How WINTER KILL Cover Crop Builds Soil

How WINTER KILL Cover Crop Builds Soil. See how this amazing Daikon radish does it. By opening the soil up to air and water. The Radish will freeze do the the temp and then add organic matter and water back to the building soil.
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[@CliftonHicksbanjo]

DAMN that's a big hole. I planted a bunch of these this year. Most of them too late to get very big, but some of them (that got planted earlier) are indeed WHOPPERs. Thank you, sir, for all of your efforts here. You've helped many of us.

[@iamorganicgardening]

Now you get to see how nature works differently for us just by planting at different times.

[@iamGrowing]

You definitely need to do a follow up video on the spring! Great video, thanks.

[@iamorganicgardening]

Will do! Great Idea. THANK YOU.

[@jim_no_rulers]

@ around 10 minutes into the video, the seeds forming seem to be flower buds you pointed at that would eventually turn into flowers and then form pods which are very much edible, then the seeds grow inside of the pods. The plant eventually dries down and you can collect the dry seedpods to thrash/winnow to harvest for sprouting and sowing next season. It looks a little late in the season for these ones to get to that point though. I seem to now, after a few years planting them following your recommendation, have them growing through the garden at different stages all year. The spring ones seem to bolt early summer and make no substantial root, but many pods. The ones starting later seem to make a large radish and many fewer pods.

[@iamorganicgardening]

You are so very correct, Thank You for sharing this with us all.

[@patkonelectric]

I expect chickens would love cleaning this bed up next spring.

[@iamorganicgardening]

I fully agree. Thanks

[@johnyewdall398]

I pickle my Daikon and eat through winter. A wonderful food for my microbiome as well as the soil.

[@iamorganicgardening]

Great advice , and I do as well. Yummy. Thanks

[@S.P.30]

makes great radish kimchi full of probiotics, or korean radish salad

[@ambrosemclaren145]

Mark, you are a national treasure!

[@iamorganicgardening]

Just a farmer and gardener that love to help and share when I can. THANK YOU

[@CheaddakerT.Snodgrass]

Zone 6b as well. I spread cover crop seed September 29th the first time. Then on October 6th I spread it in other beds that weren't available before. Also over seeded the first areas. Started a garden diary on my phone this year as well. I didn't in the past because I got hung up on thinking it needed to be very structured and organized. Now I just make notes whenever I want regardless of how simple it is.

[@iamorganicgardening]

That is a great way to do it. Enjoy.

[@conniewojahn6445]

Amazing way to improve soil! My first thought was animal feed, and I was surprised to hear you're leaving these gorgeous roots in the ground, although I now understand why. Still, if it was me, I'd pull a big wheelbarrow full and treat my livestock. Thanks for a very interesting video.

[@iamorganicgardening]

I understand what you are saying. You can take about 40 % away max. Look at the rest left as if you are feeding the soil to Build it so it will grow nutrient dense food for you. Thanks

[@oregonk91]

Any recommendations for a good winter kill cover crop for my zone - 8b (possibly changing to 9 with our temp changes lately) in Pacific NW? (Or a chart that shows TEMPERATURES for winter kill?) I know about Buckwheat but I don't think that creates a deep enough root however LOVE it to attract pollinators (and it's pretty as well). I don't want to use chemicals, and with my bad back, using a weed wacker or such is hard for me. Daikon will grow and thrive through our winters in the past, including the tops, sails right through any of our (brief, 2-3 days) snow events; I don't think our frosts last enough days to really KILL my past cover crops. (I plant them anyway and just let them die off for soil benefit at the end of theirlife cycle, but it takes a long time.) My kale is several years old, as are my tree collards! Swiss chard sometimes dies down, but most of the time just dies after it's seed producing stage. I only have a small area in my suburban yard with full sun; have a couple with partial sun due to evergreens, so not much room to work around the thinks I've left after previous crops. And I don't have the option for chickens ... wish I did! Your info is always great and well presented Mark; thank you so much!

