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Deer Park, WI

Here's a little dilema- In the past i have choosen to add copious amounts of leaves in the fall, till them in, and let the patch sit till spring. This year, i decided to sow a cover crop, which means i wont be able to till in the leaves like i had done in the past. Which approach do you prefer, and why? I'd like to weigh the pros and cons of each and determine which may be better suited for my patch.

10/12/2004 9:02:02 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Another great thought provoking question...Soil conditions are always in flux from OM to nitrogen fixing. I have added way to much mulch in the last two years and consequently I am trying to get the nitrogen levels back. If I had a better balance and OM wasn't so extreme I would do them both. Take my soil sample and send it to the test lab....then add the compost and mulch tilling it in and adding the Winter rye and vetch. With that done should be able to spread any amendments that are recommended from the test lab...I know my OM is way off so I gotta get it down and the only way of doing that is to get more nitrogen in to convert it. I'm actually pulling leaf debris and exchanging with Clay!!! LOL...I might just start throwing rocks in to make me feel better!

10/12/2004 11:23:50 AM

Utah

Joe-
I'd pick the OM/leaves over the cover crop. ... because I think most of us have enough N in our patches come spring,
especially if you've added some manure with the leaves... Extra N is what the cover crop would bring right? and some OM..
I think add OM- leaves and manure is easier than dealing with a cover crop that may or may not grow well... and if it does well ... then you have to mow it or other wise keep it from going to seed... seeds which will be weeds during the season.
anyway those are my thoughts...
gordon

10/12/2004 12:31:11 PM

Rexburg, Idaho (brianchristensenmd@gmail.com )

If I plant a cover crop later then August 15th it doesn't produce enough to make it worth my while. Granted you may be warmer then I am here in the mountains but I doubt that you have enough time to make a huge growth with the cover crop. Go with the leaves, mulch. Now if you are rotating patches and can start earlier in the season I would go with cover crops and still add organic matter in the late fall.

10/12/2004 5:12:11 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Git, Some Non-Legume Broadleave cover crops provide more than N. I am looking for a crop that can provide phos. to build young spring time roots.

http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/crops/facts/cover_crops01/cover_types.htm

Russ L.

10/12/2004 8:08:26 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

A good cover crop will send roots done and pull up nutrients far deeper than any tiller or plow can reach. It also provides a lot of organic matter. Its not the green parts that make up most of it. It is the root matter. For Phosporous and Calcium you need to plant Buckwheat in the summer.

10/14/2004 9:12:27 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Another quick thought...after applying all your compost and manure which is ladened with bacillus subtillus...wouldn't it be good to have the roots from a cover crop there to keep these little suckers happy?

10/14/2004 10:37:15 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hmmmm....Chucky!....If subtillis CAN innoculate the cover crop then it would. We need more data. Some cover crops might not be a suitable host. Good question.

10/14/2004 11:11:57 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Both of these things may be possible guys. We are talking about promoting maximum root growth here fellas. I think we are going to find that cover crop supplements are an integral part of the plan. It may be important to rotate a patch each year into cover crops. This is what Alan is doing. Naturally feeding his very finely tuned soil.

10/14/2004 6:11:56 PM

Roanoke Il

joze grow the cover crop in the fall compost the leaves then ad in the spring both of 2 worlds best of luck bud

10/22/2004 6:30:23 AM

Mn

If the leaves have gone threw a lawn mower, add both. Make sure the cover crop is well established before adding.

10/22/2004 4:44:25 PM