Cover Crops - Minnesota NRCS | NRCS Minnesota
USDA Logo

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Minnesota


United States Department of Agriculture
  •  
  • Topics
    • Technical Resources
      • Conservation Planning
      • Data, Maps, & Analysis
      • Ecological Science
      • Engineering
      • Land Use
      • State Technical Committee
  • Programs
    • Farm Bill Programs
    • Easements
    • Landscape Initiatives
    • Landscape Planning
  •  
 
  • About Us
  •   |  
  • National Centers
  •   |  
  • State Websites
  • Browse By Audience
  •   |  
  • A-Z Index
  •   |  
  • Help

You are Here: 

Stay Connected USDA In Facebook NRCS In Twitter NRCS In Youtube NRCS In Mail USDA In Flicker
Z6_30DC1140N83C50ABLBMIOD10R1
{}
Z7_30DC1140N83C50ABLBMIOD1072

Web Content Viewer

Component Action Menu
  • ${title}
${loading}
Actions

Loading Tree...

  • Technical Resources

    • Conservation Planning
      • Conservation Technical Assistance
      • Technical Service Providers
    • Data, Maps, & Analysis
      • Economics
      • GIS
      • National Resources Inventory
      • Rapid Watershed Assessment
    • Ecological Science
      • Agronomy
      • Biology
      • Cultural Resources
      • Invasive Species
      • Manure Management
      • Nutrient Management
      • Pest Management
      • Threatened & Endangered Species
    • Engineering
    • Land Use
      • Cropland
      • Range & Pasture
      • Forestry
    • State Technical Committee
      • STC Notes
      • STC Agenda
    • Locally Led Conservation & Local Work Groups

Cover Crops - Minnesota NRCS

What it is

Crops such as cereal rye, oats and winter wheat are planted to temporarily protect the ground from wind and water erosion and supply living roots to the soil during times when cropland is often not adequately protected.

How it helps

  • Keeps ground covered to protect it from soil erosion.
  • Improves soil health by adding organic matter and biological activity.
  • Cover crops, such as tillage radishes, have a taproot that can help improve water infiltration.
  • Traps nutrients.
  • Can reduce weed competition.
  • Provides livestock grazing.

Planning ahead

  • What benefit would you like to get out of the cover crop?
  • What seeding method do you plan to use?
  • How will you plan to terminate a cover crop that over winters?

Tech Notes

  • Cover crops are especially beneficial when low residue producing crops, such as soybeans or corn silage, are grown on erodible land.
  • Most cover crops will need at least a month of growth before the first hard frost to allow vegetative growth large enough to survive the winter.
  • Establish cover crops according to the recommended seeding rates, dates, and methods provided.
  • If seeding the cover crop prior to harvest, use a broadcast method that allows for good coverage and prevents damaging the standing crop.
  • If seeding the cover crop after harvest, the seed may be no-tilled or broadcast seeded into existing residue cover.
  • Cover crops can be terminated by harvest, crimpers, frost, mowing, tillage and herbicides.

Maintenance

  • Cover crops should be terminated as late as possible to maximize plant growth and residual nutrient accumulation, while allowing sufficient time for the cover crop to decompose, release nutrients, and recharge soil moisture.
  • Do not allow livestock to graze the cover crop below two inches.

MN Resources:

  • Minnesota Cover Crop Design Tool Nov2018
  • University of Minnesota Extension Cover Crops
  • Midwest Cover Crops Council
  • Midwest Cover Crops Council --Cover Crops Decision Tool (Introduction for the Tool)
  • Website for actual tool
  • Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Cover Crops
  • These documents require Acrobat Reader:
  • Carbon to Nitrogen Ratios in Cropping Systems (PDF)
  • Cover Crop Chart (PDF)
  • Cover Crop Fact Sheet (PDF)
  • Cover Crop Fact Sheet Brochure (PDF)
  • Cover Crop Fact Sheet Technical (PDF)
  • Cover Crops to Improve Soil in Prevented Planting Fields (Fact Sheet) (PDF)
  • Managing Cover Crops Profitably (PDF)
  • Overview of Cover Crops and Green Manure (PDF)
  • Stop Soil Erosion on Canning Crop Acres (PDF)
  • Plant Materials Technical Note No. 6 | Evaluation of Spring Seeded Crops in CO, MT, ND (PDF)

 

NRCS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Civil Rights | FOIA | Plain Writing | Accessibility Statement

Policy and Links | Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | Whitehouse.gov

Complementary Content
  • ${title}${badge}
${loading}