Fall cover crop planting

A good first step to improving soil health is to make cover crops an integral part of a cropping system.  Establishing cover crops can improve soil health, as they help develop an environment that sustains and nourishes plants, soil microbes and beneficial insects.  A good goal is to have a mix which contains a grass, legume and a forb.  Remember a diverse mixture of  cover crops may improve soil health, soil function, reduces costs and could increase profitability.  Four basic principles to improve soil health are:

1. Keep the soil covered as much as possible

2. Keep plants growing throughout most of the year to feed the soil

3. Manage soils more by disturbing them less

4. Use plant diversity to increase diversity in the soil

Now would be a good time to think about planting a Fall cover crop after winter wheat; soybean and corn silage harvest. Contact the Ozaukee County Land and Water to see if your farm fields are eligible for cost share funds to try out this conservation practice.  The phone number is 262 284 8272.

Below are a few pictures of cover crops interseeded into corn this past July.