Cover Crop Product Guide - Kelly Seed & Hardware Co

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INCREASING THE VALUE OF YOUR LAND

Conservation Science Genetics™ is a progressive cover crop program developed to benefit growers by providing species and mixes that improve soil tilth, increase crop yields, break disease & pest cycles, reduce soil erosion, increase water infiltration and recycle valuable nutrients

Cover Crop Benefits

Weed Control – Seeding at higher rates or by selecting species like brassicas or triticale with dense leaf canopies with help suppress weeds.
Reduce Compaction – Radishes create polit holes to promote water infiltration and better root penetration while annual ryegrass and hairy vetch simply shatter the soil layers with their height density.
Nitrogen Fixation – Hairy Vetch, Crimson Clover and Austrian Winter Peas can produce up to 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre by spring when planted in late summer.
Nematode Control – Many brassicas are natural bio fumigants with studies showing decreased nematode populations.
Organic Matter – All cover crop species produce significant amounts of biomass that can be worked back into the soil to increase organic matter
Erosion Control – Species with quick germination and excellent ground cover such as ryegrass and brassicas will help eliminate erosion issues.

Straight Cover Crop Products

Eco-Till Radish

Superior, deep penetrating taproot
Reduces soil compaction
Builds organic matter
Improves nutrient recycling
Enhances soil tilth

DH-3 Annual Ryegrass

Breaks up natural and manmade hardpans
Deep root penetration
Captures and keeps nitrogen and phosphorus in the plant
Cold tolerant

Fria Annual Ryegrass

Breaks up natural and manmade hardpans
Deep root penetration
Captures and keeps nitrogen and phosphorus in the plant
Winterhardy

Purple Bounty Hairy Vetch

Ability to fix large quantities of nitrogen
Excellent cover crop which produces high biomass
Winterhardy

Cover Crop Mixes

Custom Cover Crop Mixes Also Available

CSG 100 Mix - 10-15 lbs. per acre

Eco-Till Radish 35%

Fria Annual Ryegrass 65%

Improves soil permeability for increased air and water penetration: reduces soil compaction, break up hardpans & increases root development potential of the following crop.
Recycles nutrients that would have been lost to leaching or runoff.
Holds surface soil in place.
Fast establishment.
General purpose soil improvement which can benefit any following crop and improve the soil.

CSG 300 Mix- 15-20 lbs. per acre

Eco-Till Radish 19%

Crimson Clover 50%

Fria Annual Ryegrass 31%

Rapid establishment to prevent wind and water erosion.
Improves soil permeability for increased air and water penetration: reduces soil compaction, breaks up hardpans & increases root development potential of the following crop.
Recycles nutrients that would have been lost to leaching or runoff.
Fixes significant atmospheric nitrogen for increased soil nitrogen levels.
Best used prior to corn, wheat or the crop requiring significant nitrogen inputs.

CSG 200 Mix - 25-30 lbs. per acre

Eco-Till Radish 15%

Triticale 85%

Rapid establishment to prevent wind and water erosion.
Improves soil permeability for increased air and water penetration: reduces soil compaction, break up hardpans & increases root development potential of the following crop.
Improves organic matter: carbon sequestration.
Recycles nutrients that would have been lost to leaching or runoff.
Best for use after high nutrient input crops or before legume crops.

CSG 400 Mix- 10-15 lbs. per acre

Eco-Till Radish 30%

Crimson Clover 70%

Recycles nutrients that would have been lost to leaching or runoff.
Improves soil permeability for increased air and water penetration: reduces soil compaction, breaks up hardpans & increases root development potential of the following crop.
Fixes significant atmospheric nitrogen for increased soil nitrogen levels.
Improves soil organic matter.
Widely adapted mix where soil erosion is an issue.

Daikon Radish

Eco-Till radish is a true variety that ensures consistency and produces more root mass than turnips or mustards. This extra large root system allows Eco-Till to pull nitrogen and other nutrients from deep within the soil and bring them back to the surface. Upon decomposition, the nitrogen and other nutrients become available to the next crop. Eco-Till radish reduces soil compaction, increases soil organic matter, improves soil tilth and also enhance soil aeration.

Annual Ryegrass

DH-3 diploid annual ryegrass was developed for quick establishment, excellent crown rust resistance, frost tolerance and high forage yield. DH-3 exhibits excellent seedling vigor and medium maturity, allowing consistency in forage yield throughout the season with good transition back into warn-season forage grasses further south. Fria is a late maturing, widely adapted diploid annual ryegrass with exceptional cold tolerance. Other benefits include improved disease resistance to crown rust, gray leaf spot resistance to crown rust, gray leaf spot resistance, helminthousporium leaf spot resistance, excellent root penetration and erosion control.

Hairy Vetch

Purple Bounty is a winterhardy, early maturing hairy vetch variety developed for high nitrogen fixation (up to 1/2 of a subsequent crop,s subsequent crop,s nitrogen requirement), increased biomass for a thicker mulch and earlier flowering for more flexibility in planting succeeding crop. Hairy vetch forms ground cover slowly in the fall, but root development continues throughout the winter with substantial biomass production in the spring. For best results, Purple Bounty should be in full bloom to allow for peak nitrogen contribution and to mow, roll or spray for maximum vetch kill, Spring oats or winter grains can also be planted with purple bounty to act as a protective cover for improved winter survival and increased erosion control. Purple Bounty is an excellent cover crop for nitrogen fixation, erosion control, biomass and weed suppression.excellent root penetration and erosion control.

