It’s March, the snow is melting and the ground is frozen so we know what that means! Now is a good time to be considering or thinking about frost seeding some red clover into those winter wheat stands! While we can’t control all the factors that influence the success of our red clover stands in […]
Dr. Dave Hooker and his colleagues have been curious about the value of integrating cover crops into a farming operation in the long term. These questions have remained unanswered by numerous short-term trials they had been conducting, which led them to establish a new trial. As it can take time for a cropping system to […]
There are a variety of agricultural research trials in the province, but one that stands out from the rest is the long-term cover crop trial set up by Dr. Laura Van Eerd in Ridgetown, Ontario. This trial was established in 2007 and has had consistent cover crop treatments within a processing vegetable-grain crop rotation on […]
In the video series below, we provide an overview of roller crimping rye for organic no-till soybean production. We give an overview of the system and profile the experiences of two Ontario farmers. To learn about the on-farm trial results, click here. A detailed project report can be found here. While there are many benefits […]
By Ian McDonald, OMAFRA with valued contribution from Lawrence Hogan and Steve Howard with thanks. These two brothers have set a lofty goal for their farm west of Lucknow. Maximize their soils health and protection which in turn will optimize the farm economics and reduce its environmental footprint. To achieve their goal they have set […]
Jake Munroe, Mike Cowbrough and Sebastian Belliard (OMAFRA) Cereal rye (Secale cereale) has several strengths as a cover crop option. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to kill. Rye improves soil structure, builds organic matter and helps protect against water and wind erosion. It can suppress weeds as discussed here (see Figure 1). It’s also very […]
For unseeded fields, the key benefits of cover crops are weed suppression, soil protection from sun and rain, and building organic matter. They can also be source of forage and bedding. When selecting a cover crop consider the cropping system needs, herbicide or fertilizer previously applied and resources that are readily available. For example, carrying […]
This article discusses cereal rye cover crop management in the spring prior to planting soybeans. For the most up-to-date information on this project, click below: Organic no-till soybean production: making it work in Ontario When should I spray my cereal rye cover crop before soybeans? Achieving sufficient biomass from cover crops is essential to reaping […]
Feature Image Photo Credit: Doug Rogers. We all know about the many benefits that cover crops can provide, from erosion control to forage production and overall increased soil health. But there are limited opportunities to establish cover crops in typical Ontario field crop rotations. There is simply not enough time, temperature, or sunlight to get […]
Go here for the updated version of this article. Cereal rye has several strengths as a cover crop option. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to kill. Rye improves soil structure, builds organic matter and helps protect against water and wind erosion. It also competes with weeds, as Mike Cowbrough has written here (see Figure 1). […]
With fall now officially here, thoughts are turning to harvest. And with each acre harvested, there is potential for a cover crop to be seeded. At this point in the season, the main cover crop option left is cereal rye. Not to be confused with annual ryegrass, rye is a cereal that is competitive, winter […]
Red Clover is known to have many benefits in crop rotations both for soil health and fixing nitrogen for the following crop. Long-term rotation trials by Drs. Hooker and Deen, University of Guelph, have shown significantly improved yields to both the corn and soybean crop from the inclusion of wheat in rotation and the added […]
Cover crops are well proven to help reduce soil erosion and improve soil structure. They can also have nutrient benefits. Whether you have been growing cover crops for decades or are just getting started, it is helpful to know what specific cover crops can (and cannot) do from a soil fertility standpoint. There are three […]
Hosted by OMAFRA & Ridgetown Campus – University of Guelph Wednesday September 14th, 2016 Gosnell Line and Ridgetown Campus • No cost • No preregistration required Join the plot tour either in the afternoon or evening Join us to celebrate and examine what has been learned from, 9 years of Continuous Cover Crop in Rotation […]