With Canada’s National Soil Conservation Week underway (April 20-26, 2026), now is an ideal time to take stock of your soil before planting begins. How did your fields handle the spring melt? Did they stand up to the heavy rains earlier this month? One of the best tools you have is your own observation. Get […]
Wind erosion can cause significant soil loss. This fall, consider how your residue management and tillage practices can help reduce risk of erosion by wind over the winter and into next spring. […]
Soil health is described as the soil’s capacity to support crop growth without becoming degraded or otherwise harming the environment. Physical, chemical and biological indicators can help determine relative soil health. Physical indicators include aggregate stability, available water holding capacity, soil structure and soil compaction. Chemical indicators include soil pH, and soil nutrient content. Biological […]
Cereal rye (Secale cereale), also known as winter rye or rye – and not to be confused with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) – is a hardy winter cereal that can be established later in the growing season than any other cover crop (Figure 1). It begins growing earlier in spring than other species and has […]
Red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) is a short-lived perennial legume with a long history of use as a green manure in Ontario. It establishes best when underseeded in a small grain crop (Figure 1), and Ontario research has found it to supply up a substantial nitrogen credit to its subsequent crop. Beyond its nitrogen fixation benefits, […]
Oats are a cool season cereal commonly grown as a cover crop either on their own (Figure 1) or as the base of mixtures. They establish quickly, grow rapidly, and typically die over winter. Oats provide benefits in terms of weed suppression, soil structure improvement, and as a harvested or grazed forage. They perform well […]
Learn how cover crops help to maintain soil quality and crop productivity. Introduction Cover crops play an important role in maintaining soil quality and productivity on Ontario farms. Traditionally, they have been associated with reducing soil erosion and adding organic matter to the soil. Indeed, they are very strong in these categories: according to the […]