October 24, 2019
Watch this video to learn what the benefits of planting more than one type of cover crop are from Channel® Seedsman Brad Veale.
Want more #AgAdvice from Channel® Seed? Subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChannelSeed.
Key Takeaways:
- More species of cover crops planted in a field allows for more potential benefits to a grower.
- Brassicas can provide nutrient sequestration.
What is the benefit of planting more than one type of cover crop?
The more species we get out there, the more benefit we get. So the cereal rye is going to add the fibrous root system. The Brassicas, such as the radish, are big on nutrient sequestration. So, they're going to go a little deeper, plus they're going to have some compaction. The barley does some similar things to the rye, but it just has some different characteristics that it does. The cereal rye is going to last through the winter. Sometimes the barley will as well, but you just... You're kind of stacking the deck in your favor with all those different units out there. So the.. .If you're going to do livestock as well, the Brassica... The cattle love to graze on the Brassicas, such as the radish, early in the season. Of course, they're going to die in the winter, but you're going to have spring grazing coming up with the rye, coming up in March and April. So, implementing some livestock into your program can also help your soil health.