By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Cotton Commission and the University of Georgia (UGA) Extension Cotton Team remind growers about the benefits of implementing cover crops on their farms.
Camp Hand, UGA Extension cotton agronomist, discussed cover crops as his producers are on the verge of concluding this season’s harvests.
“It seems like it’s making a little bit of a resurgence. I think it depends on the folks and how big of a priority it is for them,” Hand said. “Obviously, if you want to get the most out of it, you need to get out there before you get done picking and start planting them. For certain, there’s a good bit (of farmers) that plant them. Of course, with the Cotton Trust Protocol and these different sustainability programs and stuff like that, it is on guys’ radars.
“It’s certainly something that they should be thinking about.”
Multiple Benefits
According to UGA, cover crops are plants that keep the soil covered while they’re growing or with their residue after they die. Farmers use them to prevent erosion, increase soil organic matter and prevent nutrients from leaching below the root zone.
There are various crop options for growers to consider implementing.
“Right now, I’m planting rye here on the station. There’s a good bit of data on rye. It’s got good weed suppression. It helps with water infiltration,” Hand said. “We did some clover stuff last year. It did fine, just got to be a little more careful in terms of insects early in the year right after planting. That can have some issues.
“I feel like most guys are either going to do wheat or rye or oats, something like that; to get something out there and get the ground covered and make sure their fields don’t wash too bad in the wintertime.”