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Wet weather throws wrench into cover crop plans

An extension crops educator says wet weather has put a wrench in fall cover crop plans.

Liz Stahl is with the University of Minnesota.

“If a person had planned to try to seed a cover crop after soybean harvest for example, most people don’t even have the soybeans off yet and conditions aren’t dry enough to get out there.”

She tells Brownfield the window for getting cover crops seeded is closing at a time when most farmers are still trying to finish harvest.

“And if you look at the Midwest Cover Crop Decision tool, they’re recommending to seed winter cereal rye for example, up until about the last two weeks of October.  So are you going to be able get the soybeans off in time?”

For cover crops already in the ground, Stahl says moisture should not be much of a limiting factor for good establishment.