Cover crop quandary

[warksfarmer]

For spring barley 2019 we will be pressing reset on the fields and ploughing them properly and deep to bury grass weeds. This will be done in good conditions in the autumn as ploughing this land in the spring has never been a good option historically. Should we drill a cover crop into the ploughing? To then no till the spring barley in the following spring? The cover would be in place for around 5 months. If so what should we plant to aid the following crop and soil rather than thinking about grass weed suppression.

 

[Clive]

Organic matter always worth growing and adding to soil when you can IMO even if you plough

don't get hung up on species, just get as much biomass as you can for the lowest cost possible IMO

 

[Andrew K]

You will need to kill the cover early if it is on heavy land.

 

[moretimeforgolf]

We have done just that on one field going into spring beans this season. Just couldn't get on top of the ryegrass with rotation or herbicides. Ploughed mid-September, rolled, then the carrier with Opico seeder box. Cover crop of oil radish, berseem clover and phacelia - looks great. Almost made my cry looking all the worms being turned up, and the nice black layer of organic matter going under but I felt I needed to try something different. Most of this particular field is a sandy loam so the cover crop has helped to minimise any erosion over the winter as its on a slope. Will direct drill the beans into sprayed off cover crop.

 

[franklin]

How about broadcast some winter beans ahead of the plough? And lightly level it? My neighbours crop of winter beans always looks like it would drill nicely in spring if needed.