Implementing a mix of different cover crops makes sense for many reasons:
1 – Planting a cover crop mix can meet several goals at the same time.
2 – Mixing distinct species (that flourish in different weather environments) spreads out risk, ensuring against any extreme weather we may face.
3 – Mixes enhance biodiversity on the farm, increasing soil biology and paving the way for quicker soil health gains.
4 – Mixes formulated with complementary species often bring advantages at contrasting times of the growing cycle.
For example – mixing cereal rye and crimson clover offers weed suppression, grazing, and erosion benefits in the fall. The clover delivers N in the spring.
These returns only work when the appropriate balance is given when the mix is formulated. Not every species plays well with others.
Keep in mind that not every situation calls for a mix. A well-adapted single species often may be all that is needed to reach a single, desired goal – both from a productivity and economic standpoint. Moreover, not all plans call for blindly adding species that may not make agronomic sense.
Selecting the right group of cover crops that supply the desired benefits is much more important than merely increasing the number of species in a cover crop mix or cocktail.
