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Cover Crops in the Home Garden
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2020
- Cover crops can be a very useful tool in the home garden. Offering benefits such as weed suppression, erosion control, nitrogen fixation, adding organic matter and improving soil tilth, cover crops can easily be incorporated into even the smallest garden spaces! I share my favorite cover crops for the home garden and would love to hear about yours!
Cover Crop Resources:
Midwest Cover Crop Council Selector Tool-- mccc.msu.edu/co...
SARE cover crop resources-- www.sare.org/r...
Farmers Almanac, cover crops in the garden-- www.almanac.co...
Selecting Cover Crops in the Southeast-- www.nrcs.usda....
Pacific NW Cover Crop Selection-- www.nrcs.usda....
Western States Cover Crop Selection-- www.nrcs.usda....
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#homegardening
#ohiogardening
#zone6gardening
You are such an amazing lady that is sharing such awesome information. Cover crops work really well for soil gardeners. Doing straw bales like I do there is no need for cover crops. Thanks for sharing this must know on what and how cover crops work. Stay safe my friend and hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Oh CB, you are too kind. I truly appreciate your support! You are right- no need for cover crops in a straw bale system- another reason it makes a great option for some folks, in many ways it is so much easier. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend as well!
Do you mean you just use straw bales as mulch? Then the straw just goes back into the soil as a conditioner?
@@robertaaOHIO If you are talking to me then no. I use straw bales to grow a full garden in.
When you say you "do" straw bales, and don't need cover crops, would you mind explaining please how you use the straw? I'm assuming you throw the hay down, in bunches, on the soil before winter? A thin layer or medium/thicker? You leave the hay, and let the soil "eat it up", and just plant your garden as normal?
@@kuzadupa185 If you are talking to me then visit my channel and look in the playlist called straw bale gardening. Everything you need is in that playlist.
Finally someone who tells me how to practically use cover crops with real examples. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
I just watched this video a few months ago and decided to buy buckwheat seed, and holy cow are they fast growers! Thank you for this video because I am loving this new world of cover crops!
I’m so glad to hear you are diving into the world of cover crops!
I grow clover year round in all my beds. Vegetables do great. When they need a nitrogen boost, I just trim the clover to release it. And it looks beautiful. The soil seems to love it. Strawberries too.
Your son is just adorable 😊. Warms my heart to see kids helping & learning. My grandsons are grown & busy with life, but when young they were magnificent helpers👍👵🏻👩🌾❣️
Thank you so much! He's quite the little helper!
Bro you are one of the best on UA-cam, seriously. I’m in Texas so our climates are different but I use what I can from you and appreciate it a lot.
Thanks!
As an experiment I planted some field peas in a thick layer (6-8 inches) of decomposing wood chips (6 months old) that are sheet mulching lawn areas as the foundation for my garden beds. I planted relatively shallow (1 inch). They are growing right out of the wood chips. I plan to chop and drop before flowering to help breakdown the wood chips and expedite the composting process.
Very interesting experiment, Craig! I'd love to hear about the end results. Thanks for sharing.
OK, well....I recently planted and terminated my first cover crop - buckwheat. Amazed at how quickly it grew. I am now putting down the second round of buckwheat and amazingly, this round is growing faster and is lusher. I think I am a closet cover crop gardener. I really like stuff that is this easy to plant, grow and deal with. I also planted Sudan grass and it is growing but much slower. It could be because it is not in direct sun. Still, it is getting bigger and doing ok.
Woohoo!! Oh, how I love buckwheat... and for exactly this reason. Glad to hear that you are a closet cover crop gardener 😄
Very good video, I am trying to get caught up with all the good stuff from earlier videos. So nice to see the young fella working in the garden! My son helps me with my trees. My wife of many years keeps me going with good healthy food. Family is so important!
If it gets to be cut or destroyed in any way, he's happy to help ... though usually he's just driving his trucks through my beds 😆.
@@GrowfullywithJenna He sounds like a true blue little boy!
@@pseudopetrus haha- he is indeed!
I'm from New Zealand and planted a cover crop early autumn in an over used bed...mustard, garden oats and lupins. This is my first time using a cover crop, excited to reap the benefits 👍😊
Sounds great!
i did lentils and harvested lots of lentils covercrop so far thanks for the ideas
I use a lot of dried beans and legumes from the grocery store. I’m already there shopping, and when there is a sale I just pick up a bunch of bags to keep on hand. My favorites are cow peas, black eyed peas, lentils, and small white beans. They are very pretty plants in September and October! The beds I cover crop with late summer/fall plantings have had successful veggie plants the following season. Great video, thanks! 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱😃
Excellent idea! I especially love this because so many folks have had trouble sourcing cover crop seed locally- thanks!
