I know it can be a little annoying because it does want to keep growing, but it REALLY makes a difference with the soil, especially if you are consistent and do it every year.

There are a few other options. Here in the north, Oats, Fava Beans, Field Peas, Crimson Clover, and the annual strains of Alfalfa all winter-kill by New Years or so, depending upon the low temperatures (most of them die at around 10 degrees F or so) -- leaving a lot of organic matter which decomposes a bit over the winter and tills in nicely in the spring.

Another option is to mow the cover crop down about 7 to 10 days before you want to till, and then 2 or 3 days later, when it has regrown a bit, hit it with some Roundup. This should knock it down quite efficiently. Till, then wait just a few days, and it will be safe to plant.

Finally, the last option, if space permits, is to grow the cover crop in seperate areas or beds, alternating them with your regular beds, so that each spring, some of your beds are in cover crop, some are ready to go for early plantings. You can then take your time, till repeatedly to kill the cover crop, and then use these beds for later plantings.

From what I understand you don't want to grow Winter Rye if you're planning on planting in the early spring. To kill the Rye you need to let it bloom, then mow it and it will die.

You could also try repeated mowing/weed whacking the Rye and it'll eventually die (from what I read 3 or 4 times usually does it in).

Winter cover crops are the number one key to succesful gardening, there is nothing else that can benifit a garden more than cover crops. I plant a mix or rye and crimson clover each fall and till it under in Mid March. Let is sit for a couple of weeks then till it again first week in april. The 2 week wait allows time for the rye and clover to decompose the secound till will kill the remaining rye and will turn under nice and pretty and will be ready to plant summer crops. I live in South Carolina and you should be about the same as me. I am a certified Organic farmer and I will tell you that there is nothing that benifits the soil more than cover crops both winter and summer types. Rodger

I generally prefer wheat over rye because wheat doesn't have the allelopathic affect, and it seems easier to turn over. Last summer I planted some "fodder radish" on a few plots and was very pleased with it. It sets huge roots in the ground, which gradually rot away over the winter, along with the frost-killed foliage. By mid-spring it's all set and the bio-mass is in the ground without the trouble of tilling or turning. Highly recommended.

I figure I just don't have time for cover crops. Heck, it's March 26th already and it's gonna be below 50F today, all day, and tomorrow too. No end in sight for cool weather, as usual. I want to be growing peas, lettuce, spinach, radishes, bok-choi and the like as soon as possible. I'm not gonna burn two weeks waiting for a cover crop to decompose. Two weeks is a joke anyway, it's tough to kill plants in 50-degree, wet, showery weather. They just won't die. And even if the cover crop is killed when turned under, it will take alot longer than two weeks to decompose in our cool spring weather. Any cover crop turned under today will persist until May.
So what's the purpose of the cover crop anyway? To increase humus content and fix nitrogen, right? The nitrogen I get from application of a complete organic fertilizer. I maintain humus content by leaving crop roots after harvest of any non-root vegetable, like peas, beans and corn. I also top-dress with a thin layer of compost and keep my garden top-dressed like this thru the late fall and winter. It keeps the weeds down and the worms happy. Our mild winters keep soil organisms processing the compost all winter long, and by planting time it's easy to mix the decomposed compost into the top few inches of soil and planting seeds or transplants is a breeze, weather permitting. No tilling.
I figure (right or wrong) that all you need to do is replenish the soil with whatever you've taken from it. Cover crops can replace nitrogen and humus, but other less time wasteful ways can do this as well.

If you're growing cool weather crops, don't plant Rye/Wheat in it. There are plenty of legumes and non-legumes to choose from that will work for your cool season plantings. You also want to do your plantings in the fall at the end of the season, not in the early spring. If you have a hard frost, oats would work well as a fall cover crop. Spreading manure down and leaving it to the elements of winter snow/spring rain won't be efficient because you lose nutrients to run off. The cover crop protects the ground during these times.

Crimson Clover is my top choice. Easy to mow down first then till under, doesn't come back. I do leave a few patches to bloom in May as it attracts loads of honeybees and other beneficials.

