Winter cover crops

L

La Vieille Fosse

Member

Horticulture

• Sep 13, 2020

• #1

Hi
What are the best winter cover crops from October to November drilling. Don’t need to be cash crops. They need to be good weed suppressors, provide good organic matter content and put back some nitrogen into the soil after the maize comes out. I’m being told winter wheat but is this the really the best crop for my 3 criteria of weed suppression organic matter and nutrient delivery?? Experienced growers thoughts would be invaluable and really appreciated. Thanks

 

cquick

Member

BASE UK Member

Location

Foothills of the Quantocks

• Sep 13, 2020

• #2

Perhaps rye and beans?
If your maize comes off early enough then maybe some Vetch or daikon radish could be added too.
How strong are your frosts in winter? You might be able to get away with a bit of Phacelia, safflower and buckwheat in there as well.

 

L

La Vieille Fosse

Member

Horticulture

• Sep 13, 2020

• #3

Charles Quick said:

Perhaps rye and beans?
If your maize comes off early enough then maybe some Vetch or daikon radish could be added too.
How strong are your frosts in winter? You might be able to get away with a bit of Phacelia, safflower and buckwheat in there as well.

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Hi Charles-the maize comes off around end of October perhaps a bit earlier. I’ll look into all
Of those and find something that can push up before the frosts start. The mimimum temps are between 2-5 degrees with extreme lows occasionally of -1 or -2 degrees. Charles I’m going to be producing ornamental trees in those fields in a couple of years. In those fields there is quite a bit of bindweed. Will these green covers smother it or will It smother them. Or am I doomed to spraying chemicals on the blasted devil of a plant. Thanks

 

Clive

Staff Member

Arable Farmer

Location

Lichfield

• Sep 13, 2020

• #4

October too late for a decent cover crop if your are going to spring cash crop imo

 

blue power

Member

Location

Staffordshire

• Sep 13, 2020

• #5

What about some spring oats

 

D

David_A

Member

BASE UK Member

Location

Fife

• Sep 14, 2020

• #6

Spring oats and rye will still do a job sown then as long as they left to grow for a bit in the spring.

 

O

Olivera35

Member

BASE UK Member

• Sep 15, 2020

• #7

What would be a ideal sowing date for a rye and vetch mix. Following crop spring barley. Tia

 

Great In Grass

Member

✓

Location

Cornwall.

• Sep 15, 2020

• #8

Olivera35 said:

What would be a ideal sowing date for a rye and vetch mix. Following crop spring barley. Tia

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Anytime from now on.

 

O

Olivera35

Member

BASE UK Member

• Sep 15, 2020

• #9

Great In Grass said:

Anytime from now on.

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Ok thanks.

 

Great In Grass

Member

✓

Location

Cornwall.

• Sep 15, 2020

• #10

Olivera35 said:

Ok thanks.

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I have been selling mixtures as soon as the combines started, resilient mix.

 

Poorbuthappy

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

Devon

• Oct 19, 2020

• #11

Any milage in sowing anything now for late winter sheep bite? Been offered some maize stubble next to another cover crop I have in.
Wouldn't be paying anything for it, but am I going to get enough of a crop to recoup seed and sowing costs? Would just spin on something. Other issue is cost of spraying off in spring if required.