Just because corn and soybeans have been harvested doesn’t mean it’s time for no-tillers to stop worrying about nutrient management.
The majority of drain flow in the Midwestern Corn Belt occurs in the fallow period between October and April. That’s when most water leaks out the bottom of the root zone — regardless of whether a field has tile, says Eileen Kladivko.
But wisely chosen cover crops may help no-tillers keep nitrogen from washing away…