How To Plant Cover Crops - Garden Quickie Episode 57

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

If you're just starting out gardening in 2022, please check out my Amazon Affiliate links below to get the right tools for the job! It doesn't cost you a cent, but this channel receives a small incentive for any items purchase through Amazon. Happy Gardening! Handy 12-piece Garden Tool Set!: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3jsNIyk Amazon USA: amzn.to/2YZhFwx Amazon UK: amzn.to/3qapNql Hand Pruners: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2YSIFxP Amazon USA: amzn.to/3q3Oftq Amazon UK: amzn.to/2YR3Xf8 Watering Can: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/39U4nIc Amazon USA: amzn.to/3EiUNeF Amazon UK: amzn.to/3oX7hAa Spray Gun: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3aBxijm Amazon USA: amzn.to/3aL7UHS Amazon UK: amzn.to/3ruol1Z Gardening Gloves: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2Lt6ZDx Amazon USA: amzn.to/3tzJ32t Amazon UK: amzn.to/3jpf1cU

[@dt8ustotten285]

Have done several types in the past. Last fall tried Hairy Vetch on beds whose soil was in desperate need of help. Planted it with a thick coating of alfalfa pellets. This spring I am deeply impressed!!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Nice job!! It's amazing the recovery and restoration that a cover crop can do in just a few months!

[@shenanigans0401]

CRAZY LATE WINTER,....Yeah, did nt see that coming.....NOT!!!! It s the opening cerimonies of the hunger games. Anyways, thanks for all your work, experiece, tips etc. l ve been following your channel for a couple of years now, and you never fail to inspire me to get off my duff to plant and prepare. Gardening is just too rewarding. Unfortunatly l see greenhouses may be the only way to grow food from now on (in the canadian praries), if these weather wars continue. PEACE, to you and yours.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Thanks Chris! Definitely being in the north we have challenges...we gotta get creative sometimes!

[@michaelmarchione3408]

I've been thinking of trying cover crops for our front yard to help with our sour sandy soil. I just need to decide what to buy. Enjoyed, take care!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cover crops can totally help with that kind of situation! Give it a try!

[@joj1252]

It’s like a quick nitrogen shot for the soil & it prevents weeds landing!! Win win 🏆 👨‍🌾 Will definitely be giving this a go end of the year. Thanks Jeff 🙏🏻

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Exactly Jo!! There's literally no downside!

[@GardenIdeas01]

Beautiful cover crop in your garden , nice to see your tips happy gardening work

[@jeffhawk1318]

Thank you.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cheers Jeff, thanks for watching! :-)

[@Maggie-eq4cd]

Hi Jeff thanks for this. I am going to sow a mixture of green manure seeds. I use large grow bags and wasn't sure how to do this. Watching your video has helped tremendously. I haven't signed onto your garden course yet. However, I will be going so this week. Take care Maggie UK

[@RobinCurrie]

Wow I didn't know this. Thank you!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cover crops can be a game-changer!

[@specie44]

I just spread a mix of clover, flax, vetch, millet and quite a few other things. Wish me luck!

[@mizsparkie5479]

I love these garden quickies, but this one was a little too quick for me! Could you do a longer video (maybe in the fall) to explain the whole cycle better? For instance, do you chop and drop, or . . . Thanks!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Oh, I got you covered! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4jKqnuQe9R5hM0 and kzbin.info/www/bejne/hWrVeKyBo7eoqaM

[@patriciatinkey2677]

Jeff always has your answers!

[@dn744]

Cheers

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

:-)

[@marybianca2722]

I tried alfalfa last fall to put some nitrogen in the soil for this spring. The alfalfa grew no problem through the winter. It grows way easier than the veggies I'm sprouting now. Besides the rye you spotted here what other cover crops do you like? I'm wanting to boost lettuce, carrots n leafy greens because my growing season is short zone 6. Have no problem with the nightshade family but what I think would be easy, like the leafy greens, not so much. Help 🌱🙏

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hairy vetch is another common one that people like!

[@mistersinister2043]

What do you with woody mulch that you've put down over a garden bed if you've planted something widespread like rye grass?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Woody mulches are normally harder to break down and would likely have to be raked up and removed.

[@mistersinister2043]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Thanks for the reply.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@mistersinister2043 no problem, best of luck!

[@toddvance4592]

I garden in a very windy area. I am experimenting this year with allowing my rye cover crop to grow 3-4 feet tall. Then taking a hedge trimmer to cut off the seed heads only leaving the rye stalk to stand tall. Then plant my tomatoes and peppers in a hollowed out area surrounded by the standing and dying rye stalks. I am hoping this will give wind protection. Any other thoughts on wind protection?

