Cover crops are used to build soil organic matter, break up hard pans, provide a ground cover to reduce erosion and offer competition to weeds.
Which cover crop species you grow depends on:
Purpose to grow the crop
- Erosion management
- Weed Competition
- Nitrogen contribution
- Deep root penetration
- Provide a living mulch for your next crop
What time of year are you growing the cover
- Frost seeded (Feb or March)
- Spring/Early Summer
- Fall
How you want to manage it to incorporate into soil
- Frost Killed
- Cultivate and incorporate
- Crimping to break stems to begin break down (no-till)
How long do you want it to grow
- Good cover over the winter
- Quick cover for early spring
- Cover with opportunity to harvest for animals and organic matter
Michigan Organic Reporting Session 09'
Legume Cover Crops: Why Does the Variety Matter? by Brook Wilkie
2009 Cover Crop Demonstration Report by Dan Rossman
Click on Links for Cover Crop Resources
The Cover Crops Program at the W.K. Kellogg Biological State/Michigan State The program focuses on integrating cover crops into Michigan's field crop systems. The goal for the site is to make information for research available to farmers so they can make better crop cover decisions on their farms. The link on the site contains information such as Michigan cover crop species, cover crops in cropping systems, organic field crop research, and other informational links.
Highlights from the 2008 Vegetable Cover Crop Workshop (June 12, KBS)
Anne Verhallen from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, gave a great overview of cover crops' attributes in vegetable systems.
Mathieu Ngouajio, an Associate Professor of Horticulture here at M.S.U., taught us about biofumigant cover crops in his talk
Darryl Warncke, a professor and extension specialist in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences here at M.S.U., gave a talk about nutrient management using cover crops.
George Abawi, a professor of Plant Pathology at Cornell University's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, gave a presentation on cover crops' role in soil health and root disease management.
Daniel Brainard, an assistant professor of Horticulture here at M.S.U., spoke to usu about cove crop mixtures for integrated weed and nitrogen management.