I’m often asked what my favorite cover crop is after wheat and why. That’s a hard question because there is sufficient growing season after wheat to grow just about anything in the book!
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Increasing Organic Carbon in the Soil
Increasing organic carbon in the soil is a great goal. Simply put, more soil organic matter = more nutrient holding capacity, more water storage capacity, and more crop yield.
Read MoreVertical till application on left. Air drill application on right.
Planting Cover Crops: Air Drill vs. Vertical Tillage Tool
Picture from Mercer County, OH. The farmer planted cover crops using two different methods to evaluate stand establishment.
Read MoreThe Case for Seed Coatings
A successful stand of alfalfa or clover requires successful inoculation of the correct species of rhizobium bacteria. The living bacteria present in seed inoculant is quite vulnerable to environmental changes in pH, temperature, and salinity.
Read MoreGrazing Corn Stalks
Corn residues normally are best utilized within 60 days of harvest and also allocated out in portions to reduce waste. In general, corn stalks have a crude protein value of about 8 percent and a total digestible nutrient value of about 70 percent. The nutritional value falls over time to about 5 percent crude protein and to about 40 percent digestibility.
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