How to plant and manage cover crops for maximum weed suppression. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
A cover crop planted correctly and managed well can give nearly 100% weed control while it is growing, and substantial weed management benefits in subsequent vegetables. However, a cover crop poorly managed can become a weedy mess and make a huge deposit into the weed seed bank.
To maximize your chances for success, be sure to choose a cover crop that’s right for the climate and season. Use a high quality seed from a reputable source for cool season cereal grains, buckwheat, and soybeans. High quality pea, bell bean, cowpea, millet, and sorghum-sudangrass seed that is properly stored can be used for two or three years; vetches and clovers can last up to five years. When in doubt, get new seed.
While cover crops are less fussy than most vegetables, they do need water, nutrients, and reasonable soil to grow vigorously and get the jump on weeds.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of ours program here.