Crimson Clover

Crimson Clover has erect stems, grows quickly and has larger seeds than the more commonly used red clover. Crimson clover,s primary advantages are rapid growth during cool weather, shade tolerance, nitrogen fixation and good reseeding potential. Crimson clover can be planted early in the spring or fall for weed control, overseededd in corn at second cultivation or in soybeans at leaf drop. Because of its shade tolerance and reseeding potential, crimson cclover is also effective as a living ground cover in orchards. Crrimson clover has been used effectively to suppress wees when plantedd in the early fall following a short-season crop such as potatoes, snap beans, vegetables or following winter wheat. Planning with a grass such as oats, which is also fast -growing, gives additional weed control in these situations.

Austrian Winter Peas

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season, annual legume with good nitrogen-fixing capabilities, Austrian winter peas are a low-growing, viney legume which has been shown to fix over 200 poundds of nitrogen per acre per year under good confitions. it has hollow, slender and succulent stems, 2 to 4 feet long. The foliage is pale green, and the flowers are colored, usually purple, pink ir reddish. the leaf consosts if ine to three pairs of leaflets and terminal branched tendrils. Pods are 1.5 to 2.5 inches long with three to five round, dark-coloredd seeds. Sees color is commonly gray withpurple or brown mottles.

Berseem Clover

Berseem clover is an annual non bloating legume that resembles alfalfa in appearance and can be used as a cover crop, pasture or hay. Berseem clover is not winterhardy but can create significant biomass and fixate large amounts of nitrogen due to its rapid establishment and fast growth (1.5 times that of alfalfa). An excellent choice for erosion control and weed suppression especially when plantedd with oats.

Triticale

Tricale is a hydrid small grain createdd originally by crossing wheat and rye. The name ‘triticale’ is derived from the combined scientific names of the two crop species wheat and rye. The versatility that triticale offers as a grain, a forage, for straw and as a cover crop adds to the economic viability that sustains the interest in this crop.

Oats

Oats are very versatile as they can be planted during various times of the season and used as an excellent cover and forage crop. Oats work well alone, but especially well in mixes with radishes, turnips, berseem clover, crimson clover and Austrian winter peas. Oats peform well for erosion control and are very good nutrient scaverngers. Oats (and mixes with radishes or trunips) work very well for manure nutrient management.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat, when used as a cover crop, can reduce both the emergence and growth of weeds, thereby presenting an easy and economical alternative to herbicides. Buckwheat is a short-duration broadleaved annual species which provides very effective weed suppression due to its rapid early growth that establishes a canopy faster than most weeds.

Cereal Rye

Cereal Rye is a fall planted, winterhardly species with deep root penetration. The extensive root system enables cereal rye to capture high levels of nitrogen and other nutrients from the soil and redduces soil compaction issues. Cereal rye has the added benefit of late fall and early spring granzing as well as spring sillage or hay.

Phacelia

Phacelia is a plant that is native to the united states, but was adopted and improved by europeans for use as a cover crop. Phacelia is quick to establish and will winterkill at 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Phacelia is an excellent source of high quality nectar and pollen which which increase the population and diversity of beneficial insects. Phacelia will begin to flower 6-8 weeks after emergance and will continue to flower for 4-6 weeks. Phacelia is comparable to buckwheat im ,amu ways, but is more tolerant to cold and drought. Phacelian can also be used for forage, as a green manure crop, nematode control and a nitrogen trap crop.

Sunn Hemp

sunn Hemp is a tropical lengume that acts like a summer annual in the united states and is an excellent choice for increasing organic matter, nitrogen fixation, nematods suppression and weed control. Sunn hemp, (seed inoculation requiredd) can produce over 5,000 pounds of biomass and over 100 pounds of nitrogen per acrre in 8 to 12 weeks of frost free growth conditions. it is recommended that sunn hemp be mowed back to 12-18 inches high when it reaches 6 feet tall to allow the residue to break down faster. A killing frost will eliminate sunn hemp.

COVER CROP CHARACTERISTICS

FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSE

DAIKON RADISH

BRASS-ICAS

BUCK-WHEAT

WINTER PEAS

CEREAL RYE

ANNUAL RYEGRASS

OATS

TRITICALE

CRIMSON CLOVER

HAIRY VETCH

PHACELIA

SUNN HEMP

BERSEEM CLOVER

ORGANIC MATTER

NITROGEN FIXATION

NUTRIENT RECAPTURE

REQUIRES NO HERBICIDE TO KILL

REDUCE SOIL COMPACTION

QUICK FORAGE / GRAZE

DROUGHTY SOILS

HAY CROP

WEED CONTROL

ENHANCE NO TILL

PREVENT SOIL EROSION

TOLERATE WET SOILS

COLD TOLERANT

NURSE CROP

BROADCAST SEEDING

NEMATODE CONTROL

SEEDING RATE ALONE

8-15#/A

2-8#/A

50-60#/A

40-50#/A

90-120#/A

30-40#/A

64-120#/A

90-120#/A

20-30#/A

7-18#/A

15#/A

10-20#/A

SEEDING RATE IN MIX

2-7#/A

2-6#/A

20-30#/A

60-90#/A

6-10#/A

60-90#/A

5-8#/A

5-9#/A

3-10#/A

12-15#/A

SEEDING DEPTH

1/4”-1/2”

1/2”-1”

1”-2”

1/4”-1/2”

1”-2”

1/4”-1/2”

1”

1/4”

1/2-1”

1/4”-1/2”