De Forest, WI | Jke - 1/25/2024 22:42
Full disclosure. I think covers are a waste unless it’s for erosion control or livestock feed.
Anything else is a waste.
Most guys that see any response at all are actually being fooled. Usually the response they see comes from one or two things. First being that covers force them to engage in notill. And over time that benefit is real but covers take the credit. And number 2 is most guys spread their cover with fert spreader and usually need some K or P or both as a carry. These guys usually are the guys that never spread P or K ahead of beans. Again a yield bump that was from the fert not the rye
Fairly large study came out not to long ago that basically said all things equal covers lose you money.
Sorry but IMO covers are like EVs. A fad that is dieing.
Depends what you are trying to do with them. Cereal Rye after beans will soak up all that extra N and hold it. I love it after beans. Terminate it at boot the next year by cut and bale, mouldboard plow, disc and then plant winter squash. Then back to cereal rye after the swuash to soak up remaining N. This is usually taken to grain the next year and then fallow in the winter. Corn the next year followed by cereal rye in the fall, then into tomatoes/peppers the next year. Cereal rye is excellent at soaking up the extra nutrients and holding them. |
Value of Rye Cover With Soybeans
