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Post by southernspirit on Jul 11, 2007 20:49:42 GMT -6
From my understanding, cover crops add nitrogen to the soil when you till it in in the Spring and keeps weeds from taking over your garden plots. When are you supposed to plant cover crops? What is the best kind to plant? Do you let them grow all winter without doing anything to them? What time do you till them in before you plant?  I am clueless!  I am thinking this would be good to build our garden soil up. Please give me some ideas on this... Thanks in advance!  Dianna |
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Jul 12, 2007 6:31:44 GMT -6
Dianne, It is best to start planing that HUGE garden this year  And one of the best ways to add alot of organic material and nitrogen to your soil is with a cover crop. Green manure?..Cover crops become green manure, once they have been tilled into the soil, plus, some, beans for example, you can harvest and eat the crop, and then till the plants into the soil, providing lots of nitrogen, legumes (beans) "fix" nitrogen from the atmosphere, supplying next years crop with a needed spring feeding. When to plant will depend on your selection, here, we plant Buckwheat, till that in before it seeds, then follow that with a high nitrogen crop to turn in when it finishes. In your climate, crimson clover may be a good choice. Basically, plan on what you think your soil needs (get a test) then choose your crop. the list below is brief, look up the individual crop and check out the plant dates. Buckwheat: fast growing warm season annual, Buckwheat can grow fast on any soil type (4-6 weeks to maturity). Crimson clover: cool season annual legume, cold hardy to some extent. Grows great on all soil types in 1-2 months. Cheap Source: deer plot mixes. Attracts lots of beneficial insects. Hairy vetch: cool season annual legume. Also a good weed suppressor. Rye/oats/ winter wheat: cool season fast growing grass (non-legume) Rye is the most cold hardy of all green manures, and it can grow almost anywhere. Rye can grow in temps below -20 degrees F. Rye and oats are also weed suppressors. These crops can grow fast in a few weeks. Rye must be killed at least 4-6 weeks before planting spring crops to not hinder seed germination Cheap source: deer plot mix /horse-cattle feeds. All beans and peas (legumes): beans are warm season-peas are cool season. Cheap source: dry beans and peas in your local store will sprout and grow fine. Radishes/mustard greens/rape/kale: cheap fast growing cool season annual non-legumes for lots of organic material. weed suppressor. Till all cover crops in, or mow down before they seed, to prevent sprouting later in the year and becoming a weed themselves. |
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Post by southernspirit on Jul 12, 2007 8:36:46 GMT -6
Thank you, Phil! I knew you would know what I needed to know... So, from what you are saying, we can plant peas again after the garden is through, harvest the peas, till the plants in, and then keep planting over and over until we get ready to garden next year? I like the idea of hairy vetch keeping the weeds at bay. The peas have grass growing up through them in the veggie garden now...  Thanks for your advice! |
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Jul 12, 2007 10:13:47 GMT -6
Yes, that is correct Dianne.
Any bean will do wonders turned in, peas pack a good punch tho!
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Post by southernspirit on Jul 22, 2007 20:01:23 GMT -6
Thank you, Phil.
I now have another question. We will be getting ready to till in the peas that the deer have been chomping on soon. My question is, if we till these peas in, how soon can we plant another crop? Right after, or wait for a bit?
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Jul 23, 2007 3:42:48 GMT -6
Thank you, Phil. I now have another question. We will be getting ready to till in the peas that the deer have been chomping on soon. My question is, if we till these peas in, how soon can we plant another crop? Right after, or wait for a bit? good question Dianne! Dianne, it depends on if you are seeding the following crop, or setting out plants. Ideally 4 weeks... allow at least 3 for seeds... But wait...What if I said , that with a lil "hint", you'd be good to go, for sure in 2 to 3 weeks? Go get yerself some liquid molasses at the feed store (equine section) overspray you crop to be turned in with a 1/3 cup to gallon mix, then, turn it in. The molasses speeds up the microbes, breaking your green maure down more quickly. the problem is that seed germination could be inhibited by the heat/chemicals released during initial decomposition, Small seeed varieties especially. and it takes a bit for the nitrients to be released into your soil, so patience is good! Plants can be set in after about 2 weeks. |
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Post by jack on Jul 24, 2007 4:42:09 GMT -6
Gidday
There aint nuthin better you can do for your garden than to grow a cover crop. But here's where I differ from whats said so far. I reckon you only need to cutt the cover crop sos it wont keep growin and leave it on the soil, then you can plant straight into it ifin you are setting out plants. If you are sowing seeds, just drag the litter out from where you are wowing the seeds then when theys a growin bring it back in.
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Post by southernspirit on Jul 24, 2007 11:53:19 GMT -6
Phil, could we use regular molasses for the garden? Mom and Dad Moore make molasses every year and we have some surplus out in the building that is no longer safe to eat. Could we just use it in place of the "liquid" molasses? Is there a big difference? Thank you, Phil, for helping me to understand this...
Jack, my understanding of what I have read in different forums is that newly cut plants are full of nitrogen and could burn your new plantings. Wouldn't that be a problem doing it as you suggest? I am still learning. Thank you for your input. We all learn something new every day through other's experiences...
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Post by Pharmer Phil on Jul 24, 2007 13:57:41 GMT -6
regular molasses...Ummm. No Dianne, I prefer UNLEADED  Of Course you can....heck we'll all take a gallon er two! Jack, The concept of leaving the cover crop as you say jack, is a valuable aid in soil conservation, akin to no- till farming. There are a few cover crops though, Rye for one, that has a substance in the root system that will inhibit seed germination of some crops. so one would have to choose wisely. |
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Post by jack on Jul 27, 2007 2:30:48 GMT -6
Gidday
Sothern Spirit, it is only if you have heaps of very green plant material hard agains the plants that they could possibly burn, the main thing is not to compress the stuff against the palnts.
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Post by southernspirit on Jul 27, 2007 6:37:28 GMT -6
Phil, looking over your cover crop list, I thought of another question. Where could we find buckwheat seed? Could I use the crop as mulch for all my plants or would it give me renegade weeds in my flower beds? I'm happy that we can find a use for the old molasses. It has been sitting in the shed for at least two years... This is all very interesting to me to learn. When I have a heat stroke out in the gardens, though, Phil, I am blaming you for Jim enlarging the areas!  I am definitely not looking forward to more canning... Jack, thank you for clearing that up for me. I think I will try it both ways. I like a tidy garden, (not that ours isn't overrun with weeds this year  ), though, so may prefer tilling it in each time. If I do it as you suggest, though, that would be like mulching with fresh stuff, wouldn't it? I just need to remember to keep some space around the base of the plants? Thank both you fellers in helping me understand the "why's and how-to's" of cover crops. I am sure I will be having more questions for you... Dianna |
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I am clueless! 
), though, so may prefer tilling it in each time. If I do it as you suggest, though, that would be like mulching with fresh stuff, wouldn't it? I just need to remember to keep some space around the base of the plants?