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Santa Cruz, CA

I've just tilled the soil and will be adding gypsum in tomorrow and manure next week. I was planning on planting fava beans as my cover crop. Are there cover crops better for pumpkins than favas?

11/11/2005 12:54:00 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Buckwheat tilled in and replanted every 30 days if the temperature remains above 40°F. Fava Beans, and Bio Mass Peas will tolerate temps down to about 20° so the make an excellent covewr.

11/11/2005 3:06:24 PM

San Diego

winter rye cover crop has done great for me in san diego! Jim

11/11/2005 4:01:10 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Cover-crops can do many different things for your soil. Buckwheat as Shannon described about can add Phos to the soil in a plant ready form. Other cover crops have deep roots and help to break up the soil. Some affix nitrogen from the air and deposit it in nodules on their roots. Others have lots of biomass to add OM to the soil. It mostly depends on what your soil needs and your climate. It is hard to say which is best when they all serve a particular niche. These links may help you decide.

Cover Crops:
Adaptation and Use of Cover Crops
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/cover_crops01/cover.htm

Cover Crop Types
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/cover_crops01/cover_types.htm

11/18/2005 7:24:25 AM

Montoursville, PA

Beans, peas and vetch are likely the top nitrogen producing crops. Any that will grow a heavy off season crop will be just fine. The trick is to get into the habit and just keep on keeping on....year after year. The major improvements will show after a few years of using a cover crop.

Maybe consider a different one each year in some kind, of a rotation devised, on common sense, from what you can grow, in your part of the country.

11/18/2005 4:44:48 PM

Follansbee, Wv

As was mentioned, some crops can fix nitrogen in the soil. The legume crops such as vetch, alfalfa, and several bean and pea varieties are capable of this. Remember though that most legumes require an innoculant to enable tham to fix nitrogen in the soil. Also keep in mind that the innoculant for one legume may not work on another. Research your cover crop and find out which innoculant it needs. Many seed suppliers ship their seeds pre-innoculated, but some don't.

11/24/2005 7:20:50 AM