There are several options when it comes to choosing cover crops. You need to know the conditions of your farm and what goals you want to achieve. Here are some details on a few popular cover crops to help you make the right choice for your farm.
1. Cereal Rye
Cereal rye is the most popular cover crop in Iowa and the one Michael Castellano, professor of soil science, Iowa State University, recommends for beginners. Cereal rye has potential to grow in almost every climate, but it grows best in cool, temperate zones. This cover crop provides farmers with flexibility to plant cover crops later in the season, while still producing significant results.
Benefits of cereal rye include:
- Reduced erosion: Cereal rye provides protection on bare fields to minimizing soil loss during the off-season.
- Organic matter: Cereal rye can produce up to 10,000 pounds of biomass per acre.
- Weed and pest suppressor: It is very effective against small-seeded annual weeds, due to its high biomass.
Read more of the news article here