Never again? That's too bad because as others have pointed out, you'll be amazed at the improvement in your soil and garden production from using it. Rather than give up on cover, just try one of the many other kinds suggested above.

We have very mild winters here too and I alternate a mixed cover of crimson clover, hairy vetch, turnips, collards, and/or mixed legumes. You don't have to allow time for it to completely decompose before planting - indeed you can plant right in it if you wish as many do. And any patches that may re-sprout can easily be turned under with a fork.

Just some thoughts to consider. ;)

Dave

I hope you change your mind and decide to give non-grassy cover crops another try. Years ago when living in Alabama (where nothing winter kills) I found out how hard it can be to get wheat and rye down in the spring. They don't wanna go. As vgkg pointed out, crimson clover doesn't have that problem. It's really easy to kill. So is mustard, which you can sow in the fall. During the warm months, buckwheat goes down with one swipe of a scythe or swing blade. Give cover crops another chance, but stick with ones that work in the South. Hairy vetch is pretty good because it chops right down and you can plant into the dried mulch.

Here is a link that might be useful: my website

Thanks for all your recommendations. I'll consider them.

It doesn't matter what other people use for cover crops... you need to use what is best for you and YOUR area. Call your local Cooperative Extension Office (see link below) and talk to them. Tell them what you've already tried, and what you didn't like about them. Tell them what you want your cover crop(s) to do (fix nitrogen, winter-kill, etc).

If you have enough room to rotate crops and leave one bed in a cover crop during the growing season, ask them if buckwheat would be feasible there if you mowed it enough to keep it from going to seed, or just planted it late enough to winterkill. See http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cgi-bin/ccrop.EXE/show_crop_9 for some information.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: U.S. Cooperative Extension Offices

DigDirt/Dave - Can I use cover crops between my perenials? (I don't have a veggie bed.) How 'bout "on top of" my spring-blooming bulbs (or will the c/c make the N unavail for bulbs?)?

I have a planned order of seeds, including come Crimson Clover & Hairy Vetch & mammoth red clover (I'm in NW NJ Zone 6a).

Also, I noted that the crimson clover "blooms" in May - but I want to "green manure" it before it "blooms" right? (Although I do like the idea of another poster to keep some for bees, butterflies, etc.)

Thanks, All the Best, Tree

I'm in TX and plant pretty much year round. I have about a month off between spring and fall gardens. Should I make the time for cover crops by rotating which beds I plant them in? If so which ones? Is there another way I can give back to the soil? What would you recommend?

DigDirt/Dave - Can I use cover crops between my perenials? (I don't have a veggie bed.) How 'bout "on top of" my spring-blooming bulbs (or will the c/c make the N unavail for bulbs?)?

Tree, you could but it isn't recommended. You would have trouble tilling/turning them into the soil without disturbing the roots of the perennials - and that is the goal - to till them into the soil. ;) Cover crops are nitrogen so they don't "use" or make unavailable N from anything else.

Your better bet would be to use a low growing ground cover between your perennials or to simply mulch well between them. All organic mulches including compost, chipped straw, grass clippings, shredded leaves, even wood fines, are eventually incorporated into the soil by nature and so improve it without the need for tilling/turning. And N tie-up is only a concern if you till high carbon materials in. On the surface they pose no problems.

Should I make the time for cover crops by rotating which beds I plant them in? If so which ones? Is there another way I can give back to the soil? What would you recommend?

Hi blancspons, if you have the room to rotate beds then yes a cover crop can be very beneficial. But if you need all your beds in almost continuous production then the best way to give back to the soil is again - mulch. Many claim that the only purpose of mulch is to control weeds. Not true. Mulch has many purposes - moisture stabilization, keeping roots cooler, plant nutrients, and soil improvement. As I said above, any organic material used as a thick mulch during your growing seasons is gradually incorporated into the soil and great soil improvement is the end result.

Hope this helps. ;)

Dave

Thanks Dave!