2022 Fall Farm Outlook

Page 30 2022 Fall Farm Outlook Lincoln Daily News Oct 2022 and winter pea support water filtration.” In “Consider Cover Crops this Fall,” Nick Frillman says, “[utilize] common cover crop seed for fall and winter including oats, field pea, hairy vetch, various kinds of clover, winter kale, winter rye, and more. If you are worried as you have never done this before or new to cover cropping; a field pea and oats mix is a sturdy, reliable pair of plants to start with.” A U of I Extension article“Let plants do the work, it's time to plant fall cover crops”says the combination of oats and field peas “offer high rates of success regardless of a farm’s experience with cover crops. Both oats and field pea are quick to germinate in most soil conditions and grow quickly to establish a living mat of organic matter that suppresses weeds.” In cornfields, winter cereal rye can be a good cover crop to plant in the late fall because it can survive winter, grow in a variety of soils and fight weeds. Letting cover crops die For cover crops to be beneficial to the soil, it is best to choose ones that die on their own like Daikon radishes. When the radishes die off, it helps soften the soil. Cover crops like oats may die from the cold temperatures. However, the dead oats still protect the soil. There are additional benefits from allowing cover crops to die naturally. Frillman says, “cold season cover crops like hairy vetch and winter rye will grow in the fall, die back to the CONTINUED --