My Cover Crop Saga, A Work in Progress

farmlegend

5 year old buck +
2024 marked year three of my multi-species cover crop commitment at my farm in southern Michigan. It has been an interesting journey which I plan on continuing as long as I can. My goal in this is to improve the soil and also provide some deer food.

There are two plots involved in this, separated by a nice, wide brushy fencerow, and they total roughly nine acres. The ground was previously intensively tilled rowcrop ground for several successive decades, and, as such, the soil was quite depleted. Soil texture is clayish, which, I feel, adds to my challenge of enhancing my soil biology. While it was in rowcrops(corn/soybean rotation), the farmer combatted compaction by chiseling and discing it twice a year. Another limitation is my growing season is somewhat shorter that what some might expect for my latitude, about 15 miles north of the Ohio line – I average about 150 frost free days, with average last spring frost around May 8 and first autumn frost around October 5. The plots have woods on one side, and a shortgrass prairie(grasses, forbs) which I also planted in 2022 and is looking excellent this season, on the other three.

This year, I drilled in a mix of 18 different seeds on June 12. In descending order of pounds of seed per acre, the mix included:

Black beans
Soybeans, non-GMO
Cowpeas, Iron & Clay
Buckwheat
Corn, grazing
Millet, Japanese
Safflower, baldy
Kale, Bayou
Sunflower, Black oil
Sorghum, Forage
Sorghum, Sweet cane
Kale, Siberian
Turnips, purple top
Turnips, barkant
Flax
Arugula
Radish
Swede

For all but the last four seeds listed, mix was from utilizing Greencover’s “plotbuilder” program, drilled in at the prescribed 32#/acre. The last four were added by me, at a rate of about 1#/a each.

Planting timing and conditions were excellent, I felt. Timing of planting is generally dictated by how wet the dirt is, and the ground’s readiness can be as early as mid-May with a dry spring, until late June(as it was in 2022, the first year of the cover crop project, and the year it performed best. 2023 was adversely affected by severe drought).

I got rain immediately after planting this spring, and was enthused when seedlings popped up quickly, but things went downhill from there. Over the first sixty days, my farm got 21 inches of rain, over half of which came down in three individual events. Pure mud and ponding all over. Many of the plants survived, but were highly stressed, stunted, hard to find, and look terrible – like the buckwheat, corn, and all of the brassicas. Several never showed up, period - the sunflowers, flax, safflower, and swede never made an appearance at all. May of the plants that did show up are less abundant and robust than they were in prior years, including the beans, peas, and sorghums. Only two things appear to be really thriving – the Japanese millet, which came in everywhere, and invading coolseason grasses, my number one foodplot nemesis.

If you look at the plot from a distance today, it is tall, green, and robust looking, dominated by the millet, invading grasses, and sorghums. The pic was taken 8/10, about four weeks ago. It’s taller and thicker now. You can see some exposed dirt in the foreground in the pic below.

On Labor Day weekend I overseeded (via simple broadcasting) cereal grains and some plantain, crimson clover, turnips and radishes.

At this point, I haven’t made the headway I’d hoped for in combatting soil compaction and poor infiltration. We’ve had a dry spell recently and dirt remains quite tight across most of the plots. Also disappointed that so many plants simply failed this year.

As of now, I’m planning on planting another mix next spring, probably simply Greencover’s Summer release.

I welcome and appreciate any comments as to how I might make some improvements to enhance the performance of these plots in future seasons. And I apologize in advance for brief lags in my response time, as I am frequently away from my desktop for a couple days at a time this time of year, and I can’t stand keying in text from my phone.Plot08112024.jpeg
 
Planting things with deeper roots can help with compaction. RYE,RADISH,CHICORY are a few that come to mind.
 
Thanks! Rye and radishes make it into these plots regularly(fall broadcasting rye, and there is some radishes in my spring mix.

For whatever reason, chicory does not do well on my dirt. Have planted it many times over the last 15 years or so, and, for whatever reason, it doesn't thrive at my place.

Hoping for a dryer growing season in 2025 - I'm wondering if even deep-rooted species get lazy and don't put down deep roots if all the moisture they need is at the surface or very near.
 
I have the best luck when I have clover with my chicory but I'm in minnesota. Clover is pretty much the number 1 ingredient in food plots here.
 
Rye will also help suppress the weeds the following year after it's planted. Rye goes well with clover and chicory here. Provides some shade during the hotter months.
 
