Which overwinter cover?

[whatnow]

As the title suggests, which cover to go for? We used to grow stubble turnips after winter barley for tack sheep to graze but are stopping this coming year as we felt the turnips were too close to the OSR in the rotation.

So what can we put in instead. It doesn't need to be for sheep, but have considered a westerwolds/crimson clover mix but suspect its too expensive for sheep grazing. I would like some suggestions for a cover crop to follow wheat before spring barley that would provide organic matter, perhaps soak up any N and maybe suppress some weeds? Any ideas please?

 

[franklin]

Oats.

 

[whatnow]

Oats.

Thanks - bit more info? Presumably with an aim of ploughing in? What seed rate would you use for them?

 

[franklin]

Oats are cheap.
They grow like stink.
They suck up moisture and put down a lot of roots.
They are easily controlled in most things if any end up in your crop.

No idea on ploughing them in. Suppose it depends on your land. I am using them as I always seem to have three ton or so left over in the shed.

Only question with following winter barley would be how big they would grow. I suspect that the direct drilling bit section would have more answers. For me, I am using volunteers, and 70kg/ha of winter oats spread on and soloed on any land destined for spring crops with the aim of roundupping and drilling into what is left behind.

 

[South Downs Farmer]

Vetches, or vetches with oats/rye?. Afraid I can't be more specific on seed rates or the like, but likewise you'd be grazing down or flailing off and ploughing in the following spring with a modest nitrogen legacy. August or September established.

Other option would be Fodder Radish i'd guess. Suitable for some sheep grazing pre-Christmas. I believe the Americans have gone big on FR as a cover crop, I believe it's marketed by some as "Tillage Radish", hinting at the role of the deep tap root. I think it's best off sown pretty soon in August, although I suspect spinning it into the standing crop soon before harvest could be done too very cheaply.

 

[MrNoo]

Drilled some barley/vetch mix a month ago in a fallow field, growing well, vetch already has nodules on it`s root system.

 

[Andyrob]

Oats and volunteers, surely spin then on, and disk in.

Sowed 1 acre of barely out the back of the fertiliser spreader this year and looks good tbh

 

[Johndeere]

Mustard?

 

[Great In Grass]

Yellow Blossom Sweet Clover.

 

[whatnow]

Mustard?

Thought mustard was related to OSR or do I have that wrong? That's why I'd discounted it otherwise its the cheap/obvious option

 

[whatnow]

Yellow Blossom Sweet Clover

Will this get going sufficiently from a last week in Aug/beginning Sept sowing to be worthwhile if incorporated mid Feb ready for spring barley? If so, what's the seed price please?

 

[Andy Howard]

the experts who have been working with covers long term recommend at least 8 different plants in the mix. You can go cheaper and spin on oats but you get what you pay for and for me are missing the point of covers which is to include diversity onto your farm.