Breaking Down the Benefits of Seeding Cover Crops in Early Spring

Frost seeding legumes and spring cereals can work very well according to University of Missouri agronomist Rob Myers. And as Rob tells us here in the Cover Crop Connection, if you want to wait a little bit longer and plant your covers in April, that’s perfectly fine, too.

“Frost seeding when the snow is on the ground, or we’ve got some moisture even if there is no snow, can be something to think about. The other option for spring seeding is I’ve had good success with a grain drill as soon as the conditions allow. Where I’m at, in Missouri, that’s often the last week of March or first week of April. If you’re farther south you could be going earlier in March, if you’re further north you might be a little more into April, but I’ve had really good success with spring seeding of crimson clover, Austrian winter peas, hairy vetch, oats. There’s really a variety of things that can be spring seeded and still give us some benefits for weed control, nitrogen fixation and providing soil protection since spring is usually are most erosive period in terms of soil erosion.”

Check out the latest episode of the Cover Crop Strategies podcast for more spring management tips from Rob Myers.

Watch the full version of this episode of Conservation Ag Update.