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SE PA | Tillage radishes will take up what ever avaible that N happens to be there. If there is only 20lbs of availble N in the soil profile, that's not enough for them even to grow to fully express their potential. If there's 60lbs or more they'll do a fantastic job of acheiving all the benefits they offer. U of MD has said they'll take up to 150lbs of N which is mostly in a situation where manure is spread in the fall. So, if your fields have significant N left over in the fall the radishes will take it up and keep it over winter- giving it back in the spring for your succeeding crop. This is the role radishes can play in N savings. You'll have to see how they proform in your conditions and your soil to determine how MUCH purchased N they can save over the long term. You need to pencil out the cost of a cover crop but to be fair you need to also account for the other benefits they offer besides N savings-which is almost impossible to do. Ultimately you need to do yield checks to see how they are doing on your farm. As a side note, cereal rye or ryegrass will take up left over N as well in the fall but won't give near as much back to your succeeding crop. | |
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tillage radish for a new guy
