Cover crop planting in dry weather

[Feldspar]

With the long range forecast (not very reliable I know) indicating no significant rainfall until the third week in August how should cover crop planting plans be changed?

Should we not buy any seed, buy different seed which (in the case of overwinter CCs) can be planted in late August / early September, or should we plant anyway and expect the CCs to grow just fine?

I was considering buying a tonne of seed but am uncertain given how dry the soil is at the moment.

 

[shakerator]

you only need 1 storm and the game changes.......

 

[Richard III]

It was looking like harvest would be too late for a cover crop here, but ordered some anyway. All this sun might just make it realistic now.

 

[BSH]

Last forecast I looked at suggested some rain in early aug. I think the harvest date will come forward a bit so I think cover crops are still on. I was hoping to have put some forage rape in last week but am holding off at the moment until I can see some rain on the horizon.

 

[combineguy]

Cover crops are integral to no tillage. Ideally your cover crop should be deep rooting to pull moisture and nutrients up

Soils should always be growing something as it will maintain what moisture is there, without it there is nothing stopping the ground from drying out and loosing what moisture is there

 

[benferg]

moisture control is one very important part of DD'ing. you are either trying to get rid of it or keep it.

I'd agree that trying for a cover crop is right up there in importance & if the seed isn't too expensive give it a go. Chase the moisture when drilling if it is dry though I'd say so worth going a bit deeper..

Hey Combine, what's your semi standard drilling depth for brassica, Waka loved to go deep with them.

 

[Clive]

40% of my acreage getting cover crop drilled in August hopefully pre spring breaks

It will rain and grow eventually i'm sure, this is the UK afterall !

 

[Feldspar]

40% of my acreage getting cover crop drilled in August hopefully pre spring breaks

It will rain and grow eventually i'm sure, this is the UK afterall !

Question is, if the intention is to fill the gap between barley and winter beans, is eventually soon enough?

I'm not quite sure the weather at the moment knows where the UK is very much of the time.

 

[Clive]

Question is, if the intention is to fill the gap between barley and winter beans, is eventually soon enough?

I'm not quite sure the weather at the moment knows where the UK is very much of the time.

I think cover before autumn crops has to be opportunistic. Be prepared to leave seed in bag if it gets late harvest or looks like staying dry or just use a cheap cover like mustard or sunflower so you have little to loose if you don't get much growth

Save the more expensive multi species stuff for pre spring crops

 

[combineguy]

@benferg

Average depth well consistent depth (cross slot) is 25 to 30 mm