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Connecticut

What is the best recommended winter cover crop for Northwest Connecticut? I've seen all sorts of different recommendations, but I'd like to know what other people have had success with? When do you plant it?

9/16/2007 11:56:25 AM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

I always used winter rye. I switched to buckwheat if you can get it down quick enough and come up before frost....sometimes in the fall that is hard to do becasue the buckwheat is delicate and will die once frost arrives.......but, if you put it down early spring, you can get a nice crop just before planting and till it all in. It breaks down very quickly. What part of CT are you from. I live in Trumbull......Ray Leonzi

9/16/2007 12:23:37 PM

Rhode Island

agree with ray - winter rye. it grows some during the winter at times. get it down asap

9/16/2007 12:32:00 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Oats are a good cover crop also. Oats can take the cold and frost. But it will die over the winter. Most guys use winter rye

9/16/2007 1:20:22 PM

[email protected]

Most folks sow Winer Rye WAAAAAYYYY too heavy. LOL

9/16/2007 3:28:20 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

is 50# too much for 1,000sqft? what is the right amount?

9/16/2007 4:17:43 PM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

Steve can you explain what you mean by "way too heavy"

Thanks

Kenny

9/16/2007 4:51:48 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

50 lbs way to much. I would say 5 or 6 lbs the most for 1000 square feet...that is still heavy

9/16/2007 5:02:43 PM

Somers, CT

Good to know. I use enough winter rye to keep the soil from washing away in the late fall and early spring. Make sure to till it under while it still looks like grass. Good source of Nitrogen for the spring. Easy to get and inexpensive.

9/16/2007 7:26:22 PM

Fairport,NY

So If you plant your cover crop in the Fall when should you till it under in the fall or in the spring? say you have a really wet spring and you can't till it in early enough before planting? can you till it under the same week you plant your seedlings in the ground?
i'm contemplating buckwheat but am confussed about when to till it under? again fall or spring? someone posted that buckwheat dies off after the first frost and another person posted that you need to till your cover while its still green that would seem to imply that the buckwheat should be allowed to germinate and then tilled in immediately before a killing frost in the fall?

9/16/2007 7:52:53 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

buckwheat should be tilled in the fall and spring. buckwheat will not last throught the winter. if you did not want to till it in the fall just let it die off on its own and it will decompose throughout the winter

9/16/2007 9:30:07 PM

[email protected]

I fear that by the time most of the fall amendments are in it will be too late for buckwheat or alfalfa.

Winter Rye should be sown at 60-120 lbs per ACRE so like Ray said, 5 lbs per 1000 is still high. Each 1000 sq ft should feel 3 lbs of seed.

Clubs or clusters of growers should consider buying & splitting a single bushel bag (56 lbs) which will easily cover a half acre (22,000 sf).

If your winter rye ends up looking like a lawn then you're using too much & summer root diseases may be in your future.

9/16/2007 11:59:59 PM

No Place Special

Glad I read this post, i think I have been guilty of over doing the cover crop then. My winter rye usually looks like lawn. Can buckwheat be over planted as well?

9/17/2007 1:34:31 AM

Mastic Beach, New York

LOL..im guilty also! I"m a PUMPKIN GROWER,MORE IS BETTER! now i know why my tiller just skips along the top,with all that root mass.

9/17/2007 5:29:00 PM