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Cover Crop Overview CT Soil Health Workshop Camille Abdel-Nabi Little River Farm Exeter,RI [email protected] Little River Farm • Started in 2013, ending 3rd year of production • 3 acres certified organic vegetables • 1 Farmer’s Market, 60 member CSA, wholesale to restaurants • Conservation Tillage Main Approach to Cover Cropping • High Residue system- majority of cover crops are flail mowed and then hit with power harrow. Majority of debris is left on surface. • Solarizing used to speed up decomposition of cover crops, especially before direct seeded crops- clear plastic or silage tarps • Mixtures- always try to combine biomass producer with legume ex: oats/peas/clover, rye/ vetch. Ratio: 1/3 grass to 2/3 legume • Always have soil covered • Always have one cover crop in bloom for pollinators • Plan out cover crop schedule in wintertime alongside vegetable crop rotation Rye/Vetch • Optimal planting date Sept 1st-Oct 15th • Increase lb/ acre the later you plant in the fall • Drill if possible • Terminate when vetch is flowering or 3 weeks before planting date • Hard to kill, can” poison” following crop Oats/ Peas or Oats/ Crimson Clover • Optimal planting date :Aug 1st- Sept 1st • Oats/Peas: Frost kills, good for early spring crops • Oats/clover: Oats act as nurse crop for clover, which goes dormant in winter and blooms in spring Crimson Clover • Undersowed into fall planted brassicas • Brassicas planted July 15th, clover planted August 9th • Attracts pollinators in spring • Fixes nitrogen • Much easier to kill than Rye Sorghum-Sudangrass • Optimal Planting: Mid June- Mid July or soil temp above 50 degrees • Biomass!! • Mow at 2-3 ft to increase root growth and plant regrowth • Frost Kills, good for early spring crops Buckwheat • Optimal Planting: Early May- Late June • Can squeeze it in between spring and fall crops, about 35 days to flower • Suppresses weeds, attracts pollinators • Be careful to not let it go to seed Experiments- Phacelia • Loved by pollinators • Can tolerate cool soil temperatures, plant early April • Used on plots where vegetable crops were grown for winter market and fall cover crop could not be planted • Seed is very expensive and hard to find Experiments- Roll and Crimp/ No-Till • Rye/Vetch rolled with disengaged flail mower on June 10th • Immeditaley covered with clear plastic for 3 weeks • Broadforked, but not tilled or plowed • Tomatoes and Summer Squash planted directly into high-residue surface