Warm Season Cover Crop Growth

Mr. David Lamm, Project Manager, Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton at the Soil Health Institute, and Mr. Jason Carter, Richland County South Carolina farmer, discuss the results of his summer cover crop mix one month after planting, identify various cover crop species, the benefits he is hoping to achieve and the impact of moisture on cover crop stand.
Soil Health Institute Virtual Field Days are a production of the Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton project of the Soil Health Institute. Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton seeks to expand adoption of soil health management systems on producers’ farms through farmer-focused education and training events delivered by Soil Health Institute scientists, partnering soil health technical specialists and farmer mentors producing cotton using soil health promoting practices. The project aims to improve soil health and expand sustainable cotton production. Additionally, the project seeks to quantify, expand, and verify the productivity and environmental benefits of the soil health management practices used by cotton producers. Healthy Soils for Sustainable Cotton is supported through the generosity of the Wrangler® brand, the VF Corporation Foundation, and the Walmart Foundation.​

[@davidbass7593]

You'd be surprised at the older farmers who used to plant cover crops in the fall every year I grew up on a small cotton farm and this was common practice we planted rye and vetch and grazing cattle during the winter kinda got a double whammy of benefits

[@roberthodge7802]

It is cheaper and better for the soil long term to grow your nutrient inputs in situ especially if you're going for organic certification. Zero potential wild card risks from your (expensive) imported inputs. Reduces shipping, machine, and labor costs. Great discussion.

[@LukaStomp]

Good info. Great conversation. Implementing cover cropping in my garden farm

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

I would like to see how he terminals and till’s it in. At today’s fuel prices it could get awfully expensive. I am just a gardener but a past ranch hand and I find big benefits from my cover crops even on my thousand foot garden. Y’all havagudun.

[@dequavisjones4869]

Just put in 85 acers of 23 species mix. To bad it probably will not even grow, 5 inches of rain in 15 months now plus lots of 114* days. Kansas is turning into a lifeless desert real fast.

[@tommyelkins2080]

I live in South Carolina coastal plain Savannah River Valley area, to get these mixes with inoculants where are some areas that are familiar with these types of mixes to purchase seeds and an inoculants? I purchased land & need to build the soil up this is my first and main goal.

[@LiquidFireOrWhatever]

I would go to your local extension or NRCS office for that answer.