Prevent plant winter cover

sourgum · Nov 14, 2019

We had considerable number of fields usually planted to corn or beans that sat idle this year in southern IN. So no herbicide applied this year. Neighbor plants this field to clover & radish in late summer. Some articles say that clover can make 75 lbs of nitrogen/acre, tillage radish can collect 90 lbs of potassium per acre, radish taproot stores 50 lbs phosphorus/acre. Also no weeds were in this field. This field was "snow bombed" and got a killing frost a day after picture taken Nov 10. Could this farmer grow about half his fertilizer needed for a 2020 corn crop with winter cover crop like this one. Will he get his money back from his seed cost. What do you think.

NY 986 · Nov 14, 2019

If nothing else a cover crop provides organic matter that can be tilled back into the soil. Pretty hard to put a specific dollar value on that but maybe some university has done it. Yes, legumes will provide nitrogen into the soil that can be used for the following crop typically. At most around here some will put a small amount of starter fertilizer down to help establish it and any unused potash will be available for the next crop. As far as the main question goes about 2020 corn I would be a little conservative on the nitrogen credit and perhaps leaf sample during the growing system to establish the corn's needs. Many use a high clearance sprayer with drop bodies to apply nitrogen in the late summer after it has gotten too tall for side dressing. Start with a soil sample in planning the 2020 crop!

tomstractorsandtoys · Nov 14, 2019

We plant oats and radishes every year after combining rye. Last we chopped the oats for silage to feed my beef cows. Tom

Janicholson · Nov 14, 2019

The fixed nitrogen is the real advantage, the Ph and other nutrients were in the soil to begin with. Not a bad idea to make humus in every case. Jim

coonie minnie · Nov 14, 2019

I underseed wheat with clover, and typically figure about a 50 lb N credit. Seems to be all that and more, some claim 70-80 lb. It will be higher if you clip the clover and trigger it to regrow. Given the seed cost, at 50 lb N credit, it is close to a 2 to 1 return vs commercial N.

There is one issue with the cover pictured... the clover is not very far along. I don't see any flowers? I'm guessing maybe a 30 lb N credit from that. To really get benefit, it should have been planted earlier.

504 · Nov 14, 2019

Mine is in radishes,rye and turnips. Helps the ground, and the deer love the turnips.

Prevent plant winter cover

sourgum

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NY 986

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tomstractorsandtoys

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Janicholson

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coonie minnie

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504

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