Plant Cover Crops

Learning about the benefits of planting cover crops.

flying cover crops into corn

Cover Cropping North of I-80 After Corn & Soybeans – A Whole New World?

There is a lot of Iowa and Minnesota and Wisconsin above I-80. Is this all part of the “no cover crops works here after corn and soybeans” zone? Maybe not!

Sarah Carlson from Practical Farmers of Iowa reminded me that cover cropping north of I-80 is different than cover cropping in northern Indiana.  She’s right.  But how different is it, and why is it different?

Sarah is quoted in a very good article in Corn and Soybean Digest that helps explain the differences.

Several farmers in Wisconsin and northern Illinois are having cover crops aerial applied with good success. But I agree with Sarah; there are still challenges.

Cover Crop Challenges in the North

This field of Annual Ryegrass is in SE Wisconsin and was aerial applied into standing corn in the fall of 2011 with great success.

I see the following challenges to using cover crops North of I-80 after corn and soybeans:

  • Shorter growing season after corn and soybean harvest
  • The use of “full season” (for the region) soybean varieties and corn hybrids to maximize yield potential
  • Fear using winter cereal rye (their best option after corn and beans) because of potential risks
  • Fewer choices for cover crop species to use
  • Harsh winters and less snowfall to protect smaller cover crop plants

Cover Crop Opportunities in the North

  • More aerial applicators successfully flying on cover crops into standing corn and soybeans
  • Improved yields following winter cereal rye, a crop that can be planted late
  • High yields and profit with shorter season corn allowing timely application of cover crops
  • Annual Ryegrass is working well in southern Wisconsin and southern Michigan and there are many positive results from using it.
  • Dixie Crimson Clover has a good history of surviving the winter even in mid-Michigan and southern Wisconsin.
  • Late planted Austrian Winter Peas are overwintering as far north as the top of the Thumb of Michigan.
  • Winter Barley (winter hardy varieties) is surviving well in southern to mid-Wisconsin and in southern Minnesota and used for a cover crop or haylage before planting corn silage.

While not every producer North of I-80 will have success with cover crops after corn and soybeans, there are a number now that are happy with their results.

My message is to use wisdom and best management practices.

IF you want to try cover crops after corn and soybeans and you are north of I-80, realize that you are not the first person to try it.  Many have gone before you with good results.

Don’t give up before you investigate the possibilities.

Now, if you are north of I-90…

The Importance of Sunshine in Cover Crop Establishment

On October 18, 2011 the cover crops are looking quite different in one section of the field than the other...the main reasons? The maturity of the soybean variety planted and row width.

In previous posts I have shared about the importance of applying cover crops at the correct time.  I also looked at the difference in how cover crops emerged in corn and soybean fields when aerial applied in the fall of 2011.  In the past several weeks I have traveled over much of Indiana and northwestern Ohio looking at aerial applied cover crops.

Four things I have noticed so far:

1) Aerial applicators seem to be doing a much better job in 2011 than in years past.

2) Correct timing of aerial application into cash crops is vital (that the crops are mature enough for cover crop success).

3) Corn and soybean variety maturity differences can change “success” rates.

4) It appears that row spacing in soybeans makes a big difference, especially in establishing crimson clover.

I was in a soybean field in Jasper County, IN, with Dan Perkins, SWCD Watershed and Conservation Program Specialist. It looked as though about one-half of the field had been harvested a week or so earlier than the other half because the cover crops were considerably taller and more dense in the earlier bean maturity area than in the later bean maturity part of the field.

But I was wrong about the harvest date…there was only 1 day harvest difference between the two areas.  One difference was the genetic maturity of the varieties of soybeans.  One variety was a 3.0 maturity and the other was a 3.4 maturity. Incidentally, the farmer reported that the two varieties yielded virtually the same.

Another key observation was made with differences in row spacing, particularly with crimson clover.  In the 15″ and 30″ rows the crimson clover looked very good with an even stand and good growth. But in the fields with 7″ rows the stand did not look quite as good. In fact, in some fields with 7″ rows, the crimson clover was hard to find.  The annual ryegrass and the cover crop radishes had a better stand than the crimson clover in the 7″ spaced rows, yet even they had considerably less growth than in the wider spaced rows.

Why does this matter?  It matters because P-H-O-T-O-S-Y-N-T-H-E-S-I-S matters.

In many eastern corn belt soybean fields that the cover crops were aerial applied in are quite varied this year.  Overall there has been very good moisture and adequate time for the cover crops to germinate and grow, but the rate of growth has varied considerably based on how mature the soybeans were at planting date. While the soybeans have been off for over a month as of this posting you can look at the photo taken on November 22 and still see a difference in cover crop “coverage” and growth.

The stands have been good over all but the amount of growth from that stand seems to vary a bit more than in past years.

The take-home message is that we need to make sure that crops are mature enough when applying cover crops.  And if planting into fields with 7″ rows, maybe wait until 75% leaf yellowing to assure more sunlight hitting the ground when the seed is germinating.  Sunlight really is important…just like my 9th grade biology teacher said it was.

This photo, taken November 22, 2011, shows cover crops flown into corn, a 3.4 maturity soybean that was drilled in 7" rows (center), and a 3.0 maturity soybean planted in 30" rows (top). The same cover crop was flown into all three sections on the same passes of the plane. The difference...Sunlight getting to the soil.