[@iamorganicgardening]

It is Best to call a seed company of your choice to ask that question. They have more knowledge of your zone.8b

[@hoofheartedicemelted296]

Growing up I ignored information regarding how to live off the land. How to watch and study the land, it's needs and how it pays us back. I'm really regreting this years later for just like everything, there is a learning curve. Thank you for the video sir. It is fascinating. 😊👍

[@stevederheim2114]

So I'm planting a mix of 50% clover and up to 13 different kinds of cover crops in out MINISCULE back yard instead of grass. What I'm concerned about is planting any other veggies in the future and not be able to tell them apart. After they mature I was going to start mowing it like grass and give it to the chickens this next season I'm going to plant a dwarf fruit tree right in the middle and plant veggies around it. Did I screw up by planting this type of cover crop and limit myself or make it harder for me to see what veggies I planted in the future?

[@shirleyk623]

I grew some of the diacon raddishes by accident because I dumped out some raddishes microgreens seeds that didn't germinate. They were as big as the ones you pulled up. They are good pickled or cut into cubes and put it a pot of greens. They taste like a turnip when cooked. Thanks for sharing this information with us. 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋

[@iamorganicgardening]

And THANK YOU for sharing. YUMM

[@08qbert]

Love all your genuine detail information. Am going to watch all of your videos. I planted daikon 4 times but they either got eaten by slugs or something or they were puny. I fertilized with manure but probably have to add more next time. I am asian, can only speak for Chinese and Vietnamese. Beside pickling it (pickled daikon in Vietnamese bánh mì), we also use it as a base in vegetarian soup. It makes the broth sweet. Thank you for sharing your vast garden knowledge.

[@agb6330]

Is it too late to plant a cover crop now, I know too late for the radishes……? I’m in same zone as you. Didn’t get to it but we did collect a lot of leaves from the neighborhood and have all the garden beds covered.

[@iamorganicgardening]

I will be planting winter rye next week as a cover crop.

[@roschelle4648]

What do you do with all this when it’s time for spring planting?

[@juneshannon8074]

How did I miss seeing this daikon radish tutorial? Great video Thanks Mark. Guess who is going to plant daikon in the Aussie autumn? lol.

[@robby6733]

Is the Dixon radish the same as the bland Chinese radish. It’s a brilliant idea for opening the soil and allowing the worms and positive bacteria to permeate the soil. Would it also work well with biodynamics. Robby AU

[@iamorganicgardening]

Sorry, Never had that other radish. Not sure of the biodynamics. Thanks

[@jcbrook9463]

Hey Mark, will the radishes be completely broken down by Spring? How soon can you begin planting in that bed? . I planted some radishes this season and they look just like yours now and was thinking about adding some dead leaves . Is that a good idea? Thanks.

[@iamorganicgardening]

If you have a winter kill on them , YES. they will be gone. But if not easy to rake away in your planting rows. Add the dead leaves after planting you garden as mulch.

[@JeremiahCommons]

So weird other youtubers are saying nematodes are bad and use things like mustard cover crops to gas them or something to kill them off but sounds like you are saying they are good. I find this very confusing haha

[@iamorganicgardening]

Let me give you more facts to help you. There are 1000s different types of nematodes. 99% are good for the garden. They are talking about the 1% bad ones that eat roots only. They should explain that there are more good ones types. Google for more help for you to understand. Thanks for asking.

[@davidbass7593]

These also are nitrogen storage vessels as well great for the soil

[@lindalyc]

how are you going to clean up those for the next crops (corns?)? pull all the radishs out as food or to compost? or leave everything in the soil as is and cover it with another layer of compost next spring? Thanks

[@iamorganicgardening]

All that will be decomposed most likely. I have 4 to 5 months to go before planting corn. If not will just rake aside and add it to the mulch pile. Thanks for asking

[@ZombieGhost2250]

Did you not listen to the first 2 minutes?

