Quote:
Originally Posted by rhines81
I've always thought that cover crops needed to be sown about a month before 1st frost ... I've already had 1st frost on my deck, but not on the ground yet .. any day now. I'll contact the co-op to check, something I haven't thought of. They are just now planting cover crops about 2 hours south of me (and 1500 less elevation).
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We have a corn grower near here who grow corn to sell to markets and at their store in the valley.They have it planted in stages so there is a harvest all summer long.I have been cycling in the valley since 1980 and always wondered what they planted after they would harvest the corn.I would see green growth that looked like tall grass.It turn out to be winter rye .I stopped one day and asked a fellow who was planting the seed in some of the fields.I called around to some of the feed stores and found it.I have been using that for some time now and usually would plant the second week in September it would grow 6 to 8 inches before the snow and stay green through the winter and start growing again in the spring.It might be 2 feet high come April when I would mow it and then around the first of May then till it into the soil.I grew it a few years ago then changed over to Hairy vetch and tillage radishes the last 2 years now that I am doing no till.Cereal rye has a very thick root system and is very difficult to plant into if you don't till it in thus the need for me to go to vetch and radishes.As far as how late you can plant it again check with your local Co-Op or county office.I have read it can be planted late into the fall because it will pick up and grow come spring.Good luck with your choice I'm sure it will be a success.