Cover crop termination

By Stephanie Karhoff

Cover crops offer benefits like increased soil organic matter, erosion control, and weed suppression. However, to maximize these benefits and avoid interference with the subsequent cash crop a termination strategy (or two) should be in place.  Method and timing of termination should factor in cover crop species and growth stage, spring weather conditions, cover cropping goal, and potential agronomic tradeoffs. The three main cover crop termination options are winter-kill, mechanical, or chemical.

Some cover crops, such as oats and radishes, cannot survive through the winter months in Ohio and will naturally die-off or winter-kill. These species require less management in the spring but may offer less environmental benefits than those that can overwinter and continue growing in the spring.

Mechanical options for terminating winter-hardy cover crops that are not being baled or grazed as a forage are tillage, roller-crimping, or mowing. Mowing can be effective for smaller acreages but may require follow-up tillage to prevent regrowth.… Continue reading