Mustard cover crop

[Lindalana]

I garden at community plots which I rent from April till November. Unfortunately they rototil soil April 1 and Nov 1. Last year I attempted to sneak in and start cover crop from mix but in zone 5 it did not give me enough time to grow anything, seeds did germinate but early Thanksgiving cold got everything killed.
This year I am thinking of something faster growing like Mustard seeds. The soil is rather sandy and organic mater evaporates fast.
Does anyone has experience with mustard or other short crop winter die types? Any other suggestions?

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

I garden at community plots which I rent from April till November. Unfortunately they rototil soil April 1 and Nov 1. Last year I attempted to sneak in and start cover crop from mix but in zone 5 it did not give me enough time to grow anything, seeds did germinate but early Thanksgiving cold got everything killed.
This year I am thinking of something faster growing like Mustard seeds. The soil is rather sandy and organic mater evaporates fast.
Does anyone has experience with mustard or other short crop winter die types? Any other suggestions?

Depends when you plant. If you want a vigorous growing cover for planting now, or soon, sudan grass works great. Grows VERY fast in summer and winter kills first sign of frost. There is also the semi hardy option. First frost won't kill a semi hardy but 20 degree f freeze will.

[Tracydr]

I've grown mustard for cover crop and also for my chicken's greens in the winter. It does grow very quickly and gets pretty large fast. Also, fenugreek sprouts very fast and is a cool season legume.
I bought 10 pounds of each at a spice store on Amazon. They sprouted great and were far cheaper than a lot of seed stores.
I also give mustard and fenugreek sprouts to chicks when I'm raising them.

[Lindalana]

Thanks for suggestions! I looked into sudan grass, I think I have it growing in patches anyway.
Unfortunately I can not start anything earlier than Nov 1 as it is date when village tills the ground, thus I am looking for at least some benefit from something rather fast growing.
Any info on using forage radish and best seed sources? Am thinking it is partially hardy so might have a better chance.

[Fred Hempel]

I would think that Nov 1 is too late for even a mustard cover crop in Illinois.

Mustards are probably the fastest growing cold weather cover crop, but you are asking too much starting that late.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Thanks for suggestions! I looked into sudan grass, I think I have it growing in patches anyway.
Unfortunately I can not start anything earlier than Nov 1 as it is date when village tills the ground, thus I am looking for at least some benefit from something rather fast growing.
Any info on using forage radish and best seed sources? Am thinking it is partially hardy so might have a better chance.

Check into fava beans, too. Lovely plants, cold hardy, edible shoots and the beans are a nice bonus.
For fast winter cover, rye grain would be one of the best.
Bok Choy is also quite fast and any type of radish.

[Fred Hempel]

For small-scale (edible) cover-cropping. Highland Kale is a great option.

It is freeze sensitive under 25 degrees, when the plants are large.

[JJJessee]

I like to use cover crop too, but that window would be tough even down here in SW VA.

You might think about planting your row space as the season is winding down with something quick like buckwheat.

Or rye after Nov 1 under row cover.

I'm grasping at straws

I got nothing really.

Or start plugs and transplant......a long shot

[saltmarsh]

You might try to find someone in a convenient location who has a garden plot of their own but is unable to use it due to age, medical condition or too busy working 3 jobs. Different set of problems but also a different set of opportunities. Claud

[bjbebs]

Linda
I live in Illinois and have cover cropped for many years. I prefer buckwheat and grain rye, which you can picked up at a feed supply store. The buckwheat comes up quickly in warm soils and can be tilled, turned over or chopped up as it begins to flower. Grain rye is best planted in Sept - Oct and turned under in Nov or over wintered. It throws a deep root and provides a dense mat of green very quickly. If time allows buckwheat in July followed by rye will provide a great amount of green manure for your garden.

[Lindalana]

Thanks!
I got some mustards planted in Sep to grow but they needed a lot of sun, shadier areas did not fare as well. Am going to try buckwheat and rye next year. Nothing grew after Nov 1 planting...

[nicollas]

Not cover crop per se, but in her last book, The Tao of Vegetable Gardening, Carol Deppe develops the concept of eat-all greens, and one of it is green vawe mustard that is sown mid-march and harvested whole mid-may before putting the tomatoes in the plot.

[Lorri D]

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Thanks!
I got some mustards planted in Sep to grow but they needed a lot of sun, shadier areas did not fare as well. Am going to try buckwheat and rye next year. Nothing grew after Nov 1 planting...

Buckwheat likes warmer weather, at least my experience with it. Its a more tender crop and mostly used as a summer covercrop over fallow ground where I come from.

The master gardeners push red/scarlet clover. And, some mixes for fall and overwinter here. Buckwheat or nematocidal marigolds for summer.

[Salsacharley]

Hi Lorri,

Is there a particular variety of marigold that is nematicidal?

Thanks,

Charley

Originally Posted by Lorri D

Buckwheat likes warmer weather, at least my experience with it. Its a more tender crop and mostly used as a summer covercrop over fallow ground where I come from.

The master gardeners push red/scarlet clover. And, some mixes for fall and overwinter here. Buckwheat or nematicidal marigolds for summer.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

Is there a particular variety of marigold that is nematicidal?

Thanks,

Charley

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