Keep Cover Crops in Mind

Summer is starting to come to an end, and in just a few weeks schools will be back in session. We have received some timely rains over the past week, and overall crops are looking very good in our area to date. As we wrap up fungicide applications, it is time to start focusing on fertility programs for after harvest and considering how cover crops can be incorporated into those plans.

One thing many of us learned this spring is that heavy rains can move a lot of dirt in our fields, even on fields where we have spent time and money installing terraces or grassed waterways. One observation I made while scouting fields with a customer this spring was that fields with a rye cover crop had very little of the rill erosion and “gullies” we were seeing in fields without cover crops. The cover crop did exactly what it was there to do, and it definitely saved many tons of topsoil on those farms.

Cover crops do come with some management hurdles that we have learned over the years, so it is important to have a good plan in place for what crop is going to be planted where. Nitrogen plans and cover crop termination also need to be managed appropriately next spring to avoid potential issues. As we get closer to harvest, keep cover crops in mind this fall and consider adding them to your fall fertility programs to improve soil health, protect valuable topsoil, and reduce erosion.