Fall-planted cover crops can benefit your gardens -- True or False - Ask Extension
In the Macomb daily this Sunday there was an article with the title above (minus the True or False). It talks of planting oats, winter rye, winter wh...
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Fall-planted cover crops can benefit your gardens -- True or False #848852
Asked September 06, 2023, 2:10 PM EDT
In the Macomb daily this Sunday there was an article with the title above (minus the True or False). It talks of planting oats, winter rye, winter wheat, crimson clover and hairy vetch as a fall cover crop. Is this a good idea? To go along with that what are the positives? What are the negatives? Thank you
Macomb County Michigan
Expert Response
Hi Brian,
Cover crops are a good practice for gardeners to adopt. They can build your soil health, add nutrients to your soil, and can increase your soils ability to manage water. The question however that every gardener needs to ask is what do they want out of their cover crop. Cover crops are not equal so you need to decide what benefits you want from the cover crop and then weigh out the good and the bad for the species that you choose.
There are negatives to cover crops i.e. weed potential, termination in the spring, planting date in the fall. For example, in a garden I do not recommend hairy vetch because if it can not be terminated in the spring due to weather conditions it can become a weed issue. Some cover crops that over winter can easily be terminated by tillage while others may need to be killed using herbicides. Also, correct planting in the fall is critical. Most of the cover crop species should be planted by early September. Winter cereal grains, cereal rye, wheat, triticale, winter barley, etc., however they will need to be terminated in the spring.
Please feel free to contact me or a Consumer Horticulture Educator, https://www.canr.msu.edu/lawn_garden/experts, for more information.
Cover crops are a good practice for gardeners to adopt. They can build your soil health, add nutrients to your soil, and can increase your soils ability to manage water. The question however that every gardener needs to ask is what do they want out of their cover crop. Cover crops are not equal so you need to decide what benefits you want from the cover crop and then weigh out the good and the bad for the species that you choose.
There are negatives to cover crops i.e. weed potential, termination in the spring, planting date in the fall. For example, in a garden I do not recommend hairy vetch because if it can not be terminated in the spring due to weather conditions it can become a weed issue. Some cover crops that over winter can easily be terminated by tillage while others may need to be killed using herbicides. Also, correct planting in the fall is critical. Most of the cover crop species should be planted by early September. Winter cereal grains, cereal rye, wheat, triticale, winter barley, etc., however they will need to be terminated in the spring.
Please feel free to contact me or a Consumer Horticulture Educator, https://www.canr.msu.edu/lawn_garden/experts, for more information.
Christina Curell,
What would you recommend we plant that would take care of "....build(ing) your soil health, add(ing) nutrients to your soil, and ... increas(ing) your soils ability to manage water. " This would be for a vegetable garden. We also just want to be able to kill by tilling or frost as we don't want to use any herbicides.
Thank you,
Brian
Good Morning Brian,
if you can plant within the next week, I recommend oats. Plant about 1.5lbs./1,000 sq. ft. They will winter kill and will help your soil. You can broadcast the seed and then lightly rake the area to make sure that you have a good seed to soil contact.
if you can plant within the next week, I recommend oats. Plant about 1.5lbs./1,000 sq. ft. They will winter kill and will help your soil. You can broadcast the seed and then lightly rake the area to make sure that you have a good seed to soil contact.