[@nancywebb6549]

@@ZombieGhost2250🧐🧐🧐🧐

[@lindalyc]

@@iamorganicgardening Thanks. but how those huge, thick radishs "decompose" in 4 to 5 months (leaves might be)? If put those in mulch pile around new plants, will those attract bug/pest while continue to decomposing?

[@RocketPipeTV]

In which month did you sow it? You say two months ago. Please be more specific

[@JohnJude-dp6ed]

You are one of my favorite KZbinrs and I do listen. I have them radishes and buckwheat started last week and now buckwheat is up. Great job explaining about the radishes effect on soil. I'm just learning a few years but heard as a young man.So many people just don't know how good cover crops are. I've been improving. Cover crops are great! Thanks Mark

[@iamorganicgardening]

That is awesome! Cover crops adding roots and root exudates is what nature does all the time. There is nothing better

[@tati9381]

Thank you Mark for your videos! What cover crop would you recommend for amending clay soil?

[@iamorganicgardening]

Sunflowers in the warm and cool times, and winter rye for the freezing time.

[@trollhunter4510]

I definitely miss out on some late season produce but I think the success of my spring crops following up my winter rye/clover cover crop more than makes up for it. I will have to try some tillage radishes one of these years just as an experiment.

[@iamorganicgardening]

I fully agree with you. WELL DONE. Thanks

[@Preza89]

This is Daikon radish, but several times you said "these oilseed radishes". Does it means you just made a mistake, or you have one plot with Daikon radishes and second with oilseed radishes?

[@mrswobbles]

The name is interchangeable. This raddish is known as both names.

[@iamorganicgardening]

They all go by different sales market names. But all the same. Some seed companies even call it Jackhammer radish. All Daikon radish, THANK YOU for asking.

[@suntramr]

Great video Mark ,, did you have to do any weed management? I guess you just broadcast seeds

[@iamorganicgardening]

No worry about weeds. Yes just broadcast them. Thanks

[@edzakete.3700]

This is a mind opener I was just thinking of cover crops not "winter kill" thanks

[@iamorganicgardening]

Good to hear, Thanks

[@kitsurubami]

I really enjoyed this video. Thank you Mark!

[@iamorganicgardening]

THANK YOU so very much. Enjoy.

[@johnjude2685]

I'm trying 5 different types of green fertilizer and the dycoon radishes are going to happen next season shur they are great but some might go wild and cause weeds so baby steps crimson clover ,buckwheat , winter wheat and fenterl and black eye peas shur they have a place and I'm hopeful to learn. Thanks Mark my garden is improving and important and you are helping

[@iamorganicgardening]

Always here to Help And Share. Thanks

[@johnjude2685]

Hopefully I'm not being off topic but last summer I tested 5 different types of planting and raising tomatoes and your method of planting tomato seedlings in a root ball of a sunflower from the previous year came in second place and did have less water as they were far back and didn't get as much water and were the easiest to raise and care for almost any senior can raise. I'm 71 and had hernia operation last April so I can state that. Thanks for your teaching

[@tommyluck19]

Sir! You are very gifted if You think that dykon only 7 inches!😂 Thank You for your work!

[@JamesFulkerson-q7n]

In the spring dose the radishes rot and stink

[@iamorganicgardening]

Only if they grow very large about 3 to 4 inch in diameter. Smaller they rot already by spring time and are gone. Just holes left. Thanks

[@suzyq6767]

great information. thx!

[@iamorganicgardening]

THANK YOU so very much.

[@HeidiCancelleri]

What do you think about growing dandelions to use on much smaller scale

[@brianstreeper3576]

Did you broadcast or drill the seed with a planter? Did you seed in Oct or Sept? Thanks

[@iamorganicgardening]

I Broadcasted them on the surface then rake them in and water. This is done on 1000 sq ft bed . Planted SEPT 1, 2022

[@brianstreeper3576]

Thanks! I broadcast buckwheat and winter rye over 200 Sq foot area, then lightly covered with some organic soil amendment that I got cheap at a grocery outlet

[@briankubik4252]

Hey Mark, I was wondering if you are knowledgeable on corn gluten meal it has alot of benefits for fertilizer and weeds Lu's can be Organic I seem to only find information on lawns but nothing for gardens any insight to do a video possibly?

