Why would one grow a cover crop in summer? I thought the point of a cover crop was to cover the soil when a commercial crop would not grow, i.e. during the winter.
In addition to soil building, there are small windows in the growing season where the soil needs to be covered and the soil microbes feed by a living root, so you plant a crop for the soil biology rather than letting them starve between crop rotations.
Look into a mix of sunn hemp (no, they won't hurt the cows), Sorgum Sudan grass, Iron and Clay peas, with some millet, and annual clover. That gives you a 3 dimentional canopy. A variety of forage for animals and a good root net; and the legumes will fix nitrogen in the soil. It will also suppress the weeds that come up in newly cleared land.
I like the short videos explaining specific species. Thanks for the information.
Helpful video, thank you. What if you don't terminate cowpeas in an orchard cover crop? Will they become a weed?
I love cowpeas as a plant or as a food but how many times I can cut it if I want to use Cowpeas as fodder?
What would cow peas and okra mix do. For soil building
Robert Payne cowpeas will fix nitrogen and allow rhizobia to thrive. Okra has a deep taproot and can break up compaction well below the hard pan.
What is the Australian pea equivalent?
i love bean
Why would one grow a cover crop in summer? I thought the point of a cover crop was to cover the soil when a commercial crop would not grow, i.e. during the winter.
Dick Head A cover crop is also used to build the soil. It is known as 'green manure.'
In addition to soil building, there are small windows in the growing season where the soil needs to be covered and the soil microbes feed by a living root, so you plant a crop for the soil biology rather than letting them starve between crop rotations.
I need a soil builder that's palatible to cows I liked the sunn hemp but hear the seeds are toxic.. whats a good mix for freshly cleared land.
Look into a mix of sunn hemp (no, they won't hurt the cows), Sorgum Sudan grass, Iron and Clay peas, with some millet, and annual clover. That gives you a 3 dimentional canopy. A variety of forage for animals and a good root net; and the legumes will fix nitrogen in the soil. It will also suppress the weeds that come up in newly cleared land.
I grow clay cowpea its good to eat I live in Fl
Danny, That's awesome! Do you grow them for yourself to eat or do you run a large operation?
@@GreenCoverSeed for self but mostly to share
Danny Pool Do you eat the leaves too?