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

That sounds very cool Todd! Let us know how it turns out...wish I could see a pic!

[@toddvance4592]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms how do I share a pic. I am not a Facebook person.

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@toddvance4592 yeah, KZbin isn't good for that... Wish there was a way on my Community tab

[@toddvance4592]

Rye is working great for wind screen on my young transplants. Used a post hole diggers to remove the root wad. Then planted into that area leaving the rye surrounding my plant. When rye produced seed head I cut the seed head off leaving the standing rye straw to dry.

[@socloseagain4298]

Hey dude! Do you have a list of which crops can be grown in a no-dig Ruth Stout method and which are going to poke through the hay? Thanks so much as usual!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

I haven't found a single crop that doesn't poke through the straw... Even delicate ones like lettuce and spinach!

[@socloseagain4298]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Wow no way dude thats so cool to hear!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@socloseagain4298 is quite amazing how strong and determined little shoots are!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@carrolte1 spicoli!!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@carrolte1 lol!

[@KathySarich]

I’d like to try it, but there’s no way I’d be able to give a cover crop enough time to grow after harvesting, I’ve still got about another month before I can even start thinking about planting. 🙈 Too short a growing season... I’m debating over corn right now, direct seed earlier, start indoors, or just don’t bother? I know that corn doesn’t like the colder soil, so I waited for my last frost date to plant last year, and the corn didn’t have enough time to reach maturity. 🙈😂

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Cover crops are usually planted AFTER summer....after all your harvests. They are quite cold tolerant and simply grow in dormant beds over winter. Corn is a fast grower...I'd just direct seed it. 🙂

[@goatkidmom]

If you have a grain grinder, Gaspé Flint, which originated in Canada, will work with a very short season. If you don't have a grain grinder, Orchard Baby sweet corn will work with your very short growing season; the strawberry popcorn sold in a lot of places also has a somewhat shorter season. Hope this helps. Edit: Oh, and you could plant a cover crop directly underneath the corn while it is still producing; harvest the quickly matured corn, and leave the whole thing to overwinter. If you have more than 70 days, turnips are a good follow-up crop.

[@KathySarich]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Usually it’s already freezing, by the time the garden comes out of the ground in September though.🤔 That’s why the corn didn’t make it, covered it and it survived the first frost last September, second frost I figured it was pointless, it went -5 or colder temperatures every night for over a week after that. 🙈

[@goatkidmom]

@@KathySarich The ones I mentioned only need 65-70 days. June 1-Aug 15 for those who are in colder zones. Plant the cover crop August 1, right under the corn.

[@KathySarich]

@@goatkidmom 🤔 Might be worth a try, thank you for the suggestion. 😊Now to decide, pole beans or cover crop under the corn. 😂 Had pole beans under the corn suggested to me as well, they’re nitrogen fixers, and the corn would give them something to climb.

[@tonypalmer8556]

Had a pot of blue viola's in the yard last year. Little pansy cover crop popping in my containers even though it's been cold. Warm summer without fires please!

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Definitely agree.... No fires this year!!

[@patriciatinkey2677]

🍀🍀🍀

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@patriciatinkey2677 :-)

[@timothyshanley1132]

How hardy are tomatoes, I repotted my tomatoes today, some had like 4 plants in a cell ugh. Most only had 2, and they seperated easier. The others needed to man handled a bit. Think they will tough it out, no broken stems, still look good. 😩😭🫣

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

Hardy in terms of temperature? Not so much. Hardy in terms of vigor and toughness? Probably the toughest plants, lol

[@timothyshanley1132]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms thx Jeff, yes hardiness that what I was hoping. It was killing me pulling apart the roots. They are still safe under the grow light indoors, I put them out a couple of hours everyday. Thx Timothy

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@timothyshanley1132 oh yeah, tomatoes are one plant that you can totally mess with and they keep on growing!

[@timothyshanley1132]

@@TheRipeTomatoFarms awesome, hope to get them in the ground weekend of the 28th, that's 8 weeks, and two weeks past my last frost day. Will have to follow the night time temps to know for sure. Now that transplanted into bigger trays I'm out of room, they def need to go out during the day, don't have enough lights now, lol need year invest in more 🤗

[@TheRipeTomatoFarms]

@@timothyshanley1132 exactly Timothy... It's all about the night time lows... That really dictates everything in the spring....