I did this as well. Just go to the grocery store and get the bags of Goya beans or whole peas(not split peas) if they have them.... guess what, they sprout and grow (this is fourth grade science). I think they are like $1 or $2 per pound....you can save the other half of the bag for next year.
Thanks for the video. You’re garden is beautiful.
Thank you!
That was the best explanation of everything cover crops that I have heard, quick and to the point and how you use it. I found this by looking for radishes and cover crops. I wondered if it would all decompose by the time I would plant in it and you answered that. Thank you!
Awesome, thank you!
Just started using them this year! Diakon radish, buckwheat, and winter rye!
John Holmes-- I'm so happy to hear you've decided to start using cover crops... and you're starting with some of my favorites! Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope you have a wonderful week!
Great information Jenna, Thank you very much.
You're so welcome!
thanks Jenna! This is very helpful. I am just doing white clover between my strawberries. Clover is not just cover crop but is also beneficial to strawberries adding nitrogen to the soil 🙂
Great information! I just came across your channel last week and I'm loving it! I'm in NW Ohio so I love that all of your info applies to my gardening☺ This will be my first year really getting into vegetable gardening and I'm trying to get as much information as possible. Thank you!
Thank you so much, Anna-- I'm glad you are loving it! And I'm glad you're really getting into veggie gardening this year- that's very exciting. Happy growing!
Congratulations on such a fantastic channel. The photography, settings, lighting and color are inspiring. The good, the bad, and oh so ugly is a part of gardening. Thanks for sharing it all. Kudos!
Therlo Stallings thank you so much for the kind words, it means so much to me! I hope you have a wonderful evening!
This was so helpful and to the point. Thanks for not taking 25 minutes to explain something. Gardeners on UA-cam are so loquotious --the passion is understandable--. One question: can these cover crops grow effectively in partial shade?
I'm so glad! And yes- some of them will grow in partial shade. I've had good luck with clovers, rye, and radish.
Intriguing, especially the tiller radish.
It's a must for clay soil!
I'm trying a cover crop this year for the first time. I planted the garden mix from True Leaf. It's exciting to see new green growth in the garden at this time of year when normally everything would be brown
I'm glad to hear it, Jason! And I totally agree- I enjoy seeing that green growth this time of year too. Take care!
I am actually planting my first cover crop this summer. I am sowing Sunn Hemp. Thanks for the great videos. 👍
Nice! I first tried Sunn Hemp last year- beautiful blooms!
Thank You! I can't wait to try the buckwheat!!! I recently am vegan and it to heartbreaking for me to go out to the dairy farm and get my regular truck full of manure. Happy to find an alternative for my veggie garden!!
You're welcome
This is a great video. Trying to get started here in SW CO and have need of multiple types of cover crop. Have a great day.
Thank you! I hope you have a great day as well. Happy planting!
This is a great video. I planted crimson clover but I'm going to try the tiller radish and buckwheat. Thanks!!
this is my first year to use a cover crop. cant wait to see if it works as well as ive heard they do.
Which type of cover are you using?
Excellent, thank you.
Thank you, David!
Your garden is beautiful! I’ve been researching different cover crops to use, thank you for sharing 😊
Thank you!
Early this spring, threw down some Mustard seed to help with nematodes and add fertility. Its now taking off, plan to work the soil in select areas for planting until its mature. Interested in buckwheat for the honeybees on our land. Also using white clover around fruit trees to help suppress the weed crop.
Sounds like some great uses of cover crops! And your honeybees will LOVE the buckwheat!
Great video and information. I garden in the mild marine climate of the Pacific NW where ground rarely freezes in winter. Soil is mostly glacial outwash, no clay. My fav cover crops is annual crimson clover. Great nitrogen fixer maybe not the best weed suppressant. It’s so pretty in bloom, pollinators love it and will winter over and reseed. Great in my no till winter squash beds.
Thank you, John! And thank you for sharing what has worked well for you in a different climate/soil type than mine!
You have an amazing garden. Amazing 🤩
Thank you so much
Awesome video! This is one of the better I have seen on cover crops. I like that you don't get super technical. A simple explanation that most of us can understand is most useful. This will be the first year I will be putting effort in to cover cropping. I have done some version of that using my native grasses in my never ending battle against invasive weeds, rather than chemicals. It's been a pain, but a good learning experience. I'm getting better control of the weeds and learning a lot through observation. I believe I had told you how I did my no till strawberries in a stand of native grass. It resembled what you do with the winter rye. The difference being that my native grasses grow thick, are tough to whack, and have deep rhyzomatic roots. Weirdly, they never came back, got lucky. Any way, I am glad to see I'm on the right track. Got some buckwheat, radish, and a biofumigant mustard on order and already have some cowpeas saved from last year. Those cowpeas are awesome, great beneficials attractors as well. I think a combo of tillage radish, then buckwheat will be a good combo with some wild flowers and maybe alfalfa or vetch for the shelter belt I am building by one of my ponds with a big sleugh. Lots of fun stuff planned for that spot. Cool to see the little guy helping out. Thanks again, that was very helpful! Take care.
