Cover Crops and Moisture Usage

Keith Berns, co-founder of Green Cover explains how Green Cover got started, and answers the key question: Won't cover crops use up all of my moisture?
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[@MontanaRegenerativeFarmer]

I’m finding this information very true on our experiments with covers. My opinion is the living roots help the soil infiltrate more water when we get rain and the crop shades the ground preventing evaporation. Covers are making a noticeable difference in our dry climate. We are also not spraying fallow twice a year saving more money.

[@jvin248]

My experiments with Winter Rye cover and unseasonable six weeks with no spring rain: where disked rye in as cover crop the soil was like powder, where the rye was terminated and then crops planted was like powder. Where rye was left standing to plant main crop in the standing rye there was moisture wicked to the sub-surface by the rye then crimp-terminated the rye into ground cover kept moisture present plus reduced compaction when it finally did rain. Weeds are growing like crazy where the rye had been disked in, the early terminated rye has decomposed and allowed weeds to get running faster than the crops, but where late termination was used the main crop is ahead of weed pressure. This fall I'm expanding more species in the winter rye plantings that I'm continuing to use now. As one astute grower said, let some of the weeds be free cover crop diversity. I've found that can work outside of grasses, grass is tough on main crops.

[@keithberns910]

Good to hear and yes, the value of cover to moisture cycling and retention is huge! Thanks for sharing and hope things grow well for you this summer!

[@DCR2301]

We farners are Eagerly waiting for you guys to start your good work in India soon Sir

[@David-kd5mf]

Are there not seed growers in India?

[@DCR2301]

@@David-kd5mf brassicas and many other varieties are not available easily and awareness about cover crops and their importance is almost nill and there is huge market in fallow season

[@David-kd5mf]

@DCR2301 I would think there would be some way to get a bulk shipment of seed sent to India and for a seed shop to open selling green cover seeds. But I don't know much of anything about international shipping.

[@KyleJahnel]

Sounds great! Now try it in the Texas panhandle.

[@mojavebohemian814]

always exciting--thanks

[@erbauungstutztaufgnade1875]

This is absolutely stunning!

[@ruben5704]

Maybe it's not about water utilization, but its in part to the sun not being able to hit the ground, but also at microclimate that's created at the surface, keeping the first foot off the ground at a higher humidity, this would also CREATE, much more dew which would moisture. idk

[@ruben5704]

Would also prevent less respiration(?)form the leaves How can you prove that it is the plant using the moisture? Respectfully

[@keithberns910]

@@ruben5704 Can't really - can just compare to other systems either with a monoculture of plants or no plants growing at all

[@growthefarmup2606]

Planted, Elbon cereal rye, clover, vetch, lentils, and a couple other green cover seed covers, the winter was so ruff in 22'23 that the Rye is pretty much all that over wintered, spotty, and I learned rye is the best scavenger of all your nutrients and moisture. My dryland corn and soybeans planted into elbon cereal Rye does not exist, the corn barely emerged. Total loss. The soybeans are a little better they might make 5 bu per acre, I'll continue to plant cover crop cocktails but I don't think I'll plant cover crops on my dryalnd, it cost me more than it gained me on dryland, some dryland had to be put into prevent plant In SE Nebraska about ab hour from Bladen NE

[@keithberns910]

Yes, you guys are really dry this year... On our dryland, we do not let the cover crops very big - we spray them out pretty early if the spring looks dry. The best rotation for dryland is going to be wheat, followed by a multi-species cover crop that winter kills, then plant corn... follow with cereal rye cover terminated early spring and then come back with beans

[@growthefarmup2606]

@@keithberns910 yep Keith there really is no good answer for extreem drought, we drill right behind the soybean combine in sept oct, and did terminate it at about 4-8 inches tall this spring. but when you get no moisture, it shows. Alot of people look at it and say to heck with cover crops and rye, I look at it as wow, look how active the Rye rhizosphere is in the 6 months that your soil is not growing a cash crop! If you want to keep your soil alive 365 rye is incredibly active. So active when you get no moisture it wont even lwt a crop grow! Lol. Where we have irrigation, it looks better and better every year and yeilds are rising while lowering inputs, thanks to your cover mixes. Thanks for the reply Kieth! You and Green cover seeds is wealth of soil health and trial info. Wanted to let you know what we saw in 2023, think this year is hopefully the exception, not the rule, but definitely a learning experience.

[@gwc3721]

Wouldn't the mix create competition between the various plants forcing them to be more efficient? Each specie would invariably try to put on as much growth with minimal water being wired to be the surviving specie.

[@keithberns910]

Diverse plant communities are more cooperative and less competitive the most competitive situation for plants is a monoculture as all of the plants have the same needs at the same time - super competitive

[@marcuslucas6260]

"promo sm"