Search
Latest topics
» N & C Midwest: October 2024by OhioGardener Yesterday at 4:46 pm
» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by donnainzone5 10/2/2024, 6:09 pm
» What are you eating from your garden today?
by OhioGardener 10/1/2024, 12:58 pm
» N & C Midwest: September 2024
by OhioGardener 9/30/2024, 4:13 pm
» The SFG Journey-Biowash
by OhioGardener 9/29/2024, 8:33 am
» Fall is For Garlic Planting
by Scorpio Rising 9/28/2024, 12:19 am
» Ohio Gardener's Greenhouse
by OhioGardener 9/22/2024, 11:24 am
» source for chemical-free lanscape fabric
by Woodsong 9/19/2024, 10:51 am
» Hurricane
by sanderson 9/14/2024, 5:42 pm
» Spinning Compost Bin-need some ideas
by sanderson 9/12/2024, 2:09 am
» Old Mulch and Closing Beds for Winter
by Scorpio Rising 9/11/2024, 8:23 pm
» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 9/11/2024, 8:20 pm
» Pest Damage
by WBIowa 9/8/2024, 2:48 pm
» cabbage moth?
by jemm 9/8/2024, 9:15 am
» adding compost yearly
by sanderson 9/5/2024, 2:16 am
» N & C Midwest: August 2024
by OhioGardener 8/31/2024, 8:13 pm
» Article - Create a Seed Library to Share the Extras
by OhioGardener 8/26/2024, 4:09 pm
» Best Tasting Parthenocarpic Cucumber?
by SMEDLEY BUTLER 8/21/2024, 7:07 pm
» Winter Squash Arch
by SMEDLEY BUTLER 8/21/2024, 8:02 am
» Master Gardeners: Growing Your Own Blueberries
by OhioGardener 8/19/2024, 10:09 am
» Looking for a local source for transplants.... Sarasota, FL
by sanderson 8/19/2024, 3:26 am
» Hi, y'all. I'm new to everything in Sarasota, FL
by sanderson 8/19/2024, 3:21 am
» Starbucks for coffee grounds!
by OhioGardener 8/14/2024, 5:47 pm
» Hi from N. Georgia
by AtlantaMarie 8/13/2024, 8:57 am
» Hello from Atlanta, Georgia
by sanderson 8/13/2024, 3:09 am
» growing tomatoes from seed outside
by sanderson 8/13/2024, 3:05 am
» 15-Minute Garlic Sautéed Eggplant
by Scorpio Rising 8/12/2024, 7:25 pm
» Downsizing Gardens for the Autumn of our lives
by Hollysmac 8/6/2024, 10:37 pm
» Golden Beets
by Scorpio Rising 8/6/2024, 7:03 pm
» Hi all!
by sanderson 8/6/2024, 12:56 am
Google
using cover crops within crops
+2
Megan
redfred
6 posters
Page 1 of 1
using cover crops within crops
I was wondering if you can use cover crops in and amongst plants to help keep down weed and maintain soil moisture in the growing season . especially under tomato plants and others that have a small footprint compared to to its foliage. If so which cover crops are best with certain crops? Also would beans be ok to plant under tomatos.
redfred- Posts : 1
Join date : 2011-02-16
Location : nw ohio
Re: using cover crops within crops
Hi redfred, welcome to the forum!
Cover crops are typically grown after a harvest. They help restore nutrients to the soil (by root action and/or being tilled under later as green manure) and their roots help prevent erosion. They can be big plants in their own right. So I don't think you would want to try to plant them around tomatoes. (And both beans and tomatoes are space hogs, they would not want to share anyway.)
To help keep down weeds and retain moisture, I would recommend mulching, instead. Ideally, with Mel's Mix, you won't have weeds at all! But I have wind-blown weed seeds that I keep on battling.
One thing you can do, in SFG, is to grow a quick crop while something else more slow-growing is maturing. So, you might be able to sneak in 4 radishes around a small tomato plant seedling, in-and-out again before the tomato needs the full square.
Cover crops are typically grown after a harvest. They help restore nutrients to the soil (by root action and/or being tilled under later as green manure) and their roots help prevent erosion. They can be big plants in their own right. So I don't think you would want to try to plant them around tomatoes. (And both beans and tomatoes are space hogs, they would not want to share anyway.)
To help keep down weeds and retain moisture, I would recommend mulching, instead. Ideally, with Mel's Mix, you won't have weeds at all! But I have wind-blown weed seeds that I keep on battling.