Thank you so much- I'm glad you found it useful! My dad is in the midst of a similar experiment with native grasses right now- trying to see if he can crowd out the Canadian thistle and goldenrod which is so incredibly persistent on his property. You did indeed tell me about the strawberry planting, and I'm glad to hear that the native grass didn't come back- sounds like a successful experiment to me! The cowpeas are definitely awesome-- I'll be utilizing them a lot more this year. I'd love to hear what you think after you try all these different cover crops this year! You take care as well!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Exactly the reason I let my grass run wild. 6ft tall and very thick. Horrible to cut. But making a huge dent in the canadian thistle. It works.
Thanks Jenna, I was thinking planting things into a bush. Best wishes.
Have you done a video showing how you terminate each of the cover crops you use? Timing, methods to terminate, etc? I am in zone 6b as well, and love watching your channel!! We are exploring cover crop options but still not sure how to go about terminating without a ton of work and pulling/competing with cover crop to grow veggies
I’m slowly working my way through all the different cover crops to give specific growing/usage/termination info. Here’s what I have covered so far:
ua-cam.com/play/PL4zzslvkscX39ZhMYn3TsqP3taiLRt9JF.html
Planning on transitioning to raised rows next month and I’ve bought winter rye for my first cover crop. I’m in north central Oklahoma.
Nice!!
Very helpful video, thank you. I found your channel on a gardening group on fb.
Awesome! Thank you!
Thanks for all the information.
You're most welcome!
We have specific Weeds grow in our area. Our soil little bit salinity and those weeds specialised to observe salt from soil(jelly and salty). Good food for camels 🐫 only...so I kept them as cover crop...thanks
Smart idea!
Thank you....The result so far satisfied.....under observation
I belive a combination of cover crops and straw or hay bales work great together as a soil conditioner and for growth of soil life ... keep in mine that straw , hay or compost doesn't put roots into the soil and eventually will compact the soil a little , that's if it's a clay soil. So you still need roots to drill the soil to make air ways and water conduits for the microorganism in your soil
I would agree with that!
Thanks. I'm going to enjoy your resource videos, as I too am dealing with heavy black clay. 1st year.
You are welcome! I'm glad you've decided to start a garden and hope that you can find some helpful tips here. Best of luck with your clay soil and have a wonderful weekend!
Planting my first cover crops...going to try the cow peas...good video.
I’m really loving cowpeas- I find myself using them more and more! This year I’m doing some big areas with a cowpea, buckwheat, sunflower blend.
@@GrowfullywithJenna If I may ask - what blend is this and where can it be purchased? Thanks.
Wonderful info. I've been wanting to use cover crops but not really sure how to start. Thank you.
Oh good! I hope you do give cover crops a try... they are such a useful tool in the garden. I was on the fence about them for years, but now feel they really are worth it! Thanks for watching & I hope you have wonderful week!
Thanks Jenna. I can use this. :)
Jules Small Gardening you’re welcome! Glad you can use it!
Great Info and great job as always! - I just watched Gabe Brown of North Dakota and he was talking about how mixed cover crops were best because it represented what nature did. He said he did a study on single cover crops vs mixed cover crops and the difference was tremendous. I noticed the seed companies are now doing mixed cover crop packets. Do you find the mixed cover crops do better for you? PS: still learning what cover crops are and will do for me - still in the learning phase
Thank you! I do have to agree that a mixed planting makes more sense- nowhere in nature would you find a monocrop of anything! I think this would be of particular importance when cover cropping large areas. Since most of mine are smaller spaces, I don't see an issue with doing a strip of tiller radish here, a patch of buckwheat there. I do tend to use the mixes a little more in the spring & fall then in the summer, and I think that's just because there tend to be more mixes available for cool season than warm from the seed companies (as you mention- they are carrying more & more of them). I've noticed benefits from using both mixes and individual species, and I think it depends A LOT on what you're trying to achieve with your cover crop. Using tiller radish alone benefits my clay soil so much, I don't see much of a need to mix it. But as with vegetable crops, I try not to replant the same thing in the same spot year after year. That was a loooong answer to your question, but I really do feel like a lot of it is trial and error to see what works best for you!
