Cover Crops

Dont be Caught with your

Plants Down
Julie Flowers

What is a Cover Crop?

A crop whose main purpose
is to benefit the soil or other
crops in one or more ways,
but is not intended to be
harvested for feed or sale.

Defining Your Species:

Cover species selected should have many of
the following traits:
Provide nitrogen

Fast germination & emergence

Competitiveness
Tolerance to adverse weather & soil conditions
Ease of suppression
Fertility benefits
Low-cost establishment

Benefits of Cover Crops

Reduces fertilizer bill
Fixed nitrogen
Recycles nutrients
Reduces soil erosion
Reduces water

pollution
Improves soil tilth

Benefits of Cover Crops

Reduces herbicide costs
Mulch
Allelopathy

Reduces insect pests

Reduces soil compaction
Reduces disease organisms and

nematodes
Produces higher annual crop production
Nitrogen fixation

Provides wildlife forage and habitat

N Furnished by Cover Crops

Alfalfa, alone
80 lb
Ladino clover
80 lb
Red clover, alone 80 lb
Common vetch 50 lb
Hairy vetch
100 lb
Cowpeas
40 lb
Mostly grass
0 lb

Alfalfa/grass
Crimson clover
Red clover/grass
Lespedeza
Winter peas
Soybeans

60 lb
80 lb
40 lb
30 lb
90 lb
35 lb

Disadvantages of Cover Crops

Can be expensive to establish
Can be difficult to eliminate
Can become a weed
Can compete with your crop
Not a cash crop; lose income from crop
Benefits more indirect

Some have a very narrow planting

window

What are Your Goals???

How long do you need it?
Is it for erosion control, or other

environment protection function?

Will wildlife need it for forage,
coverage?
Weed suppression?
Does the soil need organic matter?
Pest suppression?

Cover Crop Establishment

No till seeding
No till drill
Broadcast into an existing crop
Frost seeding

Conventional seeding
Plow/disk
Broadcast/drill

Cover Crop Establishment

Inoculate legumes
Fresh, species specific inoculant

Match species to goals & soil

type/conditions
Soil test and follow recommendations
Use good, live seed
Control weeds as much as possible

pH Effect on Soil Nutrients

Soil Conditions Affect Plants

Droughty
YES: Alfalfa, Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Crimson
Clover
NO: Buckwheat, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass,
Small Grains, Ladino Clover

Wet
YES: Tall Fescue, Timothy, P. Ryegrass, Red Clover
NO: All the rest

Soil Conditions Affect Plants

Low Fertility
YES: Tall Fescue, Orchardgrass, Timothy,
Lespedeza, Ladino Clover
NO: Alfalfa, Kentucky Bluegrass, Red Clover

Very Acidic (below 5.5)

YES: Lespedeza
NO: All the rest

Legumes

Alfalfa
Perennial legume
High nitrogen producer
80 lb/acre

Expensive to establish

High fertility requirements

Not suitable for small growers

Deep taproot can be hard to kill

Does not tolerate acidic or wet soils
Seedlings are not competitive with other

species
Has pest problems

Annual Sweetclover
Annual legume
Poor tolerance to cold
Deep taproot
Tremendous summer growth
Seed in March, rate 10 to 15 lb/A
Needs pH at or above 6.0
Soil builder, fertility source, subsoil aerator,

weed suppressor, erosion preventer

Excellent for bees (honey)

Austrian Winter Pea

Winter annual legume
Vine-like growth, similar to vetch
High nitrogen producer, 90-150 lb N/A
Has some disease problems
Seed at a rate of 60-90 lb/A
Better option for small growers over Hairy Vetch

Weed suppression, soil building, & prevent erosion

Cowpeas

Summer annual legume

Good short season green manure crop
Good nitrogen fixer, 40 lb/A
Good for soil building on poor ground
Seed at a rate of 30-40 lb/A
Sow after danger of frost
Attract many beneficial insects that prey on pests
Suppress weeds, build soil, & prevent erosion
Works well in sandy & clay soils
Have value as a veggie crop if allowed to mature to
podding stage

Crimson Clover
Winter annual legume
Adapted to light, well drained soils

with adequate pH (above 6.0)

Good nitrogen fixer, 80 lb/A
Seed 20-30 lb/A in late Aug. thru Oct.
Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Susceptible to disease, especially if too

much fall growth occurs

Will winter kill if planted too late in fall
Excellent for beneficial insects, bees &
wildlife

Red Clover
Short-lived perennial legume
Very good N producer, 80 lb/A
Seeding rate of 6-15 lb/A
Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Seed late March to early May, or mid-August to mid-

October
Can be overseeded into veggie crops late in their
growth cycle (e.g. sweet corn, squash & pumpkins)
Excellent food plot for
beneficial insects &
wildlife

White Clover
Perennial legume
Ladino clover is a tall variety
Common clover is lower growing
Widely adapted, prefers higher pH 6.4
Long-lived with low maintenance
Not very competitive with grasses unless

well managed
Seed 3-7 lb/A Feb to Mar. or Sept to Oct.
Use inoculant or pre-inoculated seed

