Almost covercrop time.

[cjp1953]

Has been a good year for tomatos here in Ohio.Only down side is lack of rain the last month.With things slowing down,I think I'll get my garden ready for my winter covercrop.In the past I have used Hairy Vetch,yellow clover and winter rye.Only problem has been turning it under.The rye has such a thick root system.I use a very nice garden fork that bought last year so I would not harm my many worms that I have.I keep a 12 inch layer of straw as mulch and it works out very well.This year I'm thinking of just Hairy Vetch as my covercrop.Killing it only takes cutting it back around the first of May and the after 3 weeks turing it under.At the time I would add cotton seed meal and garden tone.Mulch after the soil warms up and hope to repeat the kind of year I had this past summer.With 200sq.ft I only need a pound of vetch seed and that's only a few dollars.Going to do this the second week of Sept.The cotton seed meal(15lbs) and garden tone(3lbs) applied just one time in May held up very well.

[peebee]

I am curious about covercropping in your zone--if it snows in the winter, do all the plants survive under the layer of snow, till it melts in spring? Somehow when I read about winter covercrops I thought it was for the warmer south.
I could not keep them alive till the spring here, they would get way too tall and unruly.

[cjp1953]

They quit growing and stay very green under the snow and start growing when temps get in the 40's.

[clkeiper]

Some go dormant and some are winter killed. Depends on what you plant and why. I agree on the rye, though... that is awful to till under and kill it. We used it once. all Summer long we had huge clumps of rye here and there. Now I buy a mix without the rye in it for a covercrop. that is my next big project out in the garden, too. I need to start cleaning up all the melon vines and plastic and get the crop in early enough to germinate and have a good amount of growth on it for the winter. I am also going to order nematodes for the garden and put down at the same time... HOPEFULLY we will get some rain. We haven't had any since June. It is so bad here the leaves are dropping off of some trees, my dogwood is wilted the weeds have gone to seed at 6" tall.... I won't have any beans on my Fall crop if we don't get some rain. I am shocked they even germinated as well as they did. I can't water them where they are and I am getting anxious for a little bit... anything.

[cjp1953]

I pulled back the straw and the ground has some cracks.The grass is brown and the leaves on some trees are turning because of the dry weather.Crazy weather,don't know what the winter will be like.It will be here soon enough.BOO!

[Lycopersica]

I'm thinking of giving hairy vetch a try. Can it hold up against brutal New England winters and then till under to make way for spring radishes?

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Lycopersica

I'm thinking of giving hairy vetch a try. Can it hold up against brutal New England winters and then till under to make way for spring radishes?

I would think you'd be OK.I picked up my seed up today and will plant next week.It take a week to 10 days to see it come up.Do you have a garden supply store near by who carries wintercrop seed?They would be the best people to ask what would be your choices for your region.Our winters are very cold and I have never had problems with it.Look up covercrops on the internet and see what would work best in New England.

[zeroma]

Following, I'm interested also, in SW Ohio.

[silverseed]

I have been using the combination of winter rye & hairy vetch, Has worked well for me over the years but always looking for anything better that will loosen up the soil a little more.

[zeroma]

What is the difference?

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by zeroma

What is the difference?

I don't know,but one supply store sells it as farmers rye and the other feed store I buy my vetch from calls it winter rye.Seeds look the same .Have grown both and it stays green under the snow and starts growing when the weather warms up again in the spring.One thing about rye is you see it come up within 48 to 72 hours.I just rake it in.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by zeroma

What is the difference?

Winter rye is any rye that is grown in the winter.
All Grain Rye is annual and related to wheat and other grains.

Ryegrass is not the same this as rye.
Ryegrass can be either annual or perennial.
Perennial ryegrass is also known as English ryegrass or winter ryegrass.
Both Rye and ryegrass help the soil.
You will no more see "grain" Rye at the big box store than you would see hard winter wheat.

In Texas a lot of oats is planted in the fall in fields.
Not only is it used as pasture for cattle and a dear magnet it is use for food.

I can begin to count how many acres of oats I have sown.


Worth

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by silverseed

I have been using the combination of winter rye & hairy vetch, Has worked well for me over the years but always looking for anything better that will loosen up the soil a little more.

Have you planted a cover crop this year?My Vetch is starting to come up.I just scattered the seed this year and did not cover it.I sometime just tap it in lightly but this year after turning my garden with a fork,I just tossed on the ground.I was very tired after taking out my plants and using my fork.I have had rye come up in 48 hours.Vetch has always been last to come up.

[Tracydr]

I'm going to put favas wherever I'm not planting fall/winter veggies. The horse pasture will get either rye grain or annual ryegrass very soon.
I'd like to add clover to the garden pathways and pasture but I'm not sure if clovers do well in my part of NC. I may need to wait until the lime I've been adding has more time to take effect first, then try some Dutch white next winter.

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I'm going to put favas wherever I'm not planting fall/winter veggies. The horse pasture will get either rye grain or annual ryegrass very soon.
I'd like to add clover to the garden pathways and pasture but I'm not sure if clovers do well in my part of NC. I may need to wait until the lime I've been adding has more time to take effect first, then try some Dutch white next winter.

Never tried fava beanns,I have tried yellow clover with vetch and rye.Like I said the rye has a very thick root system and if you turn it under it is very hard on the back.Vetch gets very thick for me and I can kill it off by mowing it back.I don't know if my feed store near me has fava beans.My late mother was from Italy and she cooked fava beans up for supper sometimes.Very good side dish that I miss now that she's gone.