Great video thanks! Lots of these cover crops are edible just not especially delicious. But I’ve been known to make oat and pea pesto from my cover crop. 😎
Very true- most are edible!
yes, I like to plant a multi-species cover crops. I just planted one that has 40 species including vegetables. Its a Milpa Mix.
Very cool!
we used to grow those white radishes in Michigan, bury them 3 feet under ground in the fall and then dig them up in the spring and eat them and make them into Kimchee! I've got clay soil too and will try this one year but I will harvest some to eAT. thanks.
Yes! They are great for kimchi- a true double duty plant!
This is so interesting. I'm not sure how these crops will do in the Southwest USA where I'm from, but I certainly want to learn how to incorporate this in my intercroping square foot garden.
I don’t know anything about this company, but they sell a blend specifically for the southwest… may be worth looking into? www.southwestseed.com/seed-mix/cover-crop-cocktail/
Helpful, I use cow peas and winter rye
Good stuff
This is awesome, thanks for all the information!
Thank you, Jeremy! I'm glad you found it informative. Take care & have a wonderful week!
I Will try cover crop this season. I just mulch During Winter. Great Idea !I have buckwheat seeds to try!
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how beneficial cover crops can be. I'd love to hear what you think after you give it a try! Take care & have a great week!
I Will try Winter rye in the fall.
Thanks Jenna...you might consider using a multi mix of cover crops in one bed. Different benefits from different plants.
Yes! I'm using more of the mixes this spring and I love them. I've got an oat, vetch, winter pea mix out in the garden right now that I'm really liking and plan to play around with some warm season mixes as well. Thanks for the great advice & take care!
True Green has the mix I use on Amazon 5lbs for $19 with free prime shipping.
@@nancywebb6549 thanks for the tip!
Just ran across your channel as searching for cover cropping and have a slightly different question...I’m in W Oregon (fairly mild climate for bkup info) and plant tomatoes & peppers in pretty high density. As everything is just now being transplanted out into my raised beds (3x12’, 12” tall), I am thinking about seeding a mixed cover of nitrogen fixers throughout my raised beds not only to help with N levels thru the season but also to help build & diversify the mycorrhizae fungi in my beds. I am guessing I’ll use a small hedge type trimmer to terminate the cover crop mix in a couple of months before they start to set flowers to keep any N benefit...have u ever grown a cover crop interseeded with a “cash” crop like this, known anyone who has or have any other good ideas/thoughts on it?
Typically we amend our soil with organic inputs (bone, fish, alfalfa, kelp meals, etc) and cover with a grass/leaf mix at end of fall and mulch with grass clippings during the season. I also try to apply a “fortified “ worm tea a couple of times each year but have never done a cover crop before. Definitely plan to try one this off-season for sure.
This is an excellent question! I have never tried interseeding cover crop with my cash crop. I've heard folks talk about this concept at several of the regenerative farm/ag conferences I've attended- but most often in reference to growing corn or soy on a large scale, and usually with things like rye or clover. SARE is an excellent resource for cover crop info, and you may be able to find something on their page addressing your question. I did find this handy reference, but it only mentions tomatoes with rye, not nitrogen fixers: www.sare.org/publications/crop-rotation-on-organic-farms/guidelines-for-intercropping/interplanting-crops-with-partially-overlapping-growing-seasons/
That being said, I can't think of a reason it wouldn't work. But I'm very curious about this concept & plan to keep digging. If I can find any resources, I'll let you know.
And, if you do end up trying it, I'd love to hear about your results!
Take care!
Hey, I'm new to the channel but I must say well done! I'm working towards starting a market garden back in my home state of Alabama but am finding that bulk compost of any quality is going to be hard to source. As I look for alternatives cover crops are seeming like a great thing to fill the gap. I'm in to the chop and drop and one crop I've fell in love with is Austrian winter peas. They can produce an INSANE amount of biomass through the fall straight into spring.
Nice! I've used them in mixes, but never on their own. I'll have to try that this fall- thanks!
I nailed it. Great video
Thank you!
@@GrowfullywithJenna u not I. Crazy phone put a I not u and its suppose 2 b a smart phone
I see in the comments some people are doing straw bales. I have done these but my results were minimal. I did the curing procedures and I believe I followed the procedures in general, but I did not have the excellent results I saw in some videos. 🤷♂
I had mixed results- it seems some plants are better suited to this method than others. If you're interested, I shared my experience here: ua-cam.com/video/JswiXDwOTiY/v-deo.html
It would be very helpful to know what growing zone you are in, maybe in the description. That lets us know if your plants will even grow in our areas.
