#covercrops

This fall we finally have soil moisture! (kinda too much...) Seems like a good opportunity to try cover crops again. Not trying to feed livestock, just the soil, and need to be able to seed through it in spring.

Soil compaction/hardpan is the priority. Thoughts?

Jake Leguee Do you want something that will winter kill? Flax, oats, fababean, maybe plantain, OP sugarbeet or forage beet. Will take some frost but eventually die. I use 25#oats, 5#flax. Radish are nice but not great in canola country.

Lana at SE Research Farm I like the idea of putting big taproots into my Solonetzic soil, which is why I've tried tillage radish before. But I'm not sure it really did anything canola doesn't. So can't disagree on the radish.

Jake Leguee That's why I liked the beet idea. Different family, still get tap root. Works good in combination with aggressive fine rooted crops like oats and plantain.

Lana at SE Research Farm Yes makes sense. How early can you do the oats? I'm concerned about getting through the trash on the spring. And moisture use.

Jake Leguee Lana at SE Research Farm Daikon radish, mix in a legume as well, like crimson clover and a cereal like oats or barley. Be simple and effective I think.

Shawn Catherwood Lana at SE Research Farm Where do you find the seed?

Jake Leguee Lana at SE Research Farm Imperial Seed is a good one. Top horizon operated by Robert Galarneau is a dealer for them right in weyburn. They have a great selection of species and blends.