www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably appendix-a Appendix A for Testing Cover Crops on Your Farm Appendix A Testing Cover Crops on Your Farm by Marianne Sarrantonio To find your best cover crops, you needn’t become Dr. Science or devote your life to research. It’s not hard to set up valid, on-farm tests and make observations. Follow these steps: A. Narrow your options. Aim for a limited-scale trial of just two […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops woollypod-vetch Woollypod Vetch Woollypod Vetch (Vicia villosa ssp. dasycarpa) Also called: LANA vetch; also spelled woollypod vetch Cycle: cool-season annual Type: legume Roles: N source, weed suppressor, erosion preventer, add organic matter, attract bees Mix with: other legumes, grasses See charts, p. 66 to 72, for ranking and management summary. Specialty vetches such as woollypod and purple vetch […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops white-clover White Clover White Clover (Trifolium repens) Also called: Dutch White, New Zealand White, Ladino Type: long-lived perennial or winter annual legume Roles: living mulch, erosion protection, green manure, beneficial insect attraction Mix with: annual ryegrass, red clover, hard fescue or red fescue See charts for ranking and management summary. White clovers are a top choice for “living […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops sweet-clovers Sweet Clovers Sweet Clovers Yellow sweetclover (Melilotus officinalis) White sweetclover (M. alba) Also called: HUBAM (actually a cultivar of annual white sweetclover) Type: biennial, summer annual or winter annual legume Roles: soil builder, fertility source, subsoil aerator, weed suppressor, erosion preventer Mix with: small grains, red clover See charts, pp. 66 to 72, for ranking and management […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops subterranean-clover Subterranean Clover Subterranean Clovers (Trifolium subterraneum, T. yanninicum, T. brachycalcycinum) Also called: Subclover Type: reseeding cool season annual legume Roles: weed and erosion suppressor, N source, living or dying mulch, continuous orchard floor cover, forage Mix with: other clovers and subclovers See charts, p. 66 to 72, for ranking and management summary. Subterranean clovers offer a range […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops red-clover Red Clover Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Also called: medium red clover (multi-cut, early blooming, June clover); mammoth clover (singlecut, late blooming, Michigan red) Type: short-lived perennial, biennial or winter annual legume Roles: N source, soil builder, weed suppressor, insectary crop, forage Mix with: small grains, sweetclover, corn, soybeans, vegetables, grass forages See charts for rankings and management […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops medics Medics Medics (Medicago spp.) Also called: black medic, burr (or bur) medic, burclover Type: Winter annual or summer annual legume Roles: N source, soil quality builder, weed suppressor, erosion fighter Mix with: Other medics; clovers and grasses; small grains See charts, p. 66 to 72, for ranking and management summary. Once established, few other legumes outperform […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops hairy-vetch Hairy Vetch Hairy Vetch (Vicia villosa) Type: winter annual or summer annual legume Roles: N source, weed suppressor, topsoil conditioner, reduce erosion Mix with: small grains, field peas, bell beans, crimson clover, buckwheat See charts, p. 66 to 72, for ranking and management summary. Few legumes match hairy vetch for spring residue production or nitrogen contribution. Widely […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops field-peas Field Peas Field Peas (Pisum sativum subsp. arvense) Also called: Austrian winter peas (black peas), Canadian field peas (spring peas) Type: summer annual and winter annual legume Roles: plow-down N source, weed suppressor, forage Mix with: strong-stemmed wheat, rye, triticale or barley for vertical support See charts, pp. 66 to 72, for ranking and management summary. High […]
www.sare.org publications managing-cover-crops-profitably legume-cover-crops crimson-clover Crimson Clover Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) Type: winter annual or summer annual legume Roles: N source, soil builder, erosion prevention, reseeding inter-row ground cover, forage Mix with: rye and other cereals, vetches, annual ryegrass, subclover, red clover, black medic See charts for ranking and management summary. With its rapid, robust growth, crimson clover provides early spring nitrogen […]