Cover crops, often called nature’s “green manure,” are an important management tool for addressing common issues such as soil erosion, nutrient runoff and moisture conservation.
Cover crops can also be used to enhance water availability, smother weeds, and help control pests and diseases. Additionally, by providing valuable organic cover to the soil, cover crops can substantially reduce common soil issues while providing forage for livestock and wildlife.
There are endless benefits to planting cover crops. And a single cover crop may have more than one function. Before selecting a cover crop or mixture of cover crops, we suggest analyzing your goals for the field.
Ross’ recommended steps to get you started:
Perform a soil test.
What are the needs of the next crop? Is it nitrogen needy or nitrogen productive?
What are the fertility needs of your field?
Is the land highly erodible, either from wind or water?
Could it need organic matter?
Does the pH need to be adjusted?