Excellent point! I try to remember to include that information, but I forget sometimes! Thanks for pointing this out (Zone 6a, Ohio by the way). Take care!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thanks.
Hi Jenna, just moved to Missouri from California last June and am so glad I found your channel. I am going to use your tiller radish and buckwheat to prepare a planting site for next spring. I might just go crazy and do 1/2 of my back yard. Also, I love the $50 hole for a $5 plant quote. I will be thinking of that when I dig a hole for my pixie crunch apple tree. Still have to decide on my blueberry bushes. In the ground or containers? Thank you again!
Sounds like you've got a lot of great gardening stuff going on, Denise! Very cool!
My kids LOVE Pixie Crunch apples 💚
@@GrowfullywithJennaCall me crazy and yes, I do have a lot going on and way over my head, but I am learning so much from you and 2 other channels. Did you plant a Pixie in your clay soil? I am getting a reachable Pixie and was considering planting it in a container. Your thoughts on that and the blueberry bushes?
Great presentation of planting cover in small areas! Thank you for anticipating what is useful to know! Looking forward to trying some of these. Curious about what pathogens the mustard blent is helpful for.
Thank you! In case you've not already seen in, I cover the mustard in more depth in this video: ua-cam.com/video/fNzYiIE9Cyk/v-deo.html
Very helpful. Thank you
You're welcome- glad you found it helpful!
It's really nice how you respond to comments.. I just don't get how you plant over it.. Like without tilling the cover crop into the soil, and for the cover crop that doesn't decompose on its own or what not, do you just start planting seeds amongst all the pushed over stalks/ weed whipped carnage? Like the cover crop will stop growing if you stomp it down? Thanks again for helping everybody learn and that would be cool if you made like a wildflower area where some of the grass is
So when I am using a cover crop as a mulch (versus incorporating it into the soil), I simply push the residue out of the way, plant my seeds or transplants and as they grow, I will move that cover crop residue back closer to the plants so that it is suppressing weed growth. It honestly looks a bit sloppy for a while, but midway through the season I barely notice it and I often add more mulch on top of the cover crop residue in the form of grass clippings. Now- every type of cover crop will work a little different- some will stop growing if you stomp them down- some will not. I hope this helps, but realize a visual would be nice- I’ll try to give some examples of what I mean in a video this summer!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thanks so much for the response and help! Yeah there really isn't a video that shows the actual placement of the seed into the soil with all the mulch/ clippings lying everywhere.. It's just hard to believe a seedlings can fight its way through all of the clippings without needing to be planted in a starter plot ot whatever first.. Thanks again!
"Tiller Radish" looks a lot like daikon radish with Chinese folks love with vinegar!
You are right- it's because it is a type of daikon!
I like your hat
Never thought that you were going to reply. I really enjoy your videos. I can see content and great passion in your voice and attitude. Really appreciated.
Good morning from central florida. Im into my 2nd season of gardening. Ive just learned about cover crops and i have just planted my first ones ever into my earth bed plots. I also did buck wheat as you did. Today its been 3 weeks and im just starting to get the flowers on them. I was happy to see your pictures of how beautiful they look when they really get blooming. When my broccoli bolted last year they had the most beautiful setting of yellow flowers and the bee's just loved them and there were hundreds of them. Now there's not to many around. So im hoping this buck wheat will draw them back and regenerate some nutrients back into the soil.
So when im ready to end this crop to plant my fall/winter garden is it best to just cut it down and let it rot on top of the soil? Or should it be cut and turned into the soil?
Thanks for the video. It was very helpful
Good evening from Ohio! You might find my video on buckwheat helpful: ua-cam.com/video/21nsAirkcpA/v-deo.html
i am growing mooli / daikon radish to eat and so spent time working out the spacing this afternoon … i did not realise it was a cover crop and should have just sprinkled it everywhere 🙄
If you want the roots to size up nicely, it's best to give it some space- so you probably did the right thing for your purposes!
Very encouraging, do you have cover-crop recommendations for a semi-tropical to tropical environment?
I personally do not, but you might find this arcticle helpful: www.agroforestry.org/the-overstory/236-overstory-29-tropical-green-manurescover-crops
@@GrowfullywithJenna: thank you, this looks really helpful 😊
Appreciate your video Jenna. This is my second year for winter rye after you cut down the winter rye, do you till the rows? Also could I put the tiller radish in zone 5?
