Winter Peas are a good cover crop for producing nitrogen. These peas have better cold tolerance than Canadian Field Peas yet still grow well when planted after wheat or other summer annuals. It’s preferred to plant them in August after the hottest days are normally past. Below I list the advantages and disadvantages of
Austrian Winter Peas Read More »
I was in a meeting yesterday and the gentlemen from SWCD asked me: “What should we recommend for our producers to plant as a cover crop after the wheat comes off?” After running through a number of scenarios I determined that I’d better make sure I don’t confuse folks with too many ideas. So, here
Cover Crop Selection – What to plant after wheat or other cereal grains? Read More »
Cover crop radishes are “all the buzz” these days in the cover crop world. Cover crop radishes should have fairly large tubers that penetrate the soil and add many benefits. The main benefits are that they enhance percolation and aeration. Additionally they provide food for earthworms like few other cover crops. It is quite common
Cover Crop Radishes – What they do Read More »
Earthworms are exceptionally valuable builders of healthy, fertile topsoil. Jill Clapperton stated that a good sign of a healthy topsoil was that a “shovel-full of soil” should have 8 earthworms in it. In my field diggings I have found anywhere from ZERO to 10 erathworms per shovel-full. I found 10 in crimson clover, 8 in
Earthworms…valuable resource on farm ground Read More »