What is a good cover crop blend for tomatoes.
 

I planted oats last year, I want to try a mix, oats, hetch, fava beans.
Any other ideas'

Matt

Don't forget clover.

You can probably grow most any winter cover crop in central California.

Here is a blend from Peaceful Valley:
[url]http://www.groworganic.com/soil-builder-mix-raw-lb.html[/url]

Another from LA Hearne:
[url]http://www.hearneseed.com/product-info.php?SoilMax_Legume_Mix_Inoculated-pid85.html[/url]

Crimson Clover is kind of pricy, but it should do well in your climate
for a winter cover crop.

A guide from UCDavis with fairly wide coverage of cover crop species
used in California:
[url]http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin/ccrop.exe[/url]

What would be a good suggestion for zone 4b/5?

I'm using hairy vetch on the coast. I find that it starts really really slooow, but then picks up and grows like heck in April/May. Since that's the time I want to plan, I think I'll be trying something more cold tolerant (or at least different) next year.

Here is a different perspective on killing Rye early, long before it has
flowered:
[url]http://www.hort.cornell.edu/bjorkman/lab/covercrops/early-spring.php[/url]

Look at the description of sub-clover in this document:
[url]http://newfarm.rodaleinstitute.org/features/0104/no-till/chart.shtml[/url]
I have not tried it, but according to the description you plant in late
summer, and in late spring it flowers, sets seed, and dies, no need
to mow it. Seeds will sprout again in late summer or fall. It can be
hardy to 0-15F over winter, depending on cultivar.

There are a *lot* of different subclover cultivars, with different growth
habits, dates of flowering and maturity, etc:
[url]http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin/ccrop.EXE/show_crop_39[/url]

Here is Peaceful Valley's mix (apparently out of stock, but this will
give you some idea of cost/lb):
[url]http://www.groworganic.com/subterranean-clover-mix-rhizocoated-lb.html[/url]

It's not a blend but I'm trying Dwarf Essex Rape as a winter cover crop. It's supposedly toxic to root knot nematodes too.

Some resources on cover crop use in Nebraska:
[url]http://www.nebsusag.org/resources/res_covercrops.htm[/url]

[url]http://farmprogress.com/nebraska-farmer/library.aspx/improve/soils/with/cover/crops/41/46/1092[/url]

[url]http://farmprogress.com/nebraska-farmer/library.aspx?lc=46&plc=41[/url]