From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Connecticut

Does anyone plant a cover crop in the Spring, or is it just fall/winter? If yes, what do you plant, when do you plant it, and when do you incorporate it back into the soil?

3/26/2011 1:58:23 PM

Rhode Island

doodley

a spring cover crop would only need to be tilled in rather quickly and probably long before it could develope to any benefit.iif not the crop would compete for nutrients along with the growing plant

also-decomposing cover crops just in front of the growing plant also ties up nitrogen and you dont what that to happen early in the plants growth cycle.for this reason we do not cover crop in spring or add any cow manure either for that matter.----just kelp,humic acid, whatever else our soil tests indicate may be needed

id advise going cover crop once the plants are pulled be it early if a plant or two craps the bed or after getting your pumpkins harvested for weigh-offs.
mustard grows real well late season and is a great natural way to help fight diseases in the soil.(when the mustard starts to go to seed before or after first frost, you must mow and till under ( we did a new patch area last august, then mowed and tilled under early november.

hope this helps

pap

3/26/2011 5:25:47 PM