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Western PA

Hello all, I have read through quite a few posts regarding cover crops. I find there are a couple different views on which way is the best and most beneficial way to till in a cover crop after it has grown.

I selected Winter Rye for my cover crop which I currently have growing and it is at about 4 or 5 inches right now.

My questions are:

When do you personally cut down and till in your cover crop?

Do you cut it down first and let dry out a week or so before tilling in?

Do you mow it down then till it right in?

How many weeks prior to to transplanting is your cover crop tilled in?

What percent of growers are using cover crops?

Are the HH's using cover crops, and what cover crop?

Thanks in advance!

3/8/2009 7:33:14 PM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

It depends on what you are going for..
We would go for organic matter. Winter Rye is the only winter cover crop that would handle our weather.
I would mow it down 3 weeks before scheduled planting. Let it dry for a week..then till. I found if you don't mow it it will get caught in your tiller tines.

A cover crop is tricky because in order to get it down in the fall, you have to make your ammendments right away and get them turned in to plant. Once the cover crop is down you can not add any more compost or manure unless done real sparingly.

Now if you are looking for nitrogen til it in green, although be aware it will tie up some nitrogen right away.

3/9/2009 2:02:14 PM

Western PA

Linus, Thanks for the response.

Maybe, I'll have to make a better Subject line next time to get some more responses...

3/11/2009 10:05:46 PM