Cover crops provide a variety of benefits to growers and the recent storm systems that came through California demonstrated multiple advantages. Chris Sayer from Petty Ranch in Ventura County said the crop cropping system in their avocados played an important role in keeping flood damage to a minimum.
“The cover crop at our Ventura ranch has really paid for itself this year. We’ve had great infiltration of the water. So even though we had a little over five inches in 24 hours we were able to get vehicles into the orchard within 24 hours after that. We have no standing water. Just about everything infiltrated in and yet it’s solid enough that we can actually move around,” Sayer explained. “Of course, that means that’s all water that went into the ground, into the soil, to feed our trees later in spring rather than running off down the Barranca and into the Pacific Ocean. So you love it when you can keep it.”
The cover crops also helped to keep organic matter and nutrients from leaving the orchard as a result of flood conditions. The cover crop was also instrumental in keeping orchard debris out of drain systems, preventing water from backing up and flooding surrounding areas. Sayer said that with the amount of rain they have received so far this season they are already close to the same level of rainfall they received all of last year.
“That comes with downsides though. We’ve had some wind damage. There’s been some erosion and flooding at various points around the county. Particularly with this last storm that put five inches at our place in Ventura and 7.5 inches at our place in Santa Paula,” Sayer explained. “But I’ve got to say, we’re fortunate. Looks like we weathered it without any meaningful impact.”
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