Garden Cover Crops

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jgln

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Anyone here a big gardener who uses a cover crop in winter? I was thinking of doing it this year maybe with a winter wheat. Although the farmers here let it go to seed and harvest the grain I probably won't be doing that since it is just a garden and vegetables like lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas all need an early start well before the wheat would be ready to harvest anyway, even if I could. I know for sure I don't want anything that is going to put out seed into the ground before I am ready to work the garden. Suggestions?
 
I've used clover, buckwheat, winter rye and this year I'll be doing a 2 row winter barley ... Sweet sweet barley ;)
We chose buckwheat because it produces a ****ton of nectar for our honey bees.

Jens
 
Oakwoodforge said:
I've used clover, buckwheat, winter rye and this year I'll be doing a 2 row winter barley ... Sweet sweet barley ;)
Click to expand...

But do you let it mature? How do you harvest it? Are you a farmer? If not and a gardner what do you grow after? If I waited that long I would miss out on a lot of gardening.
 
5412_1098523304128_1258010014_30282666_3342792_n.jpg


( Buckwheat is between the shed & chicken coop )
 
frost will kill the buckwheat, if allowed to mature it will reseed pretty heavily in the spring but is not really a problem as it stays pretty small and doesn't spread like grass does.

We plant crimson clover and hairy vetch, sometimes a grain such as wheat or oats, about a month before hard freeze date (no later than Oct. 1 here in Arkansas, prob'ly early Sept. in Jersey)

If you don't have a good farm store there, try Peaceful Valley Farm Supply in CA and Stock Seeds in NE. Peaceful Valley has lots of info on their website about cover crops.
 
Some cover crops you can grow to maturity and succession plant in the stubble, others you simply mow & Till it in when you want to plant the next crop.
 
Maybe I will go with the clover then, since I am not going to let the wheat mature so there doesn't seem to be a reason.
 
jbford said:
frost will kill the buckwheat, if allowed to mature it will reseed pretty heavily in the spring but is not really a problem as it stays pretty small and doesn't spread like grass does.

We plant crimson clover and hairy vetch, sometimes a grain such as wheat or oats, about a month before hard freeze date (no later than Oct. 1 here in Arkansas, prob'ly early Sept. in Jersey)

If you don't have a good farm store there, try Peaceful Valley Farm Supply in CA and Stock Seeds in NE. Peaceful Valley has lots of info on their website about cover crops.
Click to expand...

I am surrounded by farms and there is an Agway store in town that I know I saw some sort of cover crop seeds but at the time I was still fighting weeds and my first thought was no way I am planting more seed. Now that the weeds are pretty much gone I want something to help put nutrients back in the soil. I will check out those sites, thanks.
 
I believe crimson clover fixes nitrogen in the soil (legume?) so it would be benficial next year. We just cover with a deep bed of leaf mulch, and lime and till in next spring. but with the dense clay soil we have we need the composted material to losen the soil.
 
how about turnips?

We always plant some turnips in with the rye we use as a cover crop for our tobacco fields.

The corn fields just get rye, gives us good early season pasture.
 
jgln said:
Anyone here a big gardener who uses a cover crop in winter? I was thinking of doing it this year maybe with a winter wheat. Although the farmers here let it go to seed and harvest the grain I probably won't be doing that since it is just a garden and vegetables like lettuce, spinach, radishes, peas all need an early start well before the wheat would be ready to harvest anyway, even if I could. I know for sure I don't want anything that is going to put out seed into the ground before I am ready to work the garden. Suggestions?
Click to expand...

I'd go with alfalfa or clover. They'll actually put nitrogen back into the soil while they're growing. Just till it under in spring & it's "green manure." Regards, GF.
Edit: Don't forget to innoculate your seed.
 
zac said:
how about turnips?

We always plant some turnips in with the rye we use as a cover crop for our tobacco fields.

The corn fields just get rye, gives us good early season pasture.
Click to expand...

We grow turnips and rutabegas every year but by that time I have already turned the whole garden with the tractor. Actually I prefer rutabegas and they grow really well here. Sounds like a neat idea though. I grow tobacco in our flower garden for fun, start seeds indoors, I assume you sow right in the ground? Those seeds are so small I have a tuff time getting it down to just a plant per foot.
 
gratus fermentatio said:
I'd go with alfalfa or clover. They'll actually put nitrogen back into the soil while they're growing. Just till it under in spring & it's "green manure." Regards, GF.
Edit: Don't forget to innoculate your seed.
Click to expand...

They guy who farms my orchard grass tells me alfalfa has VERY deep roots. I assume that is later when it is mature so for a winter/spring cover crop it should be ok?
 
david_42 said:
Crimson clover is one of the best.
Click to expand...

I went online yesterday to order the clover but it said frost will kill it. I wanted something to grow in the fall and them some in the spring before I turn over. Winter wheat seems to be what I need. Thanks, but I do like what the clover can do for the soil.
 

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