There are so many different ways to seed cover crops, it can be challenging for growers to choose which one will best suit their operation’s needs and be most effective at establishing the cover. There are pros and cons and costs to each approach, which can make it all the more difficult to figure out which one will work best for your acres.

We talked to 3 no-tillers who have used various methods for getting their cover crops in the ground to find out what’s worked for them, and what obstacles they’ve had along the way. David Kruger of Twin Brooks, S.D., says interseeding cover crops works best for him. Trent Sanderson of Clare, Ill. favors broadcasting for quick and easy results, while Genessee, Idaho, no-tiller Clint Zenner prefers the precision of drilling his cover crops.

David Kruger: I live in northeast South Dakota along the Coteau Hills. I began working for a neighbor as a freshman in high school and began farming a few acres of my grandfather’s farm in 1987. I was first introduced to the concept of no-till when I attended Lake Area Technical College in Watertown, S.D.

I slowly grew my acreage and continued to work for my neighbor, no-tilling my first field…