Should I be planting cover crops?

A common question that I get from producers is should they be adding cover crops into their crop rotation to improve soil health. The answer to that is not a simple yes or no. It really depends on the producer and what they are trying to accomplish with a cover crop. Also the environment that they are in and the specific field itself can be a determining factor.

There are several benefits to using cover crops, even in western Kansas. If you are a livestock producer, grazing covers can provide high quality forage at times when other quality forages may not available. One such scenario would be grazing a late summer cover that was planted after wheat harvest. Normally our native range pastures are on a downward trend, in both quality and quantity during that time of the year and covers can really help fill that void. Planting one in the early spring can provide quality livestock forage in the late spring, early summer. Both of these scenarios reduce the grazing pressure on the native range and provides the pastures some rest during critical growth periods. This helps the native grasses be more healthy and productive in the long run.

Cover crops can also help with weed suppression. Studies have shown that a timely planted cover can decrease both weed emergence and the overall weed biomass in a field. The key to making this work is that the cover crop has to be planted and growing before any of the targeted weeds have emerged. So timing is critical to making this work. For example, if we are trying to suppress kochia we would need to have the cover crop planted in late winter or early spring and have moisture available to get it to emerge and grow. If the weeds emerge before or with the cover crop, weed suppression will be compromised.

The one question that you really need to ask before planting cover crops is will it be profitable for my operation? Can I get enough economic gain from grazing, weed suppression or other benefits to make more money than I already am with the system I’m currently using? You want look at both the short and long term costs and benefits and compare it to what you are already doing.

Cover crops are not a silver bullet that will fix any and all soil health issues. They are just another tool in the toolbox that may work for some producers but not for others. There are other soil health practices, like nutrient management, no-till, crop rotation and others that may be a better fit for some producers.

If you are new to using cover crops I suggest that you start small and experiment to figure out what might work for you before implementing it on a large scale. Seek out others in your area that are using cover crops and ask what they are doing to make it work for them

For more information about soil health practices you can contact me at [email protected] or any local NRCS office.