Planting & Crops

Cover Crops

Cover crop blends provided by Green Cover Seed Company of Bladen, Nebraska, are used to increase the vitality of the soil in the most natural way possible. The blends consist of broadleaf, legume, brassica, and grass varieties. A fall blend and a spring blend is instrumental in the fixation of nitrogen and other nutrients as well as the building of organic material in the soil. Soil samples will be analyzed before the fall and after the spring cover crops as well as prior to the planting the cash crops. The usefulness of the cover crops will be determined by the results of the soil sample testing.

The internet was researched for the best management practices for organic farming. No-Till planting proved to be the most acclaimed method of planting without disturbing the soil to maintain natural biological diversity in the soil. Green Manure in the form of cover crop stood out as the most valid method of fixating nutrient naturally and organically build the soil to improve the health of the soil. There are a substantial number of very good videos about soil health and methods to improve it naturally with cover crop blends. Videos were viewed about applications developed by the Greed Cover Seed Company and their Smart Mix app for choosing the varieties for the personalized blend. The Smart Mix app was used to develop the following 2018 spring and 2019 spring blends.

2018 Spring Cover Crop

The 2018 spring cover crop consisted of a blend with the following species from Green Cover Seed:

  1. Arrowleaf Clover
  2. Woolly Pod Vetch
  3. Winter Peas Austrian Winter
  4. Sunn Hemp: VNS
  5. Alfalfa: Common
  6. Chickpea: Desi
  7. Balansa Clover: Fixation Omri
  8. Persian Clover: Mihi
  9. Faba Beans
  10. Chickling Vetch: AC Greenfix
  11. Spring Oat: VNS
  12. Spring Triticale: VNS
  13. Graza Radish: Graza Fodder Radish
  14. Indian Mustard: Indi Gold
  15. Sunflower: Black Oil Seed
  16. Phacelia Angelia
2019 Spring Cover Crop

The 2019 spring cover crop consist of a blend with the following species from Green Cover Seed:

  1. Arrowleaf Clover
  2. Woolly Pod Vetch
  3. Winter Peas Austrian Winter
  4. Sunn Hemp: VNS
  5. Alfalfa: Common
  6. Chickpea: Desi
  7. Balansa Clover: Fixation Omri
  8. Persian Clover: Mihi
  9. Faba Beans VNS
  10. Chickling Vetch: AC Greenfix
  11. Spring Oat: Hayden
  12. Spring Triticale: Surge
  13. Collards: Impact Forage
  14. Smart Radish
  15. Sunflower: Black Oil Seed
  16. Phacelia Angelia

Objectives: Cover Crop Planting

  • Does the sod have to be plowed and tilled to promote good seed to soil contact?
  • Can the cover crop be directly sowed into the existing sod?
  • Can the cover crop seed be broadcasted and covered with straw?
  • Can the cover crop be no-till planted into soil that has been plowed and tilled?
  • What method produces the best seed to soil contact with the best germination rate?
  • What amount of the cover crop seed is adequate to provide adequate fixation of nitrogen and other nutrients?

Cash Crops

Objectives: Cash Crop Planting

  1. Can the sweet corn cash crop be no-till planted directly into the cover crop after rolling and crimping?
  2. Is plowing and tilling the best method of preparing the soil for no-till planting of the cash crops?
  3. What are the best symbiotic plants to grow with the cash crops that help control weeds and pests and promotes beneficial bugs?