One thing you can do, in SFG, is to grow a quick crop while something else more slow-growing is maturing. So, you might be able to sneak in 4 radishes around a small tomato plant seedling, in-and-out again before the tomato needs the full square.
Re: using cover crops within crops
Hi,
I think I agree with not planting a cover crop under your tomatoes, however alyssum is supposed to work very well. It is a pretty low growing flower. Please take this advice with a grain of salt, as I have not tried it. I have purchased my seeds for this summers experiment. I got the idea from a pottagers garden forum. I will report later in the summer. Almost time to plant peas!!!
Patty in Yorktown
I think I agree with not planting a cover crop under your tomatoes, however alyssum is supposed to work very well. It is a pretty low growing flower. Please take this advice with a grain of salt, as I have not tried it. I have purchased my seeds for this summers experiment. I got the idea from a pottagers garden forum. I will report later in the summer. Almost time to plant peas!!!
Patty in Yorktown
Patty from Yorktown- Posts : 350
Join date : 2010-03-05
Location : Yorktown, Virginia
Re: using cover crops within crops
Hi Patty! Good to see you again.
I remember alyssum with absolute horror from Southern California. It was incredibly invasive there, at least. *shudder* We planted one and after that we had a yard full.
Good luck with your peas. I am crossing my fingers I will get some this spring!
I remember alyssum with absolute horror from Southern California. It was incredibly invasive there, at least. *shudder* We planted one and after that we had a yard full.
Good luck with your peas. I am crossing my fingers I will get some this spring!
Re: using cover crops within crops
Patty from Yorktown wrote:Hi,
I think I agree with not planting a cover crop under your tomatoes, however alyssum is supposed to work very well. It is a pretty low growing flower. Please take this advice with a grain of salt, as I have not tried it. I have purchased my seeds for this summers experiment. I got the idea from a pottagers garden forum. I will report later in the summer. Almost time to plant peas!!!
Patty in Yorktown
I hadn't ever thought of this! Keep us posted on your experiment. Also, there is a pottagers garden forum?? Can you share the address or is it a private forum? I'd be interested in looking, as I'm trying turn my sfg into a potager style....
jerzyjen- Posts : 210
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 48
Location : Burlington County, NJ - Zone 6b
Re: using cover crops within crops
While cover drops are growing they are using up the nutrients in the soil, that's why they are sown after the harvest.
They are considered a green manure crop.
The idea is for the roots to tunnel deep befkore hard winter and break up and aerate the soil.
In the spring the cover crop is cut down so the then dead roots can feed the soil and the cuttings can be buried under to also feed the soil. If done early enuf in the spring, the green cuttings will no longer use up nutrients in the soil in their act of turning brown.
If you want to plant something as a companion, plant radishes or early leaf lettuce under the tomatoes so they can share for some of the time. They will be harvested before the tomatoes crowd out the whole area and need all the nutrients for themselves.
I feel its best to mulch them with hay (no weed seeds) or dried grass to keep the weeds down and the soil from drying out in the heat of summer.
With a small SFG to tend you can always experminent and see what works for you.
They are considered a green manure crop.
The idea is for the roots to tunnel deep befkore hard winter and break up and aerate the soil.
In the spring the cover crop is cut down so the then dead roots can feed the soil and the cuttings can be buried under to also feed the soil. If done early enuf in the spring, the green cuttings will no longer use up nutrients in the soil in their act of turning brown.
If you want to plant something as a companion, plant radishes or early leaf lettuce under the tomatoes so they can share for some of the time. They will be harvested before the tomatoes crowd out the whole area and need all the nutrients for themselves.
I feel its best to mulch them with hay (no weed seeds) or dried grass to keep the weeds down and the soil from drying out in the heat of summer.
With a small SFG to tend you can always experminent and see what works for you.
quiltbea- Posts : 4707
Join date : 2010-03-21
Age : 82
Location : Southwestern Maine Zone 5A
Re: using cover crops within crops
You might also google "permaculture". That should lead you to some sites that talk about cover crops in among the veggie crops.
Odd Duck- Posts : 327
Join date : 2010-03-08
Age : 62
Location : DFW, TX, Zone 7b/8a
Similar topics
» Cover Crops??
» rye coming up in a bed
» has55's R & D Journey
» Cover Crops-Peas
» Cover Crops to Kill Nematodes
» rye coming up in a bed
» has55's R & D Journey
» Cover Crops-Peas
» Cover Crops to Kill Nematodes
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
|
|