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Deer Park WA

Hi gang, well here it is the end of winter, (PLease God) and I am trying to determine the proper amount of organic soil amendments (Manure/Compost) needed for my patches in the 2001 season. Last fall I planted cover crops consisting of a mixture of Hairy Vetch, Buckwheat, and Winter Rye. The question I have is that my cover crops only got a few inches tall before we were hit with a heavy frost, and we have had snow on the ground every since. So can I expect the cover crops to achieve any substantial growth this spring before I plow them down around April 1, or should I use my usual and(probably inacurate) calculations of four to five yards per 900 sqft site = 13% to 18% root zone organic matterial, and bag the cover crop equation this year?
P.s Any input on Ironite use/applications sucess or failures?

2/14/2001 1:11:53 AM

Western Pa.

Gads!

I'm not sure about the other two, but your winter rye should not be affected by a hard frost, my rye sat under snow for several months and has just germinated in the past few weeks! As far as manure, I don't really think you can have too much!(I think World Champ Dave Stelts added 16 or 17 TONS of chicken manure!) Some swear by ironite, others don't! I do know that it contains traces of lead and arsenic, so I'm not sure if I'd want to eat anything out of the garden I use it in!
Good Growin!
kilr

2/14/2001 7:56:13 AM

Rexburg, Idaho

I'll be lucky if the snow is melted here by April 1st. Why not just plow under the central area of your plot where your seeds will be planted and give the perimeter region longer to grow. It will take the AG's until July untill the entire patch is filled, and the remainder of the patch is just bare soil that is getting compacted. I haven't tried this but I'm going to plant a mixture of peas and oats this spring and then till it under as the plant grows.

2/14/2001 9:13:00 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

The hairy vetch will overwinter very well, i have never grew buckwheat so i don't know how it will fair?
the vetch is slower growing than the rye and it all depends on when you plow it under and how warm the spring will be.

Glenn peters

2/15/2001 9:17:11 AM

Sequim, WA

The winter rye should start growing growing again once the soil warms a bit as will the hairy vetch. (It sounds like a fungal disease doesn't it? I got the hairy vetch, but my doctor says it will clear up if I put this cream on it every day for a month.) The buckwheat is a goner though. That stuff is a succulant and can't handle frost, it's more of a warm weather cover crop. You'll get some benefit from what you have though and once the soil warms it will start growing. You may get some decent growth in early spring before you have to till it under. I'd count on adding some compost and manure anyway.

2/22/2001 2:06:17 PM

Rush, NY

I only plant Rye as a cover crop. In the spring I let it grow until about 10 days before transplanting. It is plowed down between May 1 and 5. It grows a lot from April 1 to May 1.

2/25/2001 7:30:08 AM