It is still the time to plant cover crops! Protect your soil from erosion and nutrient loss over the winter and through the early spring, add green manure, nitrogen and carbon, and suppress weeds. See our home page http://www.osborneseed.com/index.cfm for more information.

We finally finished planting our overwintering cover crops on our trial ground. We put down Triticale, Common Rye grain, Rye Vetch mix, and Merced Rye. We also have a trial going between Nash's Field Pea and Austrian Winter Field Pea. When you come to pick up seed in the spring, check out our Crimson Clover patch.

The best information you can get about cover crop growing is from other growers in your area that have tried the crop you are interested in. But as a supplement to that, here is some other information that we have found to be true or heard from sources we trust. (Please see our disclaimer).

Why to grow cover crops:

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html

Specific crop information

Juan Triticale

A cross between wheat and a cereal. Very winter active, used for green chop and cover crop. Plant 100 - 125 lbs per acre.

Rye Grain

Locally grown! Vigorous winter cereal grain is a great choice for winter cover. It grows rapidly in cool weather forming a dense stand with an extensive root system. These roots do a super job of loosening heavy soils. Effective weed suppression, erosion control and adds substantial amounts of organic matter. Sow 110 lbs/acre.

Rye Vetch Mix

A 60/40 mixture of Rye and Vetch, grown locally here in Washington and it's Organic!

Merced Ryegrain

Grows rapidly in cool weather and forms a dense tall stand with a more extensive root system then other cereals. It suppresses weeds well when used as a cover crop. Plant 110 lbs per acre.

Nash's Field Pea- this will be available to growers for 2011. We trialed it in the summer, and were thrilled with the growth. Now we want to see it go through the winter.


Austrian Winter Pea; Austrian Winter Pea and Triticale mix

This winter cover crop can be planted in September. It can be mixed with winter rye or Triticale to help with weed suppression. It produces a great deal of organic matter that is easily plowed under in spring. 75 lbs/ acre or as you get later into the fall you would want to increase up to 150 lbs/ acre.

Crimson Clover

Offers good pasture and erosion control. Bright colored flower. Can be a good re-seeder when managed well. Plant 25 lbs per acre.