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Central PA | penn state has an interplant unit, but i have seen too much spindly cover crop with a good canopy. We have seeded at last cultivation, but that is too late for good growth.
Joel gruver's experiments look interesting. I think 3 rows at 30" with a skip, 60" space could allow enough light in for cover crops (and weeds).
We plow down red clover for our corn crop so starting with bare soil. Usually plant corn 3rd-4th week of may. soils way too cold and wet earlier. 1800 GDD at 2000' elevation, 86 day corn.
It is not typical to see this much rain in july or august. (36-40" yearly ave) last year we had less than an inch in those months. Some years we get 6-8 inches in march or april. I don't know what normal is anymore. These intense rains seem to be getting more common everywhere.
Heavy wet slow draining soils with high OM here mean usually a cover crop does not steal too much moisture. We are usually trying to get rid of soil moisture.
we have thought of strip till but i think our clover stand would smoother the corn.
We have tried some winter killed cover (like oats, radish) for NT planted spring crops but little biomass left is pretty much slime in the spring. still thinking this through.
still trying to figure out a system that is long term sustainable. I guess that's what farming is about, but the networking here makes it more fun. Thanks for the conversation, keep it coming. | |
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organic: cover crop between row crops?
