Although most growers this year have been dealing with too much rain, there are areas and years when getting a cover crop established and reaping the benefit without draining soil moisture is a challenge. Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that growers using covers in a low-rainfall area should concentrate on feeding soil biology, keeping the soil cool and improve water management. Executing these ideas will look different for each farmer, but all farmers can aim for diversity of species, keeping something growing in fields year-round and shading fields. Find out more in this week’s podcast. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)

When planting cover crops, there are three factors to keep in mind in the context of using herbicides to control weeds: the herbicide half-life, the amount of rainfall received and the amount of organic matter.

The period after wheat harvest in many states provides a golden opportunity for growers to add some diverse cover crop mixes in their fields that provide numerous benefits. But which species are best suited for this planting window and what’s the best way to establish them?