May- Oct Cover crop

[Will7]

I am investigating which cover crop species could be sown in April/May and then have wheat direct drilled into them in the first week of October without any cover crop seed return? The blackgrass is now firmly in retreat but I want one year 0% seed return before planting wheat.

I planted radish/phacelia/crimson clover this year at the end of June and destroyed it towards the end of September when there were unviable seeds on the phacelia and radish. This worked brilliantly from a blackgrass view and soil conditioning but I would rather take advantage of the longer growing season.

I would rather the mix had no cereal in it, or beans as they are currently in the rotation.

Any thoughts??

 

[David_A]

We have been pondering this too. The solutions may be grazing the earlier sown cover to keep it in the vegetative state longer, however this won't help your blackgrass. Alternatively plant 2 consecutive cover crops, again to maximise the length of the vegetative stages. We haven't actually tried any of these yet, but would lean towards grazing here due to no blackgrass and plenty stock.
Would the Spring weed growth not suffice as early season cover?

 

[Ben M]

We tried 40ha of rye vetch and oats vetch this spring. Didnt work very well tbh. No real answers, was all a bit strange. The oats never established on one field and the pigeons had the vetch. Another field vetch (and radish on 2ha trial) established but rooks had all the rye so cc was to thin and weeds overtook. Last field was to dry really and nothing really got going. Lessons learnt

 

[The Ruminant]

Buckwheat? I understand it needs sowing very late in the spring or early summer when the soils are truly warm. It may seed during the season but any seeds that chit will not survive the winter

 

[AF Salers]

I did similar last year but due to flooding, drilled cc 1st June, drilled ww direct in 28th sept. Sunflowers, buckwheat, phacelia, berseem clover & vetch. Had some seed set, frost has taken out the buckwheat and phacelia will be killed with a cheap spring contact herbicide. Worked very well.

 

[Devon James]

How about a crop of lupins? Drilled last year 18th may, combined 1st week of October. Got lucky with the season, and seed cost 3 times as much as a cc but have high quality protein and soil now in great condition

 

[Will7]

I would be hesitant trying to get a combine on the fields here in October. The crop need to be destroyed to coincide with blackgrass heading. Therefore it will before any cash crop is ready hence the idea of a cover crop.

 

[dontknowanything]

I'd say just about anything you plant in April (and probably May too) will have seeded by October.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I'd be tempted with grass. Maybe a few beans and peas from the heap chucked in.

Top it once or twice

 

[Will7]

I'd be tempted with grass. Maybe a few beans and peas from the heap chucked in.

Top it once or twice

I had thought about grass drilled in he autumn but I have a huge amount of chopped barley straw to deal with which would stop it growing. What can I expect from spring established grass in terms of growth?

 

[Will7]

I'd say just about anything you plant in April (and probably May too) will have seeded by October.

This is what I feared. I thought perhap something with a vernalisation requirement might work??

 

[SilliamWhale]

I had thought about grass drilled in he autumn but I have a huge amount of chopped barley straw to deal with which would stop it growing. What can I expect from spring established grass in terms of growth?

Maybe @Great In Grass can give you a variety. Only problem is it is potentially dear. But maybe grass plus a bit of linseed/beans and some fodder radish will keep it cheap and bulk out a bit?

Or maybe oats and keep it topped?

 

[Will7]

This is what happened this year. The middle photo was taken 4 weeks after drilling on the 30th July. 18kg/ha vetch, radish and phacelia mix planted with a basic KRM tine drill straight into spring barley stubble with 20kgN/ha.
The first photo was taken on 15 Sept. the cover was sprayed then flailed to allow it to get through the seedhawk

The third photo was taken on the 4th Dec, Siskin drilled at 225kg/ha on the 28th October. So far I have found one bg plant, but I will see what appears in June!!

 

[David_A]

Will7, that looks a very pleasing result. I would be tempted to just do the same again. If it ain't broke...

 

[Howdenshire Farmer]

This is what I feared. I thought perhap something with a vernalisation requirement might work??

Sow home saved winter oats in May then drill some broad leaved cc species into them in late June/early July.
Radish and phacelia drilled at that time after vining peas here are flowering or with immature pods by the end of Sept.
Linseed drilled at the later time would be another option.

 

[Oakbank]

I am investigating which cover crop species could be sown in April/May and then have wheat direct drilled into them in the first week of October without any cover crop seed return? The blackgrass is now firmly in retreat but I want one year 0% seed return before planting wheat.

I planted radish/phacelia/crimson clover this year at the end of June and destroyed it towards the end of September when there were unviable seeds on the phacelia and radish. This worked brilliantly from a blackgrass view and soil conditioning but I would rather take advantage of the longer growing season.

I would rather the mix had no cereal in it, or beans as they are currently in the rotation.

Any thoughts??

Will, The mix you used clearly did a pretty good job, but if you extended the growing season I would worry that the Phacelia would set seed pretty effectively, with the radish also being likely to set some viable seed too. I understand the desire to use the growing window and legumes / grass would do this very well, but you might get more "bang for your buck" by optimising the performance of short season crops and I have some ideas of other species that could work well. It all depends what your key objective is, but it is really hard to tick every box with one solution.