Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 14850 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2016 “We’ve tried to end the recommended planting date for each crop, giving suf- ficient time to get enough growth so that the farmer should be happy with the results,” he says of the custom timelines that indicate when crops have the best chance for “reliable establishment” or there’s a “freeze risk to establishment.” Examine the Whole Rotation Considering early maturing varieties of row crops is one place to start, Baas says. The earlier cover crops can be seeded, the odds are better that it can get established before the weather induces dormancy. If growers have to compromise on yield, it’s important to ask just how important the cover crop is to the overall system. If there are erosion problems or the customer is trying to build soil health, he or she may be willing to take a little bit of a hit on yields, he says. How a grower intends to seed a cover crop is another important factor, Wohltman says. “Short day bean varieties and corn hybrids are a good place to start, but you also need to consider the dry down characteristics because that’s different than maturity — those are two different things,” Wohltman says. “When it comes to aerial application of cover crops, it makes sense to consider hybrids with a quicker dry down,” he says. “We also talk about plant architecture in corn and stature with beans. Some corn hybrids and soybean varieties tend to be more open while other options may be more upright. Row spacing is an obvious factor too. These can make a difference.” Wohltman says cover crop science is ever evolving and agronomists are con- stantly learning more about what it takes to achieve a good stand. Recent results indicate that moisture is key to getting aerial applications off to a good start and crops such as radishes and legumes need between 700 and 800 growing degree days to reach their full potential. “Inoculating legumes is really important too — it makes a big difference in getting the seed out of the ground,” he says. Resources Abound There’s a plethora of good information and sources to rely on when helping farmers get started in cover crops. Baas says all kinds of good informa- tion, specific to a grower’s region, can be obtained from Extension staff, local Natural Resources Conservation Service offices and conservation districts. But nothing beats connecting with fellow farmers who have experience. Encourage them to find some farmers who are growing cover crops, Baas says. “Often those who are using them and are successful with them are happy to talk to others,” he shares. “It goes a long ways to have someone to bounce ideas off. It’s kind of tough to jump into cover crops, even if you’ve read up on it.” On-farm field days, such as the ones Michigan State University Extension regularly hosts with conservation dis- tricts and seed companies, are another great resource. Wohltman says he refers many grow- ers to the aforementioned Midwest Cover Crops Council decision tool. Getting suggestions customized to a farmer’s county is very valuable, he says. La Crosse Seed also offers helpful information through their company’s mobile app. Soon, users will be able to access the company’s seed guide and decision tools complete with seeding rates, drill settings and more from their cell phone or other device. “Some goals are easily noticed and well-defined, but improving soil health is a journey, not a destination,” he says. “It takes time to regenerate soils and it demands that producers ultimately con- sider long-term expectations, no matter their initial goals or objectives.” SW “Some goals are easily noticed and well-defined, but improving soil health is a journey, not a destination … and it demands that producers ultimately consider long-term expectations.” — Scott Wohltman