Hi Charlene- you may find my video specifically on winter rye helpful- it shows 2 options for terminating rye (tilleage vs. chop & drop): ua-cam.com/video/K662PZ5l4rg/v-deo.html
Thanks for sharing valuable knowledge. please guide to grow mixture of cover crop in heavy mulched space between mango plants while considering irrigation schedule of mango plants also mention month for seedling and chopping of. please mention list for winter and summer cover crops one can select according to environment. Thanks
I can really only speak to the cover crops I know and use in my growing environment. I cannot grow mangos here, so I'm not sure what the best option for intercropping would be.
How early in spring can you plant oats\peas\vetch mix and tillage radish seed?
Hi, I am new to cover crop system, I have a large field 100x 100 feet, covered With all kind of weeds, do I need to clean and till the ground before seeding cover crops? Zone 7 maryland. Thanks for your time.
Personally, I would. We had a similar situation at my parent's- a very large plot that was overun with weeds. I actually solarized the area first to kill off the weeds, then tilled than planted cover crops for several successions before planting with my 'cash' crops. After that I tried to work the soil as minimally as possible.
I'm new to this cover crop gardening phenomena . I have been reading all winter long about it. I have read different opinions. Mine looks like yours in your video. We in Central New York got blasted last night with 5 inches of snow and rain. My cereal rye cover is a "bit under the weather." I am sure it will be fine tomorrow as temperatures rise. But I am a bit confused. I have looked at many state college websites about when to cut it down. Some said let it grow til it starts to flower and others said cut it back 30 days or so before you want to plant your crops. Well in zone 5 it is usually around Memorial Day. So that would mean, if I follow what I have read, I should cut it back at the end of April. But, I have read you should let it go as long as you can so the roots can get feet deep and pull up as much nitrogen as possible. Your thoughts? Mark
If mowed down at the wrong time, rye will vigorously regrow. The best two options are to either till the rye under when it is less than 12" OR roll and crimp the rye when 100% of the plants are shedding, or have shed, pollen (anthesis). I don't have a roller/crimper, so I typically jut mow off the rye with a weedwhacker at this stage. I usually do still have some regrowth but I just pull those plants out by hand as needed. Yes, letting the rye grow till anthesis is best, as you get the most root and biomass- but it will still provide benefits if terminated prior to that point.
Some folks run into issues where they need to get vegetable crops in and can't wait till the anthesis stage to terminate. In this case, I've mowed the rye down and tilled under with decent results- though again, I had a fair amount of grow back.
Hope this helps.
I have lots of chickweeds in my garden, they really cover the soil and have really small roots. Can that be use for mulch if I leave those chickweeds there, or will they choque the vegetables that I am growing? I feel bad to remove those chickweeds, just wanting to know if those can be beneficial to the soil of the garden. Thanks
I don't think they'll choke out your veggies- plus chickweed is edible!
It seems to me, they might make a fine cover!
Hi Jenna, your videos are always informative and to the point. Thank you! I've only used rye cover crops in my beds for three years in my no till garden. I have found it, after cutting it down, difficult to plant in. It's as if I am planting my grocery crop directly into a lawn. Am I broadcasting the seed too close together? Now I broadcast the seed by hand because I'm thinking I only want cover crops in my 3' wide beds. Am I going wrong in my thinking here? Should I broadcast seed in my whole garden including the walks?
Thank you, Tom. I broadcast sow my rye pretty heavily and have not had issues, but I do wait a while for all that residue to brown down before planting, and I do hoe, or use a small digging tool to loosen up just my planting area. I'm not sure if you've seen my video specifically on using rye cover crop, but it may be of help: ua-cam.com/video/K662PZ5l4rg/v-deo.html Also, I only sow my beds, not my walkways.
But can u mix theses cover crops together and how do u save the seeds easily or is that too much effort?
Yes, you can definitely mix and save seeds!
After laying down the cut cover crop do you put anything to cover it? Or leave it as is and plant right on top of it in spring? Thank you!
It depends a bit on the cover crop and how soon I want to go in with my next crop. Sometimes when I want to plant right away, I just lay it down and leave it on top o the soil like a mulch. When I have more time between taking down the cover crop and planting my cash crop, I will fork the cover crop residue into the soil and allow it to break down a bit. Great question!
Are nitrogen fixers like honeybees? They store nitrogen in the nodules to use later?
I think i finally had an epiphany and visualized how it works, instead of just always being told 'they affix nitrogen in the ground magically'.
I’ve used winter rye for many years. Sure does give nice green growth in fall and spring but I have heard something like “all the decomposing green matter ties up the nitrogen” so that it is not available to the new plant growth. Is this true? Or maybe I just dreamed this up. Can somebody give me the straight scoop on this?