I have the best luck when I have clover with my chicory but I'm in minnesota. Clover is pretty much the number 1 ingredient in food plots here.

👍
Love me some clover. I always have a bag of Alice White and a bag of plain old medium red in my barn. Clover is the bread and butter of my other food plots (about seven acres in addtion to the cover crop”jumbo” plots). The deer eat my white clovers all winter long, and clovers grow wonderfully on my dirt. I should probably incorporate some in the 2025 cover crop mix.

I still have some medium red in my cover crop plots, which is stil lvolunteering from year one.
 
I started out thinking I would do a summer release crop to build some biomass. After a dry summer.....and some dismal results.....I re-worked my plan to basically grow clover plots.....along with 2 bu/a of winter rye in late August. Clover and Rye go together like peanut butter and jelly (thanks Lick Creek). Then after I terminate the rye in July I will either plant into the clover with my drill or I may nuke some strips for brassica. Always a work in process with these events.....but I have honed in on a plan that works for me.

I found I do not have a long enough growing season for the summer release plan too.....and /or the weather does not co-operate well enough for me to pull that plan off. Keeping the clover roots in the ground and the spring and summer rye plan....saves my bacon.
 
It's interesting you experienced both extremes in one season. Don't write off that japanese millet. It's goes about the same time chicory and clover get hot at my place. It's also good for leaving behind residue, which is very important in heavy clay.

@farmlegend what specifically do you want to improve about your program?
 
@farmlegend what specifically do you want to improve about your program?

Long story but some background - I had leased out about 40a. to a neighboring farmer who had been farming it when I bought the property 25 years ago. A few years ago, I decided to move in another direction with this ground, enrolling most of it in CRP, planted to shortgrass prairie and forbs, and did a wetland restoration in there also. Dedicated 9a for foodplot zones. Around this time, I discovered the whole restoration agriculture thing (read Gabe Brown's book, watched Archuleta videos (actually met him last week). and hired a guy to no-till a diverse cover crop mix in those 9a back in 2022. Ground was severely degraded, farmer chiseled/disced/sprayed the bejesus out of it since forever, and there were spots within it where nothing grew because the topsoil was completely gone. Pulled a Haney soil test in 2002 and put it away for safekeeping to look at in a few years. The subject ground is part of my 300a farm which is essentially hunting property. I've been doing foodplots for deer on other portions of my property since 2001, mostly through traditional means, and, while I've learned aplenty the hard way, it wasn't until recent times that I realized what a weed-chasing hamster wheel I've been on.

As to this subject 9 acres - I want to make the soil there as good as I can make it - well-aggregated, biologically rich, and with improved infiltration, and I want it to be able to support multi-species no-till foodplots to attract deer during the fall and winter. This area functions as a "killing field" zone which I need for aggressive doe harvest, something badly needed in my neighborhood. I understand that this may be a long term project but I know I will enjoy it.

And a big thank you for sharing your knowledge here. Your comment history is a treasure.
 
Long story but some background - I had leased out about 40a. to a neighboring farmer who had been farming it when I bought the property 25 years ago. A few years ago, I decided to move in another direction with this ground, enrolling most of it in CRP, planted to shortgrass prairie and forbs, and did a wetland restoration in there also. Dedicated 9a for foodplot zones. Around this time, I discovered the whole restoration agriculture thing (read Gabe Brown's book, watched Archuleta videos (actually met him last week). and hired a guy to no-till a diverse cover crop mix in those 9a back in 2022. Ground was severely degraded, farmer chiseled/disced/sprayed the bejesus out of it since forever, and there were spots within it where nothing grew because the topsoil was completely gone. Pulled a Haney soil test in 2002 and put it away for safekeeping to look at in a few years. The subject ground is part of my 300a farm which is essentially hunting property. I've been doing foodplots for deer on other portions of my property since 2001, mostly through traditional means, and, while I've learned aplenty the hard way, it wasn't until recent times that I realized what a weed-chasing hamster wheel I've been on.

As to this subject 9 acres - I want to make the soil there as good as I can make it - well-aggregated, biologically rich, and with improved infiltration, and I want it to be able to support multi-species no-till foodplots to attract deer during the fall and winter. This area functions as a "killing field" zone which I need for aggressive doe harvest, something badly needed in my neighborhood. I understand that this may be a long term project but I know I will enjoy it.

And a big thank you for sharing your knowledge here. Your comment history is a treasure.
That's well thought out, and thank you for the kind words. It's a good piece of info to know the topsoil is gone. I don't have time to dive into this right now, but I'll come back to this later today or tonight. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, because my feedback is almost always the same. When I get planted tonight, I'll revisit this.
 
