When planting cover crops, there are three factors to keep in mind in the context of using herbicides to control weeds: the herbicide half-life, the amount of rainfall received and the amount of organic matter.

The period after wheat harvest in many states provides a golden opportunity for growers to add some diverse cover crop mixes in their fields that provide numerous benefits. But which species are best suited for this planting window and what’s the best way to establish them?

In the second part of a two-part series on this topic, Holtwood, Pa., farmer and Cover Crop Coach Steve Groff will discuss management decisions for rolling with or without using herbicides, the weed-control potential of rolled covers, using cover crop mixes in this type of system, and how to evaluate whether your planter can work effectively in rolled covers.

In the first part of a two-part series on this topic, the Holtwood, Pa., farmer and cover crop coach will discuss some strategies for succeeding with a roller-crimper system, including what realistic expectations should be for results, which cover crop species are best to roll and proper seeding rates.

Many grower avoid planting corn into fields where cereal rye has been seeded over fears that allelopathic issues from decomposing rye will stunt corn growth and ding yields. But Steve Groff believes allelopathy is often mis-diagnosed and yellow corn could be related to other management issues.

The concept of planting cash crops into living cover crops is gaining more momentum among growers every year. But is your planter and management up for the task?

It’s popular knowledge that cover crops play a role in improving soil health — but do you understand the importance of mycorrhizal fungi as covers do their job? Cover Crop Coach Steve Groff will lead a discussion that defines what arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is, what it does for plant growth, and the factors that discourage or encourage AMF — including what cover crop species are hosts and those that are not.