Terminating Garden Cover Crops - What Works, What Doesn’t

I tried to terminate a sorghum-sudangrass cover crop using four different methods. Two worked well and two didn't. Watch the initial planting video - • 6 Ways to Stop a Cover...
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[@williamvanbeek663]

We like the "Let It Freeze and Clean Up in the Spring" method. Actually, after the big killing frost, we come back in with a very thick layer of compost and bury everything. Most often, these beds go to beans, squash, carrots, etc in the spring. The soil is just do mellow.

[@bobbun9630]

That was my thought, actually. Just plan your cover cropping so it's at the end of the year and let a freeze get it. Of course, that might be a little harder in southern California, and it has the down side that you can't use it if you want to use a hardy cover crop or any cover crop during the winter or spring.

[@Fellowtellurian]

Exactly what I have planned this year. Except I'm covering the biomass with Marvel chickpea in fall. Two cover crops in one year. One for biomass and soil aeration and another for nitrogen fixing and fungal development.

[@MichaelCampbell-mz8wu]

This is what I did with lentils and rye. Worked great. By summer there was no evidence of the sorghum stalks that I left behind.

[@DeTransAllianceCanada]

Good information learning about all this gardening stuff. Getting ready for my first garden! Like the show and tell!

[@dietrevich]

Great video! I would suggest crimping when it tassels, not when already cut. It works for me.

[@billmoody9736]

Thanks for all the experimenting; love this channel and the new one. Listen to everyone but test it yourself with a jaundiced eye, is my moto.

[@databang]

Well, I would of thought a Louisville Slugger would have had them pushing’ up daisies. My methods are dirty, but you Diego, baddaboom, you showed those sorghum; cut ‘em up real good. Now look at them, just wormfood. That’ll teach ‘em!

[@PhilKJames]

I was worried the last method was going to be Roundup 😬

[@DeADvElOciRaPtor]

This was informative

[@lavenderlilacproductions]

Thanks for picking up on the Dave Coulier reference that was screaming in my head for the last third of the video.

[@DiegoFooter]

😂

[@Sasquatch6987]

I got a good "oof" out of that joke. Very well done, sir!

[@davidsawyer1599]

Hey Diego Thanks for being bold and putting yourself out to the world. Lord knows I have watched probably every video you have uploaded to this channel and In Search of Soil. That said. The last methodology employed. Would that not kinda mess up the soil biology? The Experts speak of the first few inches. No till. The Jang Seeder. Etc etc. I am not calling you out Bro. I truly appreciate all the lessons you are teaching. Some things I have plenty of patience for. Like my soil. Have a great day!

[@richards5110]

he is making extremely minimal impact cutting 1 inch into the soil just at the crown of the plants. 95% of the roots are left in the soil and the majority of the soil profile is completely untouched.

[@davidsawyer1599]

@@richards5110 Thanks.

[@finagill]

I've heard that winter kill is also an option, depending on where you live. I'll be trying it next winter.

[@chrischandler3041]

I would think that crimping would kill it. Could be not at he right stage. Also, I am no sure about your time zone, but it is supposed to be frost-sensitive and timing is everything on how you can use that to your advantage on killing out. The mulching effect by spring diminishes, it might be a good thing to follow it with winter rye to keep a living root in the soil and to be ready for another mulching roll prior to planting. Great work as always, Diego!

[@powervoc2]

Is it possible to just pull the Sudan grass out root and all? I've got four 4X8 raised beds that I need a Summer cover crop for. Soil is very loose (apply compost in Spring and fall). Don't mean to sound stupid, just wondering if I can just pull it out.

[@chantallachance4905]

Diego Cutting the roots its really a big job .... Maybe just cut off near above the soil and put 2 inches of compost on the top to take off the light ?? Nice experience This year I will take a small place put a small cover crop more easy to manage let it grow then cut the green make a compost tea and spray all the garden in autumn to feed the soil.

[@TomTerrific]

Sawzall works well for beds with no tubing.

[@davidnightingale146]

Where do you recommend getting Sudan grass from?

[@garyschmelzer]

You can usually cut sorghum Sudan grass at least 4 times before it goes to seed. Choppin drop method.

[@eriknielsen1849]

I love to see it's this hard to kill becourse I plan on using it for soil improvement in the dessert. But it also dies after making seeds after what I know

[@acctsys]

Now I'm curious if a tilther could do the work quickly.

[@HectorPerez-tb8hn]

cut and plant right away !! is the name of the game !!

[@waylonbreaux2366]

We flail mow, then tarp it if we don't need to immediately replant. Otherwise, we transplant right through the residue.. Works great for us.