You didn't dream this up. ALL decomposing matter does to some extent. For most of my cover crops I wait a week or two after chopping and dropping prior to planting my 'cash' crop, and have never had any issues. I've read that for commerical farmers who interplant corn into directly into rye may see some of the effect of nitrogen tie up at first, but the corn typically comes out of it (there is still some debate over whether this is from nitrogen tie up or the allelopathic traits of rye... but most of the newer info I can find seems to be leaning towards nitrogen tie-up).
What you do with the radish, you pick the root up and eat it or just let it rot in soil?
Just let it rot in the soil.
What do you have around the areas that you planted the cover crops? Looks like mounds of something to make a border. Is it manure? Thanks
I've got the paths between the cover crops mulched with hay the sides of the raised planting rows mulched with grass clippings.
I live in Northeastern Utah, we are high desert and water with irrigation (zone 5 we've gotten down to zone 4). I've been working on my soil for about 3 years and have just learned about cover crop. I need two different applications, one in my vegie garden and one out in the desert areas (no cover not even weeds) My goal was to buy winter rye, but accidentally got rye grass seed. Which link would help me?
This page from the Utah State University Extension might help: extension.usu.edu/crops/research/cover-crops-for-utah It's not interactive like the Midwest Cover Crop Council selection tool, but still has a lot of good information.
Can I plant hairy vetch between my rows to cover the exposed dirt? I’d like to keep it cut it down to about 4” like grass. Is this a good idea?
I’m not sure how vetch responds to repeated mowing. Could be an interesting test!
Where can I get a list of what cover crops to prepare for my plans to plant next season.
Such as I'm prepare a garden row for my tomatoes and believe you said buckwheat now
Have you checked out the cover crop tool yet: www.midwestcovercrops.org/covercroptool/ I find this to be one of the best references. Buckwheat is frost tender but can mature in 30 days, so we've got just enough time for one more planting!
I like buckwheat having such long roots , its ability to gather up nutrients that have washed down deep and return them to the top (you are what you eat) .
I like to refer to this as "nutrient precipitation". Nutrients get washed down and brought back up just like the rain.
Alot of covers, like vetch and clover really benefit from bacterial (love azospirillium👍) inoculation giving them a symbiotic relationship with the plant building up substantial nitrogen nodes, my understanding is that the hosting plant exchanges it for carbon , a very understated essential part of healthy soil maybe even more important than nitrogen!
When you pick up a healthy" living soil " and hold it in your hand it should move !!
Hardest thing for former "soup style" gardeners ( bottled fertilizer mixed with h2o) to really wrap their heads around & IT'S IMPORTANT, with organic ya feed the soil not the plants !! 💩❤👨🌾
Isn't it a wonderful system!
Wow, really thorough -- thanks! Do you have any advice for picking a cover crop that will actually die for your winter? I live in a mildish zone 8 and my biggest concern is just the cover crop potentially surviving all winter and being a weed.
Thank you!
As far as a winter-kill cover crop for Zone 8, I have a few suggestions, but I have to admit, I'm not an expert here, as your growing conditions are quite a bit different than mine in Zone 6. That being said, you really can't go wrong with any of the crops that I would typically be using for summer cover crops. Buckwheat is awesome and will die with the first frost, Sorghum-sudan grass is also frost tender, as are cowpeas. You can plant these much later in your season than I can here and still reap the benefits.
Spring Oats, Austrian (field) peas, - you can fall plant these and then just mow and turn into the soil in the spring. Rapeseed (canola), tiller radish and mustard may also be options in your area.
A big factor in which crop you pick is what problem you want to tackle. Do you want to improve soil tilth, fix nitrogen, suppress weeds… or something else entirely? Your choice will be different depending on what issue(s) you are trying to address.
I would also advise you to contact your local extension agent-they should know the best options for your area specifically.
I wish I could provide a more specific answer for you, but I hope this at least points you in the right direction! Take care!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Thanks so much I appreciate your help!
Hayley you’re welcome! Best of luck with your cover crops!
I just subscribed to your channel.
What state are you growing in?
Thanks! I'm in Ohio.
Are these cover crop variety seeds that you mentioned available at most feed and seed stores or you have to special order them.?
It really depends on your area- there are some places that have these readily availble. But here in my area I typically have to order online. Although I have found that sometimes smaller stores are willing to order seed for you if you ask.
Thanks
So after you plant cover crops in the fall and let them grow all winter, when it becomes time to say plant your tomatoes where the cover crops have grown do you dig the cover crops up and throw them away or cut them down and till them into the soil? Sorry for this question if this is common knowledge.
Cut them down and incorporate into the soil, or leave on the soil surface as a mulch. Do not throw them away, or you'll loose a lot of the benfit of growing them!
and leave the roots !