The cash crop seeds were provided by Territorial Seed Company of Cottage Grove, OR. The planted cash crops were as follows:

  1. Golden Bantam Corn
  2. Belstar F1 Broccoli
  3. Beneficial Bug Flower Mix Annuals and Perennials
  4. Gondar Lettuce
  5. Harvest Moon F1 Watermelon
  6. Basil Aroma II Herb
  7. Hopi Blue Corn
  8. Painted Mountain Corn
  9. Glass Gem Corn
  10. Nectar Carrot
  11. Saber Cucumber
  12. Dragon Tongue Bush Bean
  13. Caiman Tomato
  14. Winter Luxury Pumpkin
  15. Gather’s Gold Sweet Italian Pepper
  16. California Wonder Pepper
  17. Champion Collard Green
Date Project Activity Participants
January 2018 Pre-project planning meeting to choose vegetable crop varieties and cover crops, plan trial layout, and outreach efforts. Project coordinators: Byron Murray. Extension educator, Nadia Terrell.
March 1, 2018 Order seeds. Plant cover crop with No till Drill in test plots: 8 legumes, 3 brassicas 3 grasses and 2 broadleafs Project coordinators: Byron Murray. Extension educator, Nadia Terrell.
March 15, 2018 Plant cover crops in trial plots to evaluate usefulness in vegetable plantings: Annual Ryegrass, Hairy Vetch, Buckwheat, Red Clover, Winter Rye. Evaluate weekly. Edgar Holtzburger and daughter, Pauline Holtzburger
May 1, 2018 Terminate Cover Crop and Plant Cash Crop – Sweet Corn Project Coordinator: Byron Murray Equipment Operator: Steven Murray
May 15, 2018 Interseed Companion crops with cash crop Project Coordinator: Byron Murray Equipment Operator: Steven Murray
July 7, 2018 Harvest Sweet Corn, Squash and other varieties as able based on ripeness. Project Coordinator: Byron Murray Equipment Operator: Steven Murray
Plot 1 existing cover crop will be plowed and tilled to level the soil to increase the nutrient level of the soil and increase the seed to soil contact level. Alpaca, cattle and horse manure will be spreaded and tilled into the soil to increase the nutrient level of the soil. The cover crop blend will be broadcasted with the Vicon Broadcast Spreader on the tractor. Straw will be blown over the seed to keep the seed in place and to prevent birds for eating the seeds. The cover crop will fix nitrogen and other nutrients into the soil as well as improve soil structure. The cover crop will be plowed and tilled into the soil. The sweet corn cash crop will be no-till planted with the Deutz-Allis No-Till Planter. Companion cover crops will be interseeded with a no till drill into the sweet corn cash crop to prevent erosion and provide additional nutrients while the sweet corn is growing. Pole beans, red clover and squash will be interseeded as companion plants with the sweet corn.

Plot 2 existing cover crop will be plowed and tilled to level the soil and incorporate the cover crop into the soil to increase the nutrient level and level the soil. Alpaca, cattle and horse manure will be spreaded and tilled into the soil to increase the nutrient level of the soil. The cover crop seed will be planted with a rented Haybuster No-Till drill from the Cole County Soil and Water District. The cover crop will be rolled and crimped to terminate the cover crop prior to no-till planting the sweet corn cash crop. The rolled and crimped cover crop will die and serve as a mulch that will protect the soil from erosion and limit the amount of irrigation required. The sweet corn cash crop will be no-till planted with the Deutz-Allis No-Till Planter. Companion cover crops will be interseeded with a no till drill into the sweet corn cash crop to prevent erosion and provide additional nutrients while the sweet corn is growing. Pole beans, red clover and squash will be interseeded as companion plants with the sweet corn.

Plot 3 existing cover fall crop will be burned to terminate the cover crop. The spring cover crop blend will planted with a rented Haybuster No-Till drill from the Cole County Soil and Water District. The cover crop will be rolled and crimped to terminate the cover crop prior to no-till planting the sweet corn cash crop. The rolled and crimped cover crop will die and serve as a mulch that will protect the soil from erosion and limit the amount of irrigation required. The sweet corn cash crop will be no-till planted with the Deutz-Allis No-Till Planter. Companion cover crops will be interseeded with a no till drill into the sweet corn cash crop to prevent erosion and provide additional nutrients while the sweet corn is growing. Pole beans, red clover and squash will be interseeded as companion plants with the sweet corn.