The No. 1 question Scott Wohltman gets asked by growers using cover crops is: How much nitrogen (N) am I getting from cover crops, and when will it be available?

Cover crops have been touted for feeding soil biological life, halting erosion and promoting an overall healthy, sustainable no-till system. But in some situations, with the right species, cover crops can help resolve additional challenges no-tillers are looking to fix.

If you asked 1,000 people what part of the plant is responsible for uptake of moisture and nutrients, 999 would say it’s the roots, says Larry Simpson, director of education and training for Mycorrhizal Applications in Grants Pass, Ore.

First commercialized in 1898, nitrogen-fixing inoculants are the oldest crop input product still on the market today.