Do you know what the best cover crop for West Virginia
All of the cover crops I mentioned here will work in West Virginia as well. The more important factor is what your goal is and what season you're wanting to plant. While W. Virginia is not included in the Midwest Cover Crop Council selector tool, you could select Ohio and enter what your goal is (whether it's soil building, weed suppression, erosion control etc) and it will give you the best options as well as planting season: mccc.msu.edu/covercroptool/
Can a cover crop be collected for farm animals? is the based and roots enough to gain a nitro (microbe) benefit?
Yes- you would still be getting the benefits from the roots breaking up soil and encouraging the presence of soil microorganisms!
Just watched all the cover crop playlist. Is there a cover crop I can get going *before* I’m ready to plant out on Mother’s Day? I had my chickens working some areas bare for me and I’m wondering if it’s not too early to get something growing into that bare ground?
One of my favorites for that time slot is www.johnnyseeds.com/farm-seed/cover-crop-mixes/spring-green-manure/spring-green-manure-mix-organic-cover-crop-seed-976G.html#q=spring%2Bgreen%2Bmanure&lang=en_US&start=1 Annual ryegrass, spring oats, winter peas, vetch, rapeseed (canola), tiller radish, mustards and forage turnip can all also be sown in early spring.
@@GrowfullywithJenna thank you!
@@TulipAcres you're welcome!
What do you think of winter wheat?
I think it's a great option, especially for a late-planted cover. I've just never used it personally (always end up using winter rye).
Does buckwheat reseed itself and become invasive?
Good question-- If you allow it to mature and go to seed, it readily self-sows. However, for cover crop purposes you'd typically be cutting it down before that point. Also, while it does readily self sow, I've never had it become what I'd consider invasive, as it is incredibly easy to pull and get rid off.
How about leafy greens that live only for summer...? You get to eat them too...
Yes- in essence this will work as a cover crop, because you are suppressing weeds and any leftovers can rot & add organic matter to the soil. It won't create the largest amount of biomass and typically the roots won't break up the soil much, but it's better than nothing. That being said, I grew collards one year as a 'trap crop' and they doubled as a cover crop quite effectively. Great question!
Can Kentucky 31 fescue be used as a cover crop?
I would not recommend it.
never heard of tiller radish.
It's a must if you've got clay soil!
@@GrowfullywithJenna Well we have about 1/2 of topsoil and the rest red clay lol!
@@mikefrench3800 You should give them a try!
@@GrowfullywithJenna If i can find the seed I will!!! I usually grow a variety of radishes
I’m going to try daikon this fall
The primary benefit is building soil humus
Definitely a big benefit!
@@GrowfullywithJenna THanks for the reply. If I wrote you a long question would you mind answering? It has to do with how you plant your desired crop into the cover crop, i don't understand how that works. How would my spinach grow up through the hairy vetch
@@hosoiarchives4858 absolutely- send your question my way! I would actually not advise interplanting with vetch. Interplanting works with some of the other crops but vetch is so very vigorous and has so much mass, I'm afraid it would smother out your spinach. With other cover crops, a lot of the time you just mow down a thin planting strip though the cover crop and seed into that. If I can provide more specifics, let me know!
Not sure if it widely know but soak your trimmer string in water
I did not know that. What does soaking it do?
@@GrowfullywithJenna Nylon dries out over time. Soak it for 24 hours a couple of times a year. It will rehydrate, become more pliable, and last longer. I saw it on Instagram and looked it up. It's legit. On the lager spools you will see a water faucet and bucket icon. This indicates soaking your string. I just found out myself.
You didn't mention clover, why?
Is clover an ideal choice or too invasive?
All different types of clover can be great options, Harry, but results will depend on a couple of factors. 1.Type of clover 2. Goals-- or, what do you want to achieve with the cover crop 3.Method of management. For example, white clover makes an excellent living mulch system: www.canr.msu.edu/news/benefits_of_white_clover But Crimson Clover, for example, would be treated differently, and typically used as an overwintered, weed suppressing cover crop which is terminated prior to planting your vegetable crop.
@@GrowfullywithJenna I have crimson seeds , that I was going to use on a bed that has clay and sand ! I have amended with compost and planted zinnias in it , and I was thinking of planting the crimsom seeds in September! Or a different kind of cover crop ? Right now just trying to improve the soil and eventually use it as a flower bed ,
@@harryarroyo6779 That sounds like a great plan. I really like the SARE website's data sheets on cover crops, if you are looking for more info: www.sare.org/publications/managing-cover-crops-profitably/legume-cover-crops/crimson-clover/
@@GrowfullywithJenna thanks for your response and information!
@@harryarroyo6779 you're welcome!