On Mon, 05 May 2003 10:08:52 -0400, Pat Meadows
wrote:



About cover crops ...

I'll inevitably have a some sections of my raised beds
empty now and then, in-between spring and fall crops
especially.

I'd like to use a cover crop in summer, and again in late
fall and through the winter.

Turning the cover crops under would need to be done with
hand tools, but I'd be doing only a small area at one
time.

From what I've read, buckwheat is a good cover crop for
summer, and annual rye for winter. I can buy them very
cheaply at local farm supply stores.

Does anyone have experience with these? Unforeseen problems
to warn me about? Other recommendations?

Thanks.

Pat

I had to have our old veggie garden torn out because it was filled
with very narrow concrete paths and was lower than the surrounding
soil, which caused flooding every time it rained heavily, which is far
too often here in south Louisiana. The machine used to remove the
concrete also removed all of the improved soil, so I was left with a
pit of very poor subsoil. I had three large dump truck loads brought
in of what is sold here as top soil, but is really just common nasty
dirt filled with weed seeds. The area wound up about the same level as
the surrounding ground, but I also dug a ditch all around to prevent
flooding. I couldn't do any more work in the garden area the first
year, so it became covered in weeds, many taller than I am. After I
pulled and composted all of the weeds, I spread ground limestone and
gypsum (our native soil is almost totally lacking in calcium and is
acidic) and a starter fertilizer and sowed Annual Rye at the highest
recommended rate. It grew very well through the winter, and I tilled
it in in early spring. At that point I had other things to do and
couldn't continue working in the garden for a month or so. I expected
it all to turn into weed heaven, so when nothing sprouted I was very
surprised. It turns out (according to the LSU AgCenter) that AR is an
allelopath that produces a seed-sprouting inhibitor. The tilled and
uncovered garden remained almost entirely weed free, except for a few
perennials that grew from root pieces.

After more tilling and raking and shovelling I now have half of the 25
by 30 feet area worked into raised beds, which I am gradually
enriching with screened compost. Because of AR's reputation as an
allelopath I've been reluctant to sow seeds directly, so most of what
I plan to put in the garden I've started indoors, but I need to get
some snap beans planted so I'll just have to risk their not sprouting.
LSU's AgCenter doesn't say how long the sprouting inhibitor lasts. I
guess I'll just have to find out on my own.

The AR and calcium sources (and fertilizer) have done a great job of
improving the dirt, but it will be some time before it can properly be
called soil. I'm gradually working lots of (cold) screened compost
into the beds, which will eventually result in really good
vegetable-growing soil, but its lots of hard work (all by hand,
including the screening) and goes slowly.

I've left half of the garden flat and unditched and bedded (but like
the rest of the garden covered with mulch), and plan to sow it in a
cover crop, probably buckwheat if I can find it locally. I agree that
it sounds like the best cover for summer.

As for problems with Annual Rye, besides the sprouting inhibition, I
have it coming up throughout the yard, apparently tracked there by my
shoes. That eventually won't be a problem because our summer heat will
kill it (I know from having overseeded lawns for winter in the past),
but I've read that in some areas of California AR has established
itself in the wild and is displacing native plants. It may perform
similarly elsewhere as well, but I couldn't find anything about that
on the Net.

I doubt you'll have much trouble turning AR under by hand,
particularly if you can cut it back to stubble before you do. I was
able to mow mine several times, but once the ground was too wet to
support the mower so I used a string trimmer, which worked quite well.
Some (very few) of the clumps of stubble still appear almost whole
when I fork in the compost, but all of the leaves have broken down
without a trace remaining - in fact it took only two or three weeks
for them to disappear.

One last point - LSU recommends trying marigolds and other summer
flowering 'annuals' broadcast in open areas of beds as a cover crop. I
can buy marigold seed in bulk locally, so I might try that if I need a
living cover within the beds. It supposedly helps to suppress
nematodes, although I don't know it they are a problem here yet.

Best wishes,
Harold

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