With topsoil gone BUCKWHEAT comes to mind as something to use and benefit fairly quickly. Can even get a double crop each year.
 
With topsoil gone BUCKWHEAT comes to mind as something to use and benefit fairly quickly. Can even get a double crop each year.
Buckwheat is a goldilocks plant on my farm. The weather has to be just right. On my greasy clay, buckwheat cannot handle a lot of moisture. About one attempt in three it grows wonderfully.

My hope is that I can grow good buckwheat once my infiltration rate improves.
 
You should consider trying a deep till radish. They are well suited for situations like yours as they will grow up to 18" deep breaking up the soil to get the infiltration you are looking for. Daikon radish is one type of deep till radish.


You need to look at both the below ground root development mass and above ground biomass production. Personally, I would narrow your list down to 5-6 seed choices. Some possible choices and their impact.
- Deep till radish - Daikon, forage radish, & ground hog radish for soil compaction
- Oats, buckwheat, sunn hemp for deep rooted plants
- Cereal (winter ) rye, Sudan sorghum, grain sorghum for top soil OM
- Both red and white clover for nitrogen scavenging (sunn hemp is also a good nitrogen scavenger)

The other option is to plant switch grass and other warm season grasses and commit to 8-10 years of it. You can mow it in the summer to increase OM productions and it has large deep root systems. This is how the beautiful top soils in the plains states were developed.

Soil building is a frustrating process. We want quick results (a couple of years), yet it can take many decades to see results. Often times soil building goals don't always align with hunting food production.
 
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I’d go with what grows where crops can’t. I’m thinking road construction ditches and out where it ain’t worth farming like the hilly clays of Montana and the the western Dakotas.

Right now per acre

2 lbs Yellow sweet clover
1 lb Balansa clover
5 lbs Flax
5 lbs Jap millet
2 lbs Chicory
1/4 lb Ragweed
1/3 bushel Winter wheat
1/2 lb Rape seed



The yellow sweet should still give you a nice plot to hunt this fall, then let it go until all the sweet clover turns brown in the late summer. Broadcast more cereals, sweet clover, and balansa and roll it down again.

200-300 lbs/ac gypsum at planting time would help too. If u can get a fertilizer truck to do it, spread 1 ton/ac if u can get bulk pricing.

This same soil condition is how most of my plots started. Those plants can do the best in tight and tough clay. And they will roll down easily and stay down. Ideal for throw and roll and will create a carpet that will begin your healing and soil restoring process.

If u like it, we can talk year 2 stuff.


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The hardest part is transitioning out of it without destroying all your year 1 progress.


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I’d go with what grows where crops can’t. I’m thinking road construction ditches and out where it ain’t worth farming like the hilly clays of Montana and the the western Dakotas.

Right now per acre

2 lbs Yellow sweet clover
1 lb Balansa clover
5 lbs Flax
5 lbs Jap millet
2 lbs Chicory
1/4 lb Ragweed
1/3 bushel Winter wheat
1/2 lb Rape seed



The yellow sweet should still give you a nice plot to hunt this fall, then let it go until all the sweet clover turns brown in the late summer. Broadcast more cereals, sweet clover, and balansa and roll it down again.

200-300 lbs/ac gypsum at planting time would help too. If u can get a fertilizer truck to do it, spread 1 ton/ac if u can get bulk pricing.

This same soil condition is how most of my plots started. Those plants can do the best in tight and tough clay. And they will roll down easily and stay down. Ideal for throw and roll and will create a carpet that will begin your healing and soil restoring process.

If u like it, we can talk year 2 stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good stuff. Thanks!


Thought I'd share some pics of the worst of Jumbo Plot North as it looks right now.

IMG_4396.jpeg
This is a typical closeup of what's on the ground now. There is some "residue" from cover crops from prior years. There is some exposed dirt.
The next pic shows some of the worst of the grass infestation, and I believe much of it is some sort of nutsedge.
The following two pics show some of the black beans and soybeans existing with the grasses, and this is common in the "weak" cover crop areas.
The last two pics show sad versions of grazing corn (the red one) and buckwheat. As mentioned, I had a ton or rain on this clay during June and July and much of my plants never really thrived.

About ten days ago, I broadcast rye, wheat, oats, crimson clover, groundhog radish, and some PT turnips right into this stuff. Have not had a drop of rain since, and the ground is like concrete in there. Not sure if much will come of what I spread. I do have some YBSC and Balansa on the way, and could spread some of it down, along with some more cereals - would this make sense at this point?

