Have You Considered Frost Seeding? by Don Baune      Now is a perfect time to think about dormant seeding your pastures with a legume. Dormant seeding, or frost seeding, is accomplished by broadcasting seed across the frozen ground. The natural heaving of the soils in the winter works the seed…

So, you have gotten the perfect mixture to fulfill your needs, getting the seed loaded in the drill then, thought hits you that drill has no cover crop setting. Hopefully this information helps mitigate the scenario of running out of seed with 10% of your acres to go. Nobody wants…

Termination Timing of application is critical for contact and systemic chemicals alike: Only spray when plants are actively growing. Late morning through mid-afternoon is ideal to allow enough time for systemic chemicals to be absorbed. Utilize a surfactant to help chemicals stick to plant leaf surfaces. Always read the label…

Should You Fertilize? Goals and growing conditions will determine fertility requirements. If a crop is poor due to drought, flooding hail, etc. cover crops will scavenge and utilize residual nutrients in the soil. If covers are following a high-yield crop where few residual nutrients can be found, some extra fertility…

Herbicide Carryover Herbicide carryover is often a topic of concern when it comes to cover cropping. The best producers are able to successfully use herbicides and covers together. Following these basic rules will help you succeed in this area: Read your label. Every chemical has recommended withdrawal period for various…

With the rapid spread of herbicide-resistant weeds, it has become increasingly difficult to control weeds in no-till systems and many people are considering going back to tillage. Before taking this drastic step, consider enlisting cover crops as an ally against weeds. Cover crops can provide weed control benefits through three…

If you are committed to quantifying how your cover crop performed, taking biomass samples is a critical next level step. This takes your visual observations or feelings and puts some numbers behind it. Before you take these samples, determine what you want to learn from your test. There are essentially…

Biotesting Information (PLFA) Lance Gunderson, Ward Laboratories Inc. Soil is a complex ecosystem that provides a habitat for an endless array of micro and some macro-organisms. These include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms, etc. These organisms are responsible for much of the nutrient cycling that takes place in the soil….

Cover crops seeded into or after fall-harvested crops can be beneficial for the soil, but can present challenges for seeding the covers. Fall mixtures vary greatly depending on your goals, planting method, and timing. Here are some basic guidelines to follow: Planting 4-5 weeks prior to first frost You can…

Late spring and early summer plantings are commonly utilized as a forage source for livestock when summer heat begins to reduce cool season grass forage production. These mixes can also be used on prevented planting acres to add biological diversity, suppress weeds, produce nitro-gen, and cycle nutrients during the prevented…