[@iamorganicgardening]

I don't Sorry. Never used it.

[@alensley1368]

Thanks for the info!

[@iamorganicgardening]

Any time! Glad to help.

[@johnpaul6888]

Mark, I'm so happy I found your channel sir. Every video is a pleasure, One question, In the spring will you wait until the cover crop is fully decomposed before planting seeds? No soil prep, no removal of cover crop.

[@iamorganicgardening]

It is fully decompose on it own by spring planting time.

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

You really need to save seeds because they are somewhat expensive to buy. Excellent video. Thank you. Havagudun Mark.

[@iamorganicgardening]

Wil do. Thanks

[@AbidAli-bv2gl]

Excellent video. When did you put seed in ground?

[@iamorganicgardening]

I planted them Mid Sept. Thanks

[@HeidiCancelleri]

I ordered seeds for some spring and fall

[@bluebird9193]

Why is soil runoff a concern if your garden is level ground? Won't water percolate into ground anyway, whether there's a radish or not. I can see how holes benefit sloped land but your terrain looks very flat.

[@iamorganicgardening]

My garden is 2 feet higher than other area around it. Water will run off because the soil is to hard or has no pore spaces. You can have 100 acres of corn on a flat field and the water would run off or just sit there until the water would evaporate off it the soil is not pores

[@kluizenaar4966]

Hey Mark! Those are beautiful radishes. Do you never get bugs eating them? Happens to me every time

[@iamorganicgardening]

Sorry to hear that, What do they look like? I do not get any.

[@thomcdixon]

How do you deal with the residue in the spring? Harrow, plow or cover in compost?

[@iamorganicgardening]

Here is a video on it a few weeks ago. All should rot on it own over winter : kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4u2q42sgJlgqdU

[@BroadShouldersFarm]

Good stuff! Appreciate your enthusiasm!

[@iamorganicgardening]

You bet!

[@justicebringer9530]

But wouldn't the Mychroiza Fungi and probably other microorganisms got distrubed when you pull out those roots plants?

[@iamorganicgardening]

I will not be pulling any Daikon's out they will all decompose right there roots and leaves over the next 4 to 5 months until I plant in the spring. Just was showing how big they got and all that organic matter they grew that will decompose in place into the soil

[@justicebringer9530]

@@iamorganicgardening I see. But what if we purposedly plant for its roots to be consumed? I mean plants that aren't supposedly for cover crops, e.g. potatoes, carrots. It will damage the soil when we pull those out, right?

[@flatsville9343]

You could give up eating any root or tuber crops or come to terms with the fact that gardening involves digging. Pull your carrots & dig your potatoes then amend the soil with fungi rich vermicompost & put in another crop. Damage minimized.

[@justicebringer9530]

@@flatsville9343 or maybe we plant beside an established tree so the tree will fix the soil by itself?

[@flatsville9343]

@Justice Bringer The rhizosphere is a teeny tiny space measured in mm. I doubt planting next to a tree for cropped veg means much. You have to decide if you are growing veg or curating a forest. You pull root crops, dump on some worm castings or worm extract & cover crop to mitigate soil life damage...or stop eating annual root crops.

[@maconbacon8215]

do you eat them like rutabagas?

[@iamorganicgardening]

I would say no. It is a lot more water base and snaps more like celery. I pickle it or cut it into circle's and and to my soup or salads. Thanks

[@RandyFelts2121]

Hi Mark. Got some growing.

[@iamorganicgardening]

VERY NICE. Thanks

[@stevegermain1222]

Great job

[@iamorganicgardening]

THANK YOU kindly

[@famulan3479]

Mark, could you please make a video on how to grow corn?

[@iamorganicgardening]

sure, In the spring time at end May.

[@famulan3479]

@@iamorganicgardening thank you very much! Will be looking forward to. Maybe you could do a "control shot" before, like, you, people, buy this type of corn, and prep this type of site?