Would it be OK to run the gypsum truck in January once the ground is frozen?
 

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Thankfully Jumbo Plot South is mostly looking better.
 
Good stuff. Thanks!


Thought I'd share some pics of the worst of Jumbo Plot North as it looks right now.

View attachment 68166
This is a typical closeup of what's on the ground now. There is some "residue" from cover crops from prior years. There is some exposed dirt.
The next pic shows some of the worst of the grass infestation, and I believe much of it is some sort of nutsedge.
The following two pics show some of the black beans and soybeans existing with the grasses, and this is common in the "weak" cover crop areas.
The last two pics show sad versions of grazing corn (the red one) and buckwheat. As mentioned, I had a ton or rain on this clay during June and July and much of my plants never really thrived.

About ten days ago, I broadcast rye, wheat, oats, crimson clover, groundhog radish, and some PT turnips right into this stuff. Have not had a drop of rain since, and the ground is like concrete in there. Not sure if much will come of what I spread. I do have some YBSC and Balansa on the way, and could spread some of it down, along with some more cereals - would this make sense at this point?

Would it be OK to run the gypsum truck in January once the ground is frozen?

As long as it isn’t gonna wash away, anytime you can get it out there is good.


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Farmlegend, my summer growing was really similar to yours. Similar weather. I did partly warm season soil builder and partly summer release from Green Cover on my plots, seeded with a Woods seeder.

Last year I was very happy with the warm season soil builder. This year it just didnt do as well. Same with summer release. I had issues with smartweed and foxtail. I had lots of white clover competition and it took over the plots. This fall I sprayed before Labor Day and then I really screwed up. I ordered fall release for all of it. I planted a couple weeks after spraying. Instead of keeping the discs on my seeder straight and tilling less, I turned them so they would be aggressive and tilled the dead crop, weeds and the white clover that wasn’t completely killed into the soil. It looked awesome. The soil looked spongy and awesome. And it hasn’t rained since.

I have some germination of oats/rye and buckwheat in the mix but no rain in the forecast. Exposed dirt. Pretty much exactly what I don’t want.

I’m trying to get in the swing of the summer/fall release. I keep feeling like my mistakes with timing and tilling keep biting me. I think I will have to spray again next spring.

I’m far from making a decision for next spring but I think I will likely have to do gly and something to control the smart weed and white clover. Tilling that smart weed was one of my many bad ideas,lol. Will have to make a game time decision next spring but both warm season soil builder and summer release seem like should be the right call for me….
 
Farmlegend, my summer growing was really similar to yours. Similar weather. I did partly warm season soil builder and partly summer release from Green Cover on my plots, seeded with a Woods seeder.

Last year I was very happy with the warm season soil builder. This year it just didnt do as well. Same with summer release. I had issues with smartweed and foxtail. I had lots of white clover competition and it took over the plots. This fall I sprayed before Labor Day and then I really screwed up. I ordered fall release for all of it. I planted a couple weeks after spraying. Instead of keeping the discs on my seeder straight and tilling less, I turned them so they would be aggressive and tilled the dead crop, weeds and the white clover that wasn’t completely killed into the soil. It looked awesome. The soil looked spongy and awesome. And it hasn’t rained since.

I have some germination of oats/rye and buckwheat in the mix but no rain in the forecast. Exposed dirt. Pretty much exactly what I don’t want.

I’m trying to get in the swing of the summer/fall release. I keep feeling like my mistakes with timing and tilling keep biting me. I think I will have to spray again next spring.

I’m far from making a decision for next spring but I think I will likely have to do gly and something to control the smart weed and white clover. Tilling that smart weed was one of my many bad ideas,lol. Will have to make a game time decision next spring but both warm season soil builder and summer release seem like should be the right call for me….

Weather. Timing. 😡 Plant. Till. Spray. What to do and when, and praying for the weather we want.

A sure sign of an amateur with little experience our game - remarking "just make sure you plant your seed just ahead of a good rain"; as if we had any effing idea that the drought would begin the moment the last cultipacker pass was complete.

In June and July, it rained at some point in time nearly every damned day. Ever since mid-August or so, barely a trace.

Question for anyone - given my war with coolseason grasses, is there any downside to an application of clethodim/crop oil next spring prior to planting another summer mix? Something just doesn't seem right to be drilling into a carpet of newly-emerged grass.
 
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