Cover Crops and Soil Health Collin Thompson September 26,2015

Why Soil Health Matters  Hunter/Gatherer  Perennial Agriculture  Horticultural  Mechanical  Industrial  ECOLOGICAL  Healthy Soils = Healthy People!

Methods at The North Farm  Cover Cropping  Crop Rotations  Compost  Testing

Cover Crops - Benefits  Enhance biodiversity  Reduce erosion  Attract beneficials  Improve soil quality  Porosity  SOM  Water retention  Boost microbial life  Mine and retain nutrients  Fix nitrogen (legumes)  Smother weeds  Break disease cycles

Grasses - Oats  Cool Season Annual  Fall or Spring Planting  Winter Kill (plant 6-10 weeks before frost)  Biomass Builder – #/A dry matter  N Scavenger  Allelopathic root compounds combat weeds  Seeding Rate – 3-4 bushels/A (B) 2-3 bushels/A (D)

Grasses - Barley  Cool season annual  Winter kills  Prevents erosion  Weed suppressor  Scavenge nutrients  107# N/A  SOM builder – thick root system  Pest reduction – leafhoppers, aphids, armyworms, root-knot nematodes  Seeding Rate: #/A (B) #/A (D)

Grasses – Sorghum Sudangrass  Summer annual  Winter kills  SOM Builder – 5-12’ tall  #/A dry matter  Weed and Nematode suppressor  Releases sorgoleone – weed control  Subsoil loosener – mowing increases root mass  Seeding Rate: 40-50#/A (B) 35-40#/A (D)

Grasses – Winter Rye  Cool season annual  Hardiest cereal crop - overwinters  N Scavenger – #/A  Also brings deep K to surface  Prevents erosion  SOM builder  Weed suppressor - allelopathy  Seeding Rate: #/A (B) #/A (D)

NLB – Rapeseed  Summer or spring annual  Quick establishment/canopy closure  Usually winter kills, but some carry over  Prevents erosion  Biofumigant – alleviates nematode pressure  N Scavenger – 80#/A  Biomass builder – 6000#/A  Seeding Rate: 8-14#/A (B) 5-10#/A (D)

NLB - Buckwheat  Summer annual  Quick establishment  Good smother crop  Winter kill – cool weather tolerant  P Scavenger  Fine, abundant roots improve soil texture  Nectar source  Seeding Rate: 96#/A (B) 50-60#/A (D)

NLB – Tillage Radish  Spring or Summer Annual  Quick establishment  N Scavenger – #/A  Winterkill  Break up hardpan – alleviate compaction and improve water infiltration  Seeding Rate: 12-20#/A (B) 8-12#/A (D)

Legume - Vetch  Various types – Hairy, Woolypod, Chickling…  N Fixers – #/A  Moderate soil builders  Can be winter hardy  P Scavenger  Erosion reducer  Weed suppressor  Seeding rate: 25-30#/A (B) 15-20#/A (D)

Legume – Field Peas  Summer annual  Winter kills  N fixer – #/A  Weed suppressor  Quick growth  SOM builder  Long bloom – good for bees/beneficials  Seeding rate: #/A (B) 50-80#/A (D)

Legume - Clover  Several types: berseem, white, crimson, red  Strong N fixers – #/A  Moderate soil builders  Varying rates of establishment  Berseem – quick; Red – slow  Many are winter-hardy  Used as living mulch  Seeding rate: Varies

Example Cost Breakdown  Vetch – 250# of N/acre fixed  Vetch: $60 (30# at $2/#)  Compost: $800 (at $20/yd and 1% N)  Re-Vita Pro: (5-4-5) $1800 at $18/50#  Poultry Litter: (4-3-2) $540 at $180/ton

Establishment Considerations  Broadcast seeding vs. Drilling  Water management – Irrigation? Timing?  Mowing  Mechanical vs. livestock  Incorporation  Winterkill  Burn down  Tillage

Cover Crops in Short Seasons  Green fallow  Early Harvest – Late CC  Early CC – Late planting/harvest  Undersowing  Early management of weed pressure  Between plastic beds

Hoophouses?  Cover crops between production periods  Soil regeneration  Use of compost  Cover crop inputs

Crop Rotation  Logic:  Avoid crops that require identical nutrients – leads to excesses and deficiencies  Types of rotation  Crop Type  Irrigation Methods  Planting/Harvest Dates

Crop Rotations – Crop Types

Crop Rotations – Irrigation  Direct Seeded  Required overhead irrigation  Carrots, beets, turnips, rutabagas, lettuce mixes, spinach, etc.  Transplanted  Multiple types of irrigation  Brassicas, cucurbits, head lettuces, etc.

Crop Rotations - Dates  Blocking planting and harvesting dates  Irrigation simplicity  Fitting cover crops into schedule  Management of operations

SoutheastFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, Beets Alaska West Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Huron Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin SouthwestCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, Garlic Northeast Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Russia/Wisconsin (RUS/MI prior to 2012 Winter Squash, Melons Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac Alaska East Late Brassicas, Carrots, BeetsFallow Solanums, Zuke, Cuke, Pumpkin Early Brassicas, Carrots, Beets, Onions, GarlicCorn, Edamame Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Celery, Celeriac, Parsley Winter Squash, Melons

Compost

 Phases:  Active Phase  Thermophilic Microbes  130+ degrees  NOP Standards  Curing Phase  Temp drops  pH drops  OM decompose  Mesophilic  6-12 months for most

Thermophilic Compost  Inputs  Plant based  Limited food safety risk for food crops  Manure based

Soil Tests  Type of Test  Standard Nutrient Test  Solvita Respiration Test  Cornell Soil Health Analysis  More…

Healthy Soils = Healthy People