Cornell Cover Crops

Thomas Björkman, Cornell Horticulture
Covercrop success: Fast Start, No Gaps, Kill on Time.
@[email protected]
@cornellcovercrops.bsky.social

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Seaman Knapp was an Extension agent (the first Extension agent!) here in the Finger Lakes of New York. I did cover crop field days on his grandson's farm.

[NIFA @USDA_NIFA]

Each year, NIFA joins @APLU_News to sponsor a lecture presented at the APLU Annual Meeting honoring historical figures who shaped the Land-grant University System.

This year, nominations are open to honor Seaman A. Knapp. Submit nominations by June 5: https://t.co/FXy5wivJN5

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

#Covercrop stands must have #nogaps. How big is a gap? For small grains 11 cm can do the job, 22 cm is a gap. For wheat, "narrow row spacing of 11 cm enhanced crop competitiveness and effectively suppressed R. raphanistrum" over winter in Faisalabad.
https://t.co/MRHzakATBM

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

@NatureRevMicro For crop production, the goal is to have just a single plant species in a field. That is the optimum. What is the optimum soil microbial diversity? It is more than one, but likely to be far less than the maximum.

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Labor efficiency is a high priority on vegetable farms worldwide. It takes different forms in different places. Cover crop practices require high labor efficiency as well, and we could use research to find improvements.

[China Now @ChinaNow24]

In China… smart farming blends simplicity with technology 👨‍🌾
Farmers plant vegetable seedlings while sitting, using locally made tools designed to fit their needs — a scene that reflects years of hard-earned experience and an innovative adaptation to the land and agricultural conditions.

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

@auren Make sure the students are getting an actual college education, not just a piece of paper. The credential is worth nothing without the education it is supposed to represent.

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Herbicide: Susceptibility depends on both temperature and growth stage. Time application when both are correct.
Don't miss a spot! 10/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Winter kill: Young plants like Crucifer rosettes are much hardier than older ones that started to bolt or bulb in the fall. Check for runts that survived winter.    9/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Cultivation or shallow tillage: Separate roots from shoots or roots from soil     8/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Roller crimping: make sure there is enough biomass and that the stems are brittle. No immature tillers.    7/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Mow killing: make sure all potential growing points are higher than the mower blade. Early flowering is often best,    6/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Terminate when plants will kill completely
Chose an effective method for the species, growth stage and season.   5/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Always terminate before there is a risk of seed production. Watch mixes closely, any component can become an unwelcome volunteer. 4/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
To minimize tillage and speed soil warming in spring, terminate just after green-up. 3/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
Wheat, triticale and rye are at very different stages. At these stages,terminating wheat gives an N credit, rye a big deficit. 2/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Third key to cover crop success: Kill On Time
It is time for winter cover crop termination. The right time depends a great deal on management goals.
Here is a series of tweets on getting that right. 1/10

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

@KamounLab So many greenhouse experiments used to be done in steamed field soil. What conditions can those results be generalized to?

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

@LucasAHaag @clintwfischer Daughters might be very tempted to sell their share to an investment firm in order to have unrestricted cash now. That is a very common transaction for any payouts over time like annuities, lottery jackpots and court settlements.

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

What caused gaps in winter cover crops you are terminating now?
What used to cause gaps, but you have fixed?

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Second key to cover crop success: No Gaps
Broadcasting is common, but takes a lot of care. Do overlapping passes, and cover the field twice at different angles
Follow broadcasting with something that presses in the seed to get seed-soil contact.

[Cornell Cover Crops @CropsCover]

Second key to cover crop success: No Gaps
Prepare the field so that the planter will not skip.
Use a planter that can handle stones, crop residue, crusting or others impediments to accurate placement.
Adjust the planter so that the seed furrow closes​ consistently and completely.