I will.
Under cover crop for corn
The other thing about turning in a cover crop before it flowers is that once it starts going to seed, the stalks become woody and not only harder to turn under but have a lot less nutrients.
Try Peaceful Valley Farm Supply for cover crop seeds. They are reasonable, have a large selection, and they are knowledgeable: http://www.groworganic.com/search.html?pCommand=DoSearch&pMode=Search&sText=cover%20crop&sCategory=catalog
They have a detailed cover-crop growing chart.
There's also a really good book on cover-cropping that you can download for free from the USDA:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/66120900/IntegratedFarmingSystems/BalkcomSchombergReeves.2007Managingcovercropsinconservationtillagesystems.pdf
I am going to try white clover this year as a cover crop. It is a perennial, but that doesn't mean I can't turn it in. I have done that before.
Paracelsus do you seed a large area? When will you be planting and at what time of year do you turn it under?
Got some pics today, have been outside most of the day working, and boy it felt good to get out and play in the dirt.
This is a picture of the future corn patch, not sure if you can see all the grass still in it. I disked it up really good today. Those are guineas running around in the garden, That big patch of dirt/grass cam e out of this area. Although there's a long patch of grass still in the garden all the way over to the left. I kind of got a bet going with my DH that it will make a difference him scraping off the grass . So he left a large patch to make sure . LOL
Here's my two pea rows, I'm not quite sure when to plant them yet. As we are still getting into the low 20's here and perhaps some snow soon also. I know other folks that have said they plant peas as soon as they can scrape off the snow LOL But I always have to replant if I plant when it's too cold, and I don't want to replant.
I'll be using the tiller and tillering in the compost I piled on those two rows today. Planting soon. This will be the first thing I plant this year.
Lovely! I see the guineas, or imagine I do, one. LOL! Someone I once knew who raised guineas would go on and on about how they were so good for the soil in specific ways having to do with the actual depth of their footprints and the specific soil micro organisms encouraged by their "natural tilling", as it were. I found that fascinating. :-)
Hi, Podster,
I seeded what I call my patio plot which is about 400 sq ft, so not very big. I wanted a living mulch in this area because I have some perennial herbs there as well as regular veggies. I should have seeded it earlier in the fall than I did. I had read you could seed clover in the fall and not have to bury the seed if you live in an area where you get frost heave, which I do. I can see I did not seed enough and will put more in the spring. I hope it will make a living mulch for the summer, and then I can mow it and then till it in the fall, except for around the perennials. I have tilled it under in my last place in the spring, but I let it get too long and if the stems are woody, it can get wrapped up in the tiller tines. I should have kept it mowed before I tilled it or just tilled it when it was still young. I know that now. I will see how it works this year.
Harry
Kathy Ann, sure is pretty countryside where you are! Love those pics. I can just see your garden, fully loaded this year with lots of goodies!
Some folks are planting peas here now but I usually wait till the first of March or so. Too early and I feel the need to always go poking around in the ground to see if any of the seeds have germed yet! They take forever when it is too cool so I'd just as soon wait a bit. Tilling the pea patch or rows will sure help the ground warm up a bit faster though so it won't be long now!
paracelsus, yep, I agree with the stalks of clovers and such tangling around the tines once they get some age on them. Below is a patch of Crimson Clover in bloom. I definitely tend to mow it before turning it under, that way I get the best of both worlds...enjoying the flowers, bringing in the bees/pollinators, and adding the leafy matter to my clay soil. I love it!
Best,
Shoe
That crimson clover makes the BEST Tea, there is some that grows along the road side down the road from us and I go down there every year and pick the fresh flowers and steep them in a tea, Yum, the tea is nice a red too.
???More info....is it really that simple??
Is what that simple grownut?
Pick red clovers, steep, and drink...??
oh, I throw them in a pot of water cook, then strain then drink as a hot tea, yes I put sugar in it too LOL
Wow, that's some beautiful clover, Horseshoe!
Kathy_Ann reading thru Pinetree Garden Seeds catalogue and thought of this thread. They have buckwheat 1 1/2# for $5.00 or 5# for $10.95. Will try to post a link for it...
And here it is... https://www.superseeds.com/products.php?search=buckwheat
This message was edited Feb 22, 2009 10:04 PM
hum, will have to check on their shipping, that's not a bad price, thanks
Stay out of their veggies ~ lol Many heirlooms and OPs
Hehehe, sounds like fair warning, podster! (grin)
I've dealt w/that company for years, they are great to work with. Lots of good variety (as you've seen, pod!).
And yes, that's not a bad price for mail-order buckwheat, kathyann.
Happy Day, All!
Shoe
I have to add trailing nasturtiums to the the conversation they are beautiful and edible and you can turn them in to the soil too
just a thought
laura
Keep adding -I really want to see about homemade capers this year -and a great excuse to add pretty!!
This has been so interesting, thank you all for sharing.
I love my buckwheat. Very pretty, quick, and the visiting quail like it too;). My Mum found an excellent price on buckwheat for sprouting at a health food store. Something like $1.90 a pound.
Kathy,
We kinda have two threads going at the same time here. Getting back to companion planting, I have seen some references (some of them here on DG, I think) to a Native American practice of planting both beans and squash with corn. The beans fix nitrogen in the soil, the corn gives the beans a place to climb and the squash cools the soil and crowds out the weeds. If nothing else, it ought to be amazingly attractive. For 10 rows, it may be a bit much, but I'm going to give it a try on a smaller scale.
Well, Actually , i'm not really looking to companion plant with my corn, but rather something to under plant to kill out the grass so the corn will live.
Wondering how the corn won't get killd out by the buckwheat also though LOL
I bought my buckwheat the other day from that link above, and shipping was only 3.85 for 5 pounds of buckwheat seed, thought that was fantastic.
and you ONLY bought buckwheat??? LOL
Yeah, I have spent so much money on veggie seed this year, I am all done buying seed for my garden. so All I had left is buckwheat. I didn't even venture anywhere else cause I can't contain myself when I do. LOL
I am impressed!!! 8 )))
Me too LOL
Corn like water,especially when setting ears, so any ground cover will probably force you to water often. If your area is like mine summer rain storms with a lot of wind will blow over the corn stalks unless it is well hilled up. I begin hoeing and hilling my corn when it's about 1 foot tall and again with every foot of growth. As you cover the stalks new roots will form and it will be less likely to blow over. All this hilling will take care of the grass and weeds, and as the corn gets taller it will shade out the rest.
This message was edited Jul 30, 2009 4:25 PM
Here's the corn today, We are suppose to get some rain tonight and the next few days, Think it's tall enough to plant the buckwheat now?
some of it is still small, it looks yellowish because of all the rain we've had, and lack of nutrients in the ground, I hope that changes soon.
