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Entry Date
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Location
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Friday, October 04, 2024
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Matt D.
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Connecticut
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Entry 107 of 116 |
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2. Cover Crops
Since giant pumpkins have a long growing season, this can make establishing a cover crop a challenge. However, an effort should still be made no matter the time of year.
Everyone wants to know the “best” cover crop and this answer can vary based on your climate, seeding date, intended purpose and also your plans for next year. Below are some short suggestions for a few common situations…
-Lost plant/pumpkin during the growing season = Buckwheat for quick coverage or Mustard for disease suppression
-Lost plant to fusarium and not planting in the same spot next year = Hairy Vetch and Rye, as the Vetch has fusarium suppressive properties and the rye ensures maximum biomass for the Vetch as it will have something to climb on. Ideally, the Vetch it should go to flower which occurs in the May/June time of year. *You need to chop up the Vetch once you see the purple flowers because if you wait the vines become like rope and are difficult to control as it will wrap around tillage equipment.
-Cold Climate Winter Cover = Winter Rye as it will germinate in temps above freezing or Triticale which offers many of the same benefits as winter rye, but is a better animal feed and will not grow as aggressively as winter rye in the spring.
-Soil Cover with minimal plant height = Clovers as these can also fix nitrogen and if this is your goal inoculating the seed at time of planting is highly recommended.
-What I select = Turf Grass (local region blend) as it establishes well, holds the soil and is easy to manage with a mower like the rest of the lawn.
Managing Cover Crops Profitability: https://www.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably.pdf
*The image shows a well-established field of buckwheat which is a great in-season cover crop. While it can reseed, leaving the flowers can attract many beneficial insects. Also, compared to many other cover crops, this one is very easy to manage and control.
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