As farmers and ranchers alike navigate the world of regenerative agriculture and cover crops, the humble cereal rye plant (Secale cereale) has been making a name for itself as the undisputed King of Cover Crops! This title has been earned for multiple good reasons and we will highlight a few of them here.
As a cover crop, cereal rye brings a lot to the table. It improves soil structure, builds organic matter, and protects against water and wind erosion. It’s also relatively inexpensive, can be seeded late, enhances weed control and is easy to kill.
Cereal rye (Secale cereale) has several strengths as a cover crop option. However, in most cases, rye doesn’t put on much growth until the month of May. Read more in this article from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs.
The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 7-10, 2025!Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. Jan. 7-10, 2025. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.
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.