If soils are too acidic, phosphorus reacts with iron and aluminum, making it unavailable to plants. But if soils are too alkaline, phosphorus reacts with calcium and also becomes inaccessible. However, liming can influence other ways by which phosphorus might become available to plants.

In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Calmer Corn Heads, we welcome Damon Reabe, aerial cover crop applicator and co-owner of Dairyland Aviation from Waupun, Wis., to explain the necessary steps to ensure a successful cover crop stand, including the best timing of application and what soils have the greatest success rate.

Passage of a unique concept that got Congressional consideration during the writing of the 2018 Farm Bill could put more dollars in the pockets of no-tillers. It’s an idea that farmers who use no-till, cover crops and conservation-minded crop rotations to protect the soil should be rewarded with an equivalent of auto insurance’s “good driver discount” when it comes to paying crop insurance premiums.

Check out the latest biologicals and crop enhancers from some of the industry's leading suppliers.

Bred in New Zealand specifically for cover crop and soil health purposes, Smart Radish promises higher tillering and more biomass below ground, the company says.

Herington, Kan., farmer Shawn Tiffany shares how he and his brother, Shane, are utilizing cover crops for high-quality feed and improving soil health at the 32,000-head Tiffany Cattle Co. The operation is primarily a custom cattle-finishing facility that also includes a 1,200-acre farm where corn, winter wheat, silage sorghum and soybeans are no-tilled. Various cover crops are sometimes harvested as a second crop.