Useful Plants for Fallow Summer Periods

September 7, 2021

Many of us may have heard the term “Nature abhors a vacuum” (Aristotle) and we can see the effects of that when a field is left fallow — for example, after winter wheat harvest. Instead of tillage or herbicides to control the weeds that will try to fill this “vacuum,” a warm-season cover crop can be planted, says University of Nebraska Extension.

Using Covers to Produce Biomass Offers Multiple Benefits

By Sarah Hill posted on November 24, 2020

There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to utilizing cover crops. Cover crops can be a boon for soil health, but how much the covers can improve the soil depends on how much biomass that cover crop species produces.

Cover Crops After Corn Need More Time

September 27, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Source: University of Nebraska Extension

Cover crops have to produce a certain amount of growth, or biomass, in order to effectively reduce erosion and soil nutrient loss, suppress weeds, and supply forage. Several studies have indicated a threshold or minimum biomass (dry matter) of 1,000 lb/ac, which is similar to 6 to 8 inches of above-ground growth, although more biomass will likely lead to better outcomes. Read more in this article from University of Nebraska Extension.

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Cover Cropping in Integrated Farming Systems

Last week we had boots on the ground at the Big Soil Health Event in Cedar Falls, Iowa where agronomist David Kleinschmidt emphasized the importance of considering Carbon to Nitrogen ratios of cover crops and residues.

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