2021 Cover crop

[cjp1953]

This year I wanted to change things with a mixed cover crop.Went to my local feed store and got some winer rye,yellow clover,hairy vetch,buckwheat and alfalfa seed.I had some Daikon radish seed so I added this to my mix.Looks like a very nice cover crop. Anxious to see how things grow.

[JRinPA]

You always get yours in nice and early. I only have one bed finished that I got daikon on, and it is coming in nicely. The rest I have replanted with beets/cole crops or still finishing up. Maybe I push everything too late.



I tried a fall green manure mix one year that had hairy vetch, peas, probably buckwheat. Bought by 1/4 pound...I felt I got ripped off with the peas in there!

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

You always get yours in nice and early. I only have one bed finished that I got daikon on, and it is coming in nicely. The rest I have replanted with beets/cole crops or still finishing up. Maybe I push everything too late.



I tried a fall green manure mix one year that had hairy vetch, peas, probably buckwheat. Bought by 1/4 pound...I felt I got ripped off with the peas in there!

It's growing very nicely,I have been making sure it gets watered.Have to do that today.I think the buckwheat is growing faster than all the other crops that are planted with them.I'm sorry to say I did not get those pole beans planted last spring as I ran out of space,but will try again in the spring as I hope to change things on how many tomatoes I plant.Every year I say less tomato plants but always plant more than I need.

[JRinPA]

Well there is always next year. I put my pole beans in around June first, and bush limas, but the limas didn't produce much. Poles beans were fine as usual. They don't have to go in the ground until it is hot. I took them out this week and replanted those rows with two middle rows of red beets and outside rows of daikon. In mid winter when all is dead I plan to cover with black plastic mulch. I am at the point with so many beds that it takes a long time to rehab them each spring. So if I can't get leaves I'll do cover crop where I can and then lay the plastic to keep the Feb-April weeds suppressed.

The bean pics are from Aug 4th - hope you can squeeze some in next year.

The bed by the house had zucchini again this year for the summer, and now is flush with the daikon planted earlier. Behind that is mint and rhubarb and an expanding fennel. I never do anything to that area except for the rhubarb - compost in spring and wood chips or mulch before winter. Now the drip tape bucket and stand are laying there. After the first or second rhubarb cutting, that area is overgrown with weeds by July. Hot and humid there. I'm really not sure what to do with that area to keep it under control, mint spreading like it does, and then the weeds mixing in, it was a 6 ft high bunny brooding house a couple weeks ago before I pulled them. It is against the back wall of the house, facing NE and catches lots of heat in the summer until 2pm, but doesn't see much sun in the winter. Got the sewer pipe under there and clothes dryer's exhaust, too.

We have good rhubarb there that makes plenty on the left side. There is red rhubarb in the middle and to the right that takes up a lot of area, but produces almost nothing, then is overwhelmed by weeds each year. Maybe it is time for that to go. I'm really not sure what to do with this area.

[cjp1953]

That's an incredible looking garden or should I say beds of garden!!!!Sorry I have not posted sooner as we are dog sitting at my daughters house.I'm going to put in a separate bed for the beans hopefully in two weeks and ready for the spring.My buckwheat is already starting to flower,never had a cover crop grow as much in 4 weeks as this one then again in the past most crops had been vetch and winter rye.Thanks again for those pictures you have a great looking garden!!!!