Remember to terminate your cover crops as early as you can.

[farmertyler]

Let it grow, gain the biomass, build your organic matter which is one of the biggest reasons to even bother with a cover crop to begin with

[boots]

I think people are still of the mindset that there is a limited amount of nutrients in the ground. Keep the microbes happy and they will create whatever you need forever 💯

[midwestreview]

Location is so important with a cover and I would say a blanket statement to kill as early as possible is dumb. Yes it pulls water now but can help hold moisture later in the season. It will depend on location and the year. For guys down south you might have enough time in the fall but I'm in central Wisconsin planting any thing that won't survive the winter is a waste of time

[samerazar]

A question: when planting cover crops, should we terminate it before it flowers?

[outlandercc]

It's a difference of context. I want it to suck up as much water as possoble because here in IN my problem in the spring is always too much water.

[downedcoyote]

Why arent you using a legume or other nitrogen fixing cover crop? If N isnt your requirement, then buckwheat to improve P availability or tillage radish to improve impaction. Correctly timed, most dont have to be sprayed as they will die back in winter cold (or summer heat in the south) prior to flowering and seed scattering. No need to remove the remnants either, they cover and prevent soil erosion and modern no-till seeders can plant though it without dethatching adding loose carbon as it rots in place under the cash crop growth.

[mullic]

Biggest downside to us, and the reason we don’t grow 3-5-7 way mixes anymore is when it gets dry, or bulb plants mature, there roots grow to the tile lines and it is a living nightmare.

[linseyrun]

So why not have a cover crop that will provide a positive cash flow?

[ezzybig]

Or. You could grow a cash crop cover crop like CoverCress. Keep your fields green 11 months out of the year with actual cash crops.

[brandon-eqw]

Is this the approach that maximizes profits or sustainability?

[jaybeezy]

It also goes to seed and ads to labor later

[burnettn]

My cover crop is grass. No way to eliminate it unless poison is used

[handyreiter]

The cover crop indeed pulls water from the ground, but on the other hand, it will help evaporate that water which contributes to rain. The additional rain will add that water back to the ground. What do you have to say to that?

[ChilcoteForestryServices]

Whats the point of a cover crop if its dead all winter

[ricardodiaz]

Big movers and influence in the industry yet they have no idea what their talking about

[malcolm]

Or don't even think about the environment of this planet, there are plenty more out there.

[michaelbasham-vlff]

Rip it, Spray it, Plant it, Dress it....!! this mind set needs to change. Grow along with nature rather then depleeting it for all it worth.

[WorldWideGardeningWizard]

You are only speaking on part of the story. And you have some assumptions wrong like for example that nutrients is limited. It's only limited in chemical agriculture. When soil biology thrives it actually breaks down parent material (rocks) and distributes those nutrients. This cannot happen without living roots exuding sugar into the soil. Plus when a cover crop is terminated it's mass is recycled into the soil increasing soil fertility, etc.

[Lyndon-gi]

Let me correct what these chemicals salesmen are saying. You should have a cover crop that does what it says in the name cover your soil until you are about to plant into it. There are many reasons for this but by far the largest one is compaction. What is the leading cause of surface compaction? That’s right rain water. Rain will blast onto your soil compacting it if nothing is there to break the fall. Meaning it will reach a point where the soil is dry but yet no water moves into it. And instead runs and pools to the low point in your feild pooling up taking away all the oxygen in the soil in that spot and also making a lovely breeding ground not only for mosquitoes but agriculture pests. Almost all root feeding nematodes are anaerobes meaning when oxygen levels in the soil is low or gone. Also things like mildew and rusts will have a hay day. So a cover crop not only stoped compaction but builds the structure for your soil to actually store more water as it’s roots grow down it opens new passageways for water to penetration the soil and if you have good soil biology their glues and structure will actually hold onto that water thru the season. Please for the love of god do not listen to anything these chemicals salesmen tell you. They want your soil to fail so you have to give them a call.

[markvanderknoop]

You don't harvest so the water and minerals stay on the field.