[@DiegoFooter]

It doesn’t grow back through the residue when not tarped? How low does the flail mower cut it - right to surface?

[@waylonbreaux2366]

@@DiegoFooter it cuts it pretty low, almost ground level. The thickness of the residue will go a long way in stopping new growth.

[@gavinmatthews5618]

Guess too with this may get one or two that come back up but you could come along with the rice knife and terminate. If you have really flat beds I could see rotary mower even working for this.

[@greensnapper1602]

Well here we go again lol We Only use Cover Crops Plants that benefits the Soil our soil and that the Worms can feed off of them.. Like now we have a crop then covered with our leafgro blend compost ,wood chip's then with Alfalfa on top. This is for our winter months,then comes spring with a whole other cover crops & Topping off by adding soil compost & Barley straw..

[@TheAsadJK]

What if you cut it below the ground. Added an light layer of compost on top as new mulch and planted into that instead? More costly and time consuming but it'd probably give you the best results

[@DiegoFooter]

That would probably work.

[@bryanholder1329]

Maybe just doing the cut at the surface followed by a weed torch to burst the cellular structure. Would also kill any weed seeds at the surface from other plants that lay dormant. What are your thoughts? Willing to do another test.

[@Technoanima]

In Malaysia they do something similar. They load up a barrel with hot coals and roll the barrel over the cover crop.

[@Vladd7]

So was the cover crop worth the effort? Was there significant enough benefit to overcome how challenging it can be to remove eventually?

[@DiegoFooter]

That's a question that requires a subjective answer. I would say yes, and removing it wasn't that bad.

[@GardeningwithBarchuckin]

This is a two step. Could you cut low and then use a hoe to clear below the surface?

[@samjones3106]

Cut under surface with a shovel might be a little easier.

[@josephevans5703]

Flail Mower the best way to do it

[@jemroberts6507]

sorry. You removed most or all the above ground crop from these beds rather than lying it flat to "mulch" out regrowth or before covering with the tarp?

[@DiegoFooter]

Correct.

[@zmavrick]

In this area its simple don't let it go to seed and let winter freeze it off.

[@Interglacial_optimist]

isn't sorghum-sudan grass an annual so you would let it die over winter and then plant around it the next year maintaining the dead root area for soil bacteria and fungi break down

[@DiegoFooter]

You have to stop it from going to seed. Also it’s probably a perennial here if you keep mowing it.

[@Interglacial_optimist]

@@DiegoFooter but in no-till don't you just want to plant next to the dead roots

[@DiegoFooter]

What I am saying is it just would die on its own over the winter.

[@garthwunsch]

Two feet of snow will fix the problem LOLOLOL!!!! From the land of the Frozen Chosen!

[@mykimikimiky]

summary: 5:30 You're welcome. :)

[@toxicrune]

Seems like Sudangrass is tough and very resilient. Maybe using a less hardy cover crop? I’m about to try a 12 seed mix to prepare some soil for a citrus tree I want to plant.

[@bigb6411]

Yeah that looks like Johnson grass or part of the same family. You have to get rid of the tap root or it will come back.

[@tannerpetrilla4473]

pretty sweet that precise care of cutting it out. Time consuming at first compared to a hula hoe but ensured all that root matter is in the soil

[@annburge291]

The Diego Cut Method...

[@Sasquatch6987]

So, forsaking the drip line, why not just cut the plants low, compost the stalks and till the soil? Might have a little regrowth, but nothing a good weeding couldn't fix, surely.

[@nathanellison594]

No till

[@gavinmatthews5618]

Have you seen the new rootwave tech ?

[@DiegoFooter]

No

[@gavinmatthews5618]

@@DiegoFooter electronic plant termination of plants, the units are bit expensive but I think for farmer it might be viable . I was looking into as a landscaper the economics don't work for us.

[@sebastianartigas4987]

What about goats? I've heard that they are super effective killing grass when they eat the plant when it's young regrowing

[@bobm1136]

Goats will only eat the tops of the grass. Won’t eat down to the ground, unless you’re starving them.

[@TheBudkai]

cover crops ruined my life, I used dynamite and lost my house in the process

[@pmbayens1032]

Thats fine for a 4x4 bed not a real garden

[@carolynsteele5116]

Note to self: don’t use Sudan grass as a cover crop. I’d use something smaller like rye grass, and when it’s several inches tall just cover it with wetted newspaper, then compost.

[@thejosuchav]

Machete!

[@peaceandlove5214]

Bring some Goats to eat it.