Hairy Vetch
Winter annual legume
Widely used as a winter cover for

vegetable production
Thick vines, climbing growth
Great N producer, 100 lb/A
Best suited to well drained soils
Beneficial insect habitat
Tolerates a wide range of pH
Seed 20-25 lb/A in Sept & Oct

Hairy Vetch
Mixes well with
Crimson clover

Mixes well with

annual cool season,
tall growing grasses

Grasses

Annual Ryegrass
Winter annual grass
Germinates quickly
Vigorous, competitive
Excellent forage
Tolerates acidity (pH 5.5), low fertility, and

poor drainage
Forms dense cover, sod can
create short term planting problems
Seed 20-30 lb/A in Sept & Oct
Interplant with clover
Reseeds often difficult to eliminate

Barley
Winter annual grass (small grain)
Not as tall as other small grains,

but does produce an abundance

of growth
Not tolerant of wet soils, or late
planting
Seed 90-120 lb/A, mid-Sept to
early Oct

Cereal Rye

Winter annual
Grows rapidly in Spring, deep rooted
Very tolerant of low fertility & pH
Used as weed suppressing mulch
Reported to have some alleopathy, problem
w/ some small seeded crops???
Excellent for winter erosion control
Most winter hardy of annual grasses
Best at recovering (recycling nutrients)
Seed 60-120 lb/A, in late Sept to late Nov

Oats
Winter annual
Excellent forage
Great for quick growth
Used primarily as a biomass

crop
Good weed suppression &
erosion control
Seed 90-120 lb/A in Sept
through Oct
Excellent food plot for wildlife

Orchardgrass
Perennial grass
Competes well in mixture with other

grasses and legumes

Excellent cover for wildlife
Preferred conservation cover for
fallow fields, helps to suppress
weeds
Easy to establish
Seed 15-20 lb/A, late Aug to early
Sept

Sorghum & Sudangrass

Summer annual grasses
Includes Sudex,

sorghum x sudangrass
Tall growing, living mulch
Produces abundance of dry matter
Improves soil structure
Growth can be tough to deal with
Not suitable for small growers

Has some alleopathic properties

weed suppression redroot pigweed, purslane

& foxtail

Seed 30-40 lb/A after the danger of frost

Wheat
Winter annual grass
Tall growing, living mulch
Can produce an abundance of

dry matter
Seed at a rate of 60-120 lb/A
from mid-Sept to early Nov
Excellent food plot for wildlife

Other Cover Crops

Buckwheat
Summer annual (broadleaf plant)
Has NO frost tolerance
Tolerates wide range of soil

conditions
Grows rapidly, chokes out weeds
Out-competes perennial weeds

Rich in potassium
Seed 50-60 lb/A from Spring to Aug
Turn in before seeds set
Beneficial insect habitat
Excellent food plot for wildlife

Brassicas
Rapeseed, mustard, radishes, turnips
Grow on well drained soils, wide pH range
Rapid fall growth
Great biomass production, decompose

quickly
Deep taproot (reduce soil compaction)
Release toxins that work against bacteria,
fungi, insects, nematodes & weeds
Excellent food plot for wildlife

Grass/Legume Mixtures
Perennial Seeding

crimson clover, red clover, or white clover

+
annual or perennial ryegrass, or
orchardgrass

Grass/Legume Mixtures
Annual Seeding
Small grain + crimson clover
Small grain + hairy vetch
Barley + crimson clover

Cover Crops for Specific

Purposes:
Organic matter (high C:N)
Sorghum/sudangrass, cereal rye, annual

ryegrass, wheat, barley

Nitrogen production
Cowpeas, winter peas, clover, hairy vetch

Require no herbicide to kill

Cowpeas, winter peas, oats, radish, turnips

Cover Crops for Specific

Purposes:
Reduced compaction (deep rooted)

Sorghum/sudangrass, annual ryegrass, cereal

rye, sweet clover, brassicas, & oats

Prevent soil erosion

Most grasses and small grains, white clover, &

cowpeas

Alleopatic for weed suppression

Cereal rye, brassicas, oats, barley, buckwheat,

sorghum/sudangrass

Attract beneficial insects

Buckwheat, sweet clover, red clover

Warm Season Cover Crops

March July
Buckwheat
Cowpeas
Sorghum Sudangrass
Sweet Clover

Cool Season Cover Crops

September - November

Barley
Brassicas
Cereal Rye/Ryegrass
Oats
Clover
Winter Peas
Hairy Vetch
Wheat

Planting Cover Crops

Grain Drill

Planting Cover Crops

Broadcast
Seeders

Killing Cover Crops

When to kill?
At least 2 to 3 weeks

before planting

How to kill?
Tillage
Mowing
Rolling

Living Mulch

Killing Cover Crops

Low biomass, quick

decomposition

High biomass, slow

decomposition

In Summary
Selection of cover crop
Goals?

Legumes N fixing
Grasses organic matter, recycle nutrients, reduce

soil compaction
Other crops weed suppression, attract
beneficials, wildlife food plots

Cover crop establishment

Soil test and follow recommendations

Inoculate legumes

When to plant and till under crops

Agencies Who Can Help With

Cover Crops/Food Plots
NC Cooperative Extension (NCCES)
Gaston Co. Department of Natural

Resources
Natural Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS)
Wildlife Resource Commission