 

Cover Crop Field Day Set at Robison Farms

CISCO Seeds, Robison Farms, and Dougherty Fertilizer are sponsoring a Cover Crop Field Day and Root Dig at the Greenwood, Indiana farm. If you’ve not had an opportunity to see cover crops in a real life farm setting, this will be a great meeting for you . There will be multiple species available to look at and expert agronomists on hand to answer questions.

 

When:

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 from 2-4 P.M.

Location:

Corner of Five Point Road (300 East) and Main Street (Rocklane Road) east of Greenwood, IN

Contact:

If you have questions or need further information contact  Don Robison at donrobison@ciscoseeds.com or 317-357-7013

  • Rain or shine we will have a gathering (call if the weather is bad for “plan B”)

 

Cover Crop Field Day Highlights

Come see ten different mixes and/or species of cover crops in a large plot setting.
  • 1100’ lineal feet of cover crop plots
  • 10 different mixes or straight species shown
  • guaranteed weather! (not saying what kind)
  • working with NRCS, SWCD, and Dougherty Fertilizer
  • root digs (weather contingent)
  • Cover Crop Agronomists on hand for tours and Q/A sessions
  • See over 150 acres of various Cover Crops withing 1/2 mile of plots

 

Purpose of the cover crop field day

To see different species of cover crops in a real to life situation. This was a soybean field that had the cover crops applied over the top of the standing crop at roughly 50% leaf drop.

 

Species You Will See

 

  • Radishes
  • Turnips
  • Crimson Clover
  • Oats
  • Winter Rye
  • Annual Ryegrass
  • Austrian Winter Peas
  • Several Mixes including the above species

 

 

 

Directions:

From Indianapolis

  • Take I-65 South to Exit 99. Turn Left at end of ramp and travel 1.5 miles east to the plots

From Louisville

  • Take I-65 North to Exit 99. Turn Right at end of ramp and travel 1.5 miles east to the plots

From Columbus, OH

  • Take I-70 West to Indianapolis, follow 465 South to I-65 South to Exit 99. Turn Left at end of ramp and travel 1.5 miles east to the plots

From Terre Haute

  • Take I-70 East to Indianapolis, follow 465 South to I-65 South to Exit 99. Turn Left at end of ramp and travel 1.5 miles east to the plots

 

Just down the road we plan on digging another pit where Annual Ryegrass and Appin Turnips were applied after hog manure was knifed in after wheat.

Annual Ryegrass Roots Video – 40″ deep in 2 1/2 months!

I was in western Pulaski County of Indiana again yesterday afternoon (11/16/2010) at the Leman farm. This is the third year that the Leman’s have used cover crops. Curt Leman dug some pits for us so we could see what kind of rooting depth we have achieved since the annual ryegrass was planted on Sept 4, 2010. When I got in the pit I was very pleasantly surprised! I found ryegrass roots that are already 40″ deep! Watch the video to see what other goodies I found!

After digging out the section of soil that had the dark band we found that we actually had corn roots from the 2010 crop that were at least 36″ deep. My friend from Michigan who is a “corn guru” tells me that in most soils in most years that corn roots go 18″ deep…so we gained approximately 18″ greater depth of corn roots by using annual ryegrass for one year…impressive isn’t it!?! And, we didn’t dig deeper than 40″ so possibly the roots went deeper than that. I believe that helps explain our improved corn health and yield where we had ARg as a cover crop vs where we had no cover crop (again, see previous post).

In the photo you see the dark band of soil found at the 30-36″ soil depth. The following video reveals what I could not see when in the pit…

I anticipate we will dig in the spring at the Leman farm again. What we found after 10 weeks was literally amazing!

When to aerial apply cover crops into corn

Corn should be dried "up to the ear" for best results when utilizing aerial application.
Corn should be dried "up to the ear" for best results when utilizing aerial application.
Approximately 50% of the sunlight should reach the ground in the field when aerial applying cover crops into corn.
Approximately 50% of the sunlight should reach the ground in the field when aerial applying cover crops into corn.

A few years back many said “August 15-25” was the right date to aerial seed cover crops into corn.  However, we found out very quickly that “dates” cannot be set…but timing can be.  While we know that August 15-25 often can be correct, we also know that following the calendar (like in the 2009 crop) can be a mistake.  So let’s set a few guidelines that should help all of us have better success when aerial applying cover crops into standing corn.

 

 

Guidelines for success when aerial applying cover crops into standing corn:

  • Aerial apply cover crops when the corn plant is dried approximately to the ear.

 

  • Aerial apply cover crops when approximately 50% of the sunlight can reach the ground between the rows.  (Walk in the field a few rows to determine this).

 

  • For success, do not fly cover crops into corn that is immature (still very green).  The seeds will most likely germinate and then mold (not enough sunlight to conduct photosynthesis and too moist of conditions).

 

When is it too late to aerial apply cover crop seed into standing corn?

  • You need 5-6 weeks of growing time for cover crops going into the winter for best winterhardiness and performance.

 

  • Winter Cereal Rye is more “flexible” than annual ryegrass or other cover crops when it comes to the lateness of application.

 

  • If corn will be harvested soon after an aerial application can be made, consider the cost of other types of cover crop applications (i.e. drilling the cover crop in after harvest).